New Social Media Plan
Social Networking Platform to be adopted by Red Cross
Being a nonprofit organization Red Cross should consider a social networking platform that captures their entire client. The Platform should be based on where their clients are, how well are their priorities being addressed by the platform and how much resources is it required to run the profile within the social networking profile. Red Cross should adopt facebook and twitter social networking platforms to supplement the efforts by the official website to help achieve the goals of the organization. Facebook should be adopted by Red Cross as a platform since most of their clients are on facebook hence the social network platform is a good opportunity to meet and interact with them. It is also cheaper to conduct daily interactions on facebook since social networking is an ongoing process that requires constant connection to the entire audience. Twitter should also be adopted to help expand the clients’ base and enhance the transmission of news in case of disasters or warnings to the public. Since most individuals are now on twitter, it would be wise for Red Cross to effectively and efficiently venture in this market to grab the potential customers and maintain the existing ones.
What they should use each platform for
Having decided on the adoption of the social networking platform, Red Cross should determine how well and effectively they utilize the platforms. The platforms in this context are facebook and twitter. On the facebook platform, Red Cross should share their mission, vision and values to the public who have access to this site. They should also offer and obtain opinions to and from their clients based on facebook. Through facebook, Red Cross can also advertise job opportunities or voluntary missions through shared links on this platform. In order to keep in touch with their clients, Red Cross should use facebook as a daily interaction medium with their clients. Clients should feel free to air their grievances or complaints and offer appreciation notes on the good services offered by Red Cross Organization. Facebook should also be used to pass important contacts to the public in case of disasters. Through directions given, clients can easily access the services of Red Cross organizations. Finally, Red Cross should use facebook as a medium for news transmission. Since many people subscribe to this social networking platform, the intended message will reach vast group of the population.
Red Cross should use twitter mainly as a means of passing news or urgent information to the public. This social networking platform boosts a large group of subscribers hence the information/warning/news will reach majority of the population on time. Another important use of facebook as a social networking platform by Red Cross is in relation to advertisement. The organization can use facebook to promote its image hence invite many other clients aboard. Twitter should be used to update clients and other organizations on the activities unfolding at Red Cross Organization. Through this platform, the public will be current on the matters pertaining to Red Cross organization hence keep touch always. Twitter and facebook platforms can also be used by the organizations to share photos.
Sample Materials for each Platform
An example of materials found on the Red Cross profile created on facebook social networking platform would be; “Our thoughts are with the people of Fiji as they prepare for Cyclone Daphne. Severe flooding in recent days has already driven more than 8,000 residents to evacuation shelters. The Fiji Red Cross is on high alert and ready to provide assistance”. Through this facebook update, Red Cross is able to show their concern and share their sympathy with the affected individuals as well as pass the message of this tragic event to the entire universe capable of accessing this site. A sample material on twitter as a social networking platform adopted by Red Cross would be; “Red Cross rallies to prevent the spread of mouth, hand and foot diseases”. This sample can be shared by different individuals accessing the platform, hence wide spread of information. Other sample of materials in these platforms includes the information about the organization, when it founded and other important contacts.
How frequently they should post materials in each platform
Since social networking calls for constant connections/interaction with the audience/clients, it is advisable to post materials frequently in the adopted platforms. In case of facebook as the platform adopted by Red Cross, updates or posts should be frequent but should be done in a manner that allows time for the reaction of the public. Too many facebook updates or posts discourage subscribers hence they give up before even digesting the content of the post. The updates or posts in the facebook platform should not come after weeks or months since clients will consider this site as dormant and walk away from the platform. Special funds should be set aside to ensure constant interaction with the entire planet based on frequent posts on face. Since serious matters are given priorities on this platform, the frequency of posts should not be down to one minute in between the posts. These serious matters and events do not occur that frequently hence, posts should be spaced in relation to time.
