Social Networking: A Guide to Strengthening Civil Society Through Social Media

This guide, written by Tina Yesayan for USAID, outlines strategies to incorporate social media into the activities of civil society organizations (CSOs) to promote democracy, human rights, governance and greater citizen participation and transparent political processes. It is intended as a local capacity building tool aimed at strengthening the ability of organisations to deliver greater impact. 

Excerpt

"Social media is a dynamic online medium that has changed the way we work. Similar to traditional media, social media offers opportunities to collect and share news, communicate with audiences and advocate for change. However, unlike traditional media, social media allows for this to happen on the Web in real-time through highly interactive global or regional social networks.

The most popular social media platforms include Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Instagram and Pinterest. However, new platforms emerge daily, and staying abreast of these developments is critical to social media success. Sharing quality content is also important. Content should be honest and genuine to help build trust, and engaging to organically grow an audience. Posting simply out of obligation is not a good strategy. Posting interesting, compelling and thought-provoking content is the key to success." 

Contents

  • What is Social Media?
  • Who Uses Social Media?
  • What are the Different Types of Social Media?
  • Social Media and its Role in Development
  • What are the Popular Social Media Platforms?
  • Global Tools and Platforms
  • Regional Tools and Platforms
  • Other Networks and Platforms
  • Benefits of Social Media for Civil Society
  • Developing a Social Media Policy
  • Linking Social Media to Programmatic Goals
  • How to use Social Media in Programming?
  • How to Grow Constituency through Social Media?
  • A Glance at Social Media Dos and Don’ts
  • How can the Impact of Social Media be Measured?
  • Quantitative Analysis
  • Analytics: Which Metrics Should We Analyze?
  • Qualitative Analysis
  • What are Some of the Security and Privacy Issues When Using Social Media?
  • Appendix A: Glossary
  • Appendix B: Online Resources and Tools
  • Appendix C: Planning and Budgeting for Your Social Media Strategy
  • Appendix D: Social Media Platforms
  • Appendix E: Case Studies

Sources

TYesayan, T., (2014) Social Networking: A Guide to Strengthening Civil Society Through Social Media, USAID. Retrieved from: http://www.usaid.gov/SMGuide4CSO