Things change. In our fast-paced world, nothing seems to change more rapidly than the technology industry. Not only are computers and other technology constantly evolving, but demand for mobile devices and the information received on them is in constant demand from consumers.
That information – also known as content – will be in even higher demand this year. The saying, “content is king,” means that meaningful and relevant content remains as critical as ever. A successful focus on your mission and target audience will need to be continually monitored via the relationships you build through your social media efforts.
Some organizations and nonprofits (both large and small) are just coming online with a social media presence. Many see this effort as overwhelming for their already “stretched thin” staff, but having at least one social media channel (e.g., LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or a blog) is an expectation for your advocates, participants and even potential donors.
Here are the key social media trends for mission-driven organizations to follow and plan for in the coming year.
Newsfeed pruning
People who use social media regularly will start condensing their newsfeeds to weed out issues or topics that are no longer of interest to them. They may begin to delete websites or RSS feeds they’ve followed in the past because those sites no longer offer fresh content or interesting information. This is why quality content should be your most important priority. Keep it fresh, relevant, authentic and consistent.
Blog, blog, blog!
If you haven’t established a blog, this is the time to start. It helps drive your target audience to your site, learn more about your mission, interest new volunteers, advocates, and increase fundraising. Video, infographics and image-based content continues to be in high demand this year and will result in improved search engine results. Having blog content that is evergreen is critical for search engines to find after other items have served their life on the newsfeed curve.
Video content
Speaking of image-based content, video content will also be on the rise. People look for video content to familiarize themselves with your organization and its mission and activities. It will reinforce the relationship between your cause and your advocates. It may also attract those people who aren’t informed about your cause or organization’s goals. Keep it concise and interesting.
Streamline your content process
Your messaging needs to be accessible and available across any number of channels. Streamline a multi-channel approach to enable your content to work across all your digital platforms. Create an editorial calendar of posts in Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc. Have themes for your messaging during specific weeks or months and schedule them in advance. Do the same for your blog and be sure to make the schedule doable for your organization so that you’re not overwhelmed.
Mobile-friendly
The reality this year is that content – whether website, video or social media – needs to be mobile friendly. According to social media blogger Belle Beth Cooper, 189 million of Facebook’s users are “mobile only.” Additionally, recent research shows that just over 50% of people receive their content via their mobile device. Responsive websites in 2014 will be considered a “must have” for businesses, organizations and professional services.
Other Trends to Watch in 2014
1) Memes from organizations and businesses may not use this image-based tool as much as they did in past years so that they don’t go too far off topic from their message or brand.
2) Facebook reports that it has again modified its algorithms to be sure that strong content and articles of interest come from credible sources.
3) Google+ is seeing enormous and rapid growth in the social media world with over 300 million people visiting each month. More people are using this platform and I’d recommend your organization pay close attention. The search engine power alone from G+ is formidable? Why you ask? Because it’s Google!
Social media is constantly changing and evolving. Take a few minutes to subscribe to two or three blogs you enjoy to keep you up to date on trends and tips to help you create quality content and build deeper relationships with your followers. In fact, you can subscribe to Marketing Partners blog here.
—- Image courtesy of Flickr. Photo by Steve Dale.