In case of twitter as a social networking platform, the frequency of updates should be much greater than the posts in facebook. Since this site or platform acts as a main medium for passage of information/news, it should be in constant action to avoid the dormant scenario that drives followers or subscribers away. Twitter is also an interaction site hence, constant connections with the clients or the entire universe is demanded. This makes the clients/subscribers feel wanted and see the need to be involved in Red Cross activities. Based on the nature of the organization, Red Cross should constantly be in contact with the entire world. In most cases, this organization appeals to the help from the population, hence being in constant connections with the society help in meeting their needs.
Whether or not they should interact with their friends/followers/viewers
Red Cross Organization in its activities on the social networking sites or platforms should interact with their friends/followers/viewers. Through interactions with their friends or subscribers on facebook, Red Cross is able to obtain complaints and opinions from their subscribers in relation to their operations (Chapman et al, 2011). This type of information is very vital to the development of the organization. Red Cross can use this information to help improve on the services they offer hence, enhancement on the quality of service offered by this non-profit oriented organizations. The organization will have an idea on how to serve the population well by improving on wanting areas and maintaining the high standards that have pleased the population.
Through interactions with friends/followers/viewers, Red Cross is able to pass accurate and valid message to the public. Individuals are allowed to ask questions on matters they seek clarification. This enables the society to receive valid information, which they can stand by whenever questioned about the source. In the moment of interactions, friends/followers/viewers are capable of passing information to the organization on subjects/events they may not be aware of in some parts of the universe. This constitutes the news transmission from the public to the Red Cross organization. The interaction between Red Cross and their friends/followers creates awareness to the parties involved, hence is vital for both the public and the organization.
Interactions with the subscribers/friends/followers/viewers help the organization to meet its demands or needs. Since Red Cross is not profit-oriented organization, it mainly depends on funds solicited from other non-governmental organizations and contributions from the entire universe through charitable movements. Without interaction with the parties involved, this financial requirement and effective service delivery cannot be reached. This indicates how crucial this interaction between Red Cross and friends/viewers/followers is towards the realization of goals and vision of the organization. The interaction must be in place and should be mutual in nature to help serve the needs of the parties involved (Chapman et al, 2011).
Through interaction with friends and followers, Red Cross is able to pass information to a larger group of individuals who may or may not be subscribers to the platform/site adopted by the organization. An example can be drawn from twitter as a social networking platform. In twitter, information is passed through retwitting of the original message by followers. This offers other people the opportunity to access the shared information in relation to activities going on at the organization. In case of facebook as the other social networking platform, information is shared through the links provided by the posts within the profile of the organization. This increases the speed at which the information travels between the organization and the entire population. The size of the population information coverage is also increased hence; sufficient communication is promoted by interaction between friends/followers/viewers.
Conclusion
Red Cross organization should consider adoption of social networking platform as a vital tool to the development of the organization. When choosing on a credible and effective platform, three important factors should be considered; where the population/clients are found, how well are the interests of the organization served by the adopted platform and what is the cost of constantly running the platform. All the three factors should offer guidance in adopting efficient social networking platform. All vital information ranging from the mission to the contacts of the organizations should appear on the platform selected. This offers opportunity to the population to have a clear view of the organization they are dealing with.
Within each adopted social networking platform, interaction is important. Red Cross organization obtains the opinion and complaints from the society they serve. This information is used to enhance the quality of services offered by the organization. Such interactions also are vital for the transmission of information to and from the organization. The interactions between organization and friends/followers provide room for increment in the coverage unit of the information. The validity of the information is also enhanced through interactions between these parties. To be on the same level with the ever-changing world, Red Cross should adopt a social networking platform to help reach millions of individuals who can access these facilities.
Reference
BCS, T. C. I. I. T., Atkins, J., Mitchell, S., Gamester, J., Flood, G., McKay, D., Apte, A. Chapman, R. (2011). Management Skills in IT: Shaping your career. Swindon: British Informatics Society.
