How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media to Their Advantage

I have to admit, I have only recently joined Facebook. I ignored it for so long, thinking it was just to keep in touch with friends that you didn't want to keep in touch with in the first place.

However Facebook, and other social media sites do have a purpose that is useful in business. You can connect with people, find new clients and advertise your business for free.

Here's a brief rundown of the most popular:

Facebook
Facebook is a great tool for connecting with people you've lost touch with. You never know, someone out there may have exactly what you are looking for. You can also set up a page for your business/non-profit. It's pretty easy to use and you can get started within minutes.

The downside is that you have to be careful about what you post. If you are on Facebook for business purposes, make sure it stays that way. Not that you can't have a little fun, but make sure you don't say anything inappropriate.

Linkedin
Linkedin is the more professional version of Facebook. With less functionality, it's primary goal is to connect business professionals with each other. Once you've developed a link with someone, you can see who they are associated with. It's like peeking into someone's address book.

Twitter
Ever wanted to start a blog to promote your non-profit/business but didn't think you had the time? Twitter can help! It's a website that offers a mini-blog of sorts, a way for people to keep connected with your news. You can post links to various pages on your website, articles, etc. People can sign up via email or RSS feed to get your news. It's perfect for keeping donors or clients updated about what's going on within your organization.

Stumbleupon
Stumbleupon is a website that allows people to search for specific websites attuned to their needs. How does this help you? By posting the Stumbleupon link on your website, people can go and rate your site. This will increase traffic and get more people interested.

These are just four of the many social networking sites out there that can help you and your organization. They are easy to set up and don't take a lot of time to maintain. And all have the potential to bring in more donors and clients and help you grow.