Social Media for Nonprofits

How would you like to find out what is being said about your organization on the web?  How would you like to have topic research sent directly to your email?

Google Alerts can make both of those things happen with hardly any effort on your part.  To get started, go to Google Alerts. You’ll then enter a search term, decide how big of an area you want Google to search (I pick the comprehensive choice), how often you want to receive updates, and an email address where the messages will be sent.

Let’s say I work for XYX Charity.  If I set up an alert for that search term, I’ll receive an email from Google that give me a link to wherever those words appear on the web. It’s a great way to find out right away if someone is saying something good or bad about you online.

You can also use Google Alerts for research.  I like to find out the latest in studies about workplace stress.  So I’ve set up an alert for, workplace + stress + study.  Now when those terms come up on the web, I get an email that again points me toward the source.  I can then share the study with my supporters through my blog or Twitter.  It makes me appear to be the ultimate expert on workplace stress. Try this with subject that are tied to your nonprofit.

Sometimes, you’ll receive alerts that don’t quite fit what you’re looking for. But those take a second to delete and the usefulness of the Google Alerts far outweigh any imperfections.  And Google Alerts can be changed or deleted as needed.