It has been assumed that the more time we spend online, the more cut off we become from our communities. But in light of #nomakeupselfie, Javier Burón, founder and chief executive of Twitter management platform SocialBro, explains how charities can use social media to galvanise people into action.
Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube have all become vital avenues for promoting awareness and engaging with audiences. They are a direct path into the personalised information streams of millions of consumers, and provide a unique opportunity to interact directly with potential donors.
Specifically, Twitter is such an incredible place where any individual can be listened to by all the world in seconds. Social media helps communities extend their boundaries and spread their message, connecting with other communities around the world.
Many of us now learn about causes through social media, but more importantly, we are all far more likely to get involved and support causes that are close to the hearts and lives of our friends and families. It's a lot harder to say no to a friend than an ad campaign, no matter how much it pulls at your heartstrings.
Charities who use social media well are doing much more than spreading the word about the work they are doing – they are recruiting an army of hugely influential ambassadors who can promote their cause for them in a very personal way within their social communities, and most importantly, motivate those communities to take part.
It's a lot harder to say no to a friend than an ad campaign, no matter how much it pulls at your heartstrings.
And they are making it easy for people to be involved.
With so many of us struggling to balance work, family and social commitments, it can be difficult to find the time to get involved with our communities but that doesn't mean people don't want to.
Very few people have the time and fitness level to run a marathon for Cancer Research UK, for example, but the selfie campaign, started by a passionate supporter, showed there is a huge pool of women who are prepared to support the charity through a social media initiative.
Javier Burón is founder and chief executive of Twitter management platform SocialBro. He tweets as @javierburon.
