Social Media for Good Causes: Getting the Most from Your Investment

NEW YORK, July 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- How much should we be investing in social media? How will we know if our investment's paying off? Insights into these questions and more are at the heart of a new series of social media guides Fenton is launching this summer for communications professionals who work for nonprofits, foundations and socially responsible businesses. The first release, "Short & Sweet: The Whys and Hows of Twitter," kicks off the series today.

"The way we consume information has changed enormously in the past five years, but many of the same rules apply: be clear about your goals and target audiences first. Answering those big strategic questions is the first step to figuring out how to get the most value from social media," said Fenton Chief Strategy Officer Lisa Witter. "This is the foundation of our social media guides, which also offer ideas for harnessing this two-way broadcast medium as a powerful tool for market research and community building for good causes."

The three Fenton guides are:

• JUNE: Short & Sweet: The Whys and Hows of Twitter for Communications Professionals. You've started a Twitter handle. You've tweeted. Now what? This guide is designed to help you take full advantage of Twitter's potential, not only as a way to receive and distribute content, but as a tool to perceive what type of information is getting traction and who the influencers are in the conversation. The guide also offers insights on updating, retweeting, hashtagging and listbuilding.

• JULY/AUGUST: The Fenton Metrics. Measuring communications has become a lot more sophisticated since the days of counting media impressions, driven by technology and growing demand for authentic indicators of effectiveness. This guide offers advice on measuring influence as well as reach based on Fenton's "See, Say, Feel, Do" benchmarks. We recommend practical tools to help you track and organize the flow of information so you are responsive in real time and reporting the meaningful results to your board and donors.

• SEPTEMBER: How to be a Media DJ. Communications is increasingly interactive. Turn this two-way engagement to your advantage by mastering media "DJ" skills like listening, creating, sharing and remixing content that will engage your target audiences, keep them coming back for more, and position you as an influential thought-leader on your issue.

Visit Fenton.com for updates on release dates and accompanying webinars and events.

About Fenton

Fenton opened its doors in 1982 to create issue campaigns that serve the public interest. We have been part of some of the defining movements of the past quarter century, from ending apartheid to curbing global warming. Today, Fenton is the largest public interest communications firm in the United States with offices in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. We combine decades of expertise with creativity and innovation to accelerate progress on today's most pressing global and national issues. For more information, visit www.fenton.com.

SOURCE Fenton