Twitter Case Study: War Child

There are many nonprofit organizations on Twitter and many are using Twitter in a variety of different ways. One of the best organizations I've seen use Twitter is War Child. War Child is a great organization that provides assistance to war stricken children all over the world.

Recently the Executive Director, Dr. Samantha Nutt traveled to Darfur and twittered the whole way there. Some tweets are amusing, others alarming and even more so are downright scary. She not only told stories of her surroundings but of the people that she met.

Some sample tweets:

Each of the above connects with you in a different way. I've never donated to War Child but now I find myself intrigued. And that indicates a job well done. A connection has been made and that is ultimately what social media strives to do.

I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Samantha Nutt about War Child's use of Twitter as well as her recent trip. Part One is listed below:

1. Why did you choose to Tweet about your experience?
We wanted to give people a more direct connection with our programs and the experiences of the people we work with. It was an experiment, really. There was no guarantee that the technology would work. When I touched down in Darfur and checked my blackberry I couldn't believe I could still access Twitter. In fact, the only place it didn't work on the whole trip was Beirut airport on the way home! Twitter was one way though ­ I could send but I couldn't see what response it was getting, which was frustrating. That's why we're doing a Live Chat
next week to give people a chance to have some of their questions answered.

2. Has War Child had success garnering donations from Twitter or do you use it primarily for awareness?

We have received around $8000 in donations through Twitter initiatives since January. But we don't use it as a place to ask directly for money. It is a place to build relationships and through that a network of friends who will act, to some extent, as ambassadors for our work. Engaging with people on social media platforms - and especially Twitter ­ humanizes the organization.

Stay Tuned for Part Two tomorrow in which Dr. Nutt discusses her time in Darfur as well as why Twitter works for their organization.

*UPDATE: You can follow Dr. Nutt at NuttsAtWarChild

Social Media Time Management: Twitter

*This is the first in a series of posts of time management and social media.



Twitter is a great social media tool. But let's be honest, it's also a big distraction. Like constantly checking your email, Twitter can be compulsive. You just have to know what's happening all the time. But actually, you don't. It's important to use Twitter as a tool to help your organization grow and not just distract you from your other work.

So how can you manage your time on Twitter?

A few suggestions:

1. Get Tweetdeck

Tweetdeck is a Twitter application which I totally love. The best feature is it's grouping capabilities. You get to put who you follow in categories to make it easier. Currently, my categories include nonprofits, marketing, news, fun and more. Downsides to this feature include the very annoying tweeting noise you get when someone updates.

2. Don't follow everyone who follows you

You may think it is good ettiquette to follow everyone who follows you, but I disagree. Only follow someone if their posts have value for you. Otherwise, you will just be wading through the bad stuff to get to the good. And that is definitely a waste of your time. Don't be afraid to unfollow someone either if they don't live up to your expectations.

3. Don't read every tweet

When I first started on Twitter, I thought I had to read everything that was written. But now that I'm following 174 people I know that is completely unrealistic. Don't worry about what information has been lost, instead just read when you've got time.

4. Don't agonize over what to say

Twitter is supposed to be fast, fun and easy. I do believe as an organization you should stay on message at all times but don't plan out your tweets and stress about what to say. It should flow naturally.

5. Turn it off

When I'm writing for a client, my Tweetdeck is completely off. Distractions like this, especially if you are doing something creative, can throw you off entirely. Remember, you can always come back to it.

Use Twitter to engage in conversations, share news about your organization and increase brand awareness. But be smart about it.