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In her recent article, "Is Facebook Worth the Hassle for Smaller Nonprofits?,"Joanna Fritz, Ph.D., talks about the importance of social media for nonprofits.

For many nonprofits, especially smaller ones, Joanna recognizes entering the social media world can be a challenging one.  However, she says, "in a multichannel world, where people get their information from a variety of sources, playing the social media game is just as important as setting up a website, sending out press releases, and mailing out fundraising appeals."

If one thing is clear, it's that social media is not going away anytime soon. It's something every organization should be taking advantage of. Facebook, Joanna advises, can be a great jumping off point for many nonprofits looking to make their way into the social media world and take advantage of an engaging and listening audience.

In looking at the nonprofits I follow on Facebook, I can't think of a small nonprofit leverging Facebook better than Be like Brit. As a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the children of Haiti, Be Like Brit aims to continue the compassionate life and legacy of Britney Gengel, a 19-year-old Lynn University sophomore who was tragically killed in the 2010 Haitian earthquake. The organization has established a safe, nurturing and sustainable orphanage in an environment where children can grow, learn and thrive.

On Facebook, Be Like Britdoes an excellent job of constantly keeping their readers updated with pictures and videos. Despite the orphanage being located in Haiti, through the organization's posts, photos, videos and stories, I feel as though I am there and know each and every one of the children at the orphanage (from Love-Na to Kerby) personally.

The same goes for Britney. Although I never met her, Brit's personality and passion for service live on in the photos and stories that the page provides. The Facebook posts are simple, yet colorful, informative and engaging--which is why it's no surprise the Facebook page has over 13,500 likes.

Be Like Brit is a great example of how a smaller nonprofit can thrive on a social media environment. I'm amazed at not only the incredible mission of Be Like Brit, which grew from the four members of Britney's immediate family, but its' ability to constantly interact and communicate effectively on social media through itsFacebook page, Twitter handle, YouTube channel and blogs (http://belikebrit.org/blog/ and http://belikebrit.org/category/jonathans-blog/).

As Joanna states, if nonprofits do take the plunge to join social media, they should be prepared for a long road of hard work, learning, and experimentation. But, as I'm sure Be Like Brit can attest, putting effort into social media is totally worth it and can create very exciting results.

By: Amey Owen, SM& Account Coordinator

Today I had the experience of attending a luncheon hosted by The Commonwealth Institute (TCI), featuring the eloquent, intelligent, and incredibly motivational Sheryl Sandberg, the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook.  After blazing through her captivating new book Lean In in just a matter of hours last week, I could hardly wait for the opportunity to hear her speak in person and perhaps offer a taste of the secret recipe that has helped her become the respected business-woman she is today.

Just as I was hoping and fully expected, Sandberg's talk closely mirrored the ideas in her book, and I walked away feeling stronger and even prouder to be a woman than when I walked through the elegant conference hall doors just a few hours earlier.  As a young woman just entering the workforce myself, Sandberg's message, illustrated both in Lean In and by her discussion at the TCI luncheon, strikes a particularly strong chord.  For me, today's event was the perfect opportunity to see first-hand how hundreds of women in the Boston area are breaking gender stereotypes in the work place and embracing their gender as an asset rather than shying away from it, taking their hard-earned "seats the table," as Sandberg puts it.

Sandberg's central argument is there needs to be some serious gender reform in the United States, particularly in the workforce, and she calls on both men and women to jumpstart the conversation.  She especially encourages women to take control of breaking down gender stereotypes in the workplace by leaping into their careers with heads held high and beaming senses of self-confidence.  After all, according to Sandberg, "One of the best ways to break down an institution is to run it."  At the luncheon, she explained that a heated national conversation about gender is a great place to start the reform - it's time to talk openly about barriers to women's success openly, and then take these barriers and work together as a society to tear them down.

My first few months as a working woman fully "leaning in" to my job have been exciting and fast-paced, and I fully intend to take Sandberg's words to heart when she stresses the importance of young women entering their blossoming careers with no anticipated roadblocks already in mind.  Instead, as women, we must enter the work place with the expectation that we can, and will, be just as successful as our male colleagues, and that it is completely possible to have both a fulfilling personal life and full-time career.

I will remember Sandberg's main tokens of advice, which I believe are: run confidently into challenges rather than meagerly tip-toe away, take the time to connect and build meaningful relationships with the people around you, and perhaps most important, do not under any circumstance underestimate your own worth and capabilities.  So, as I continue to lean forward into my own career, my professional goal is to someday achieve an influential and respected voice in the working world; my personal goal, however, is to earn this status in a society that no longer punishes successful women with harsh judgments and instead celebrates them for their success, intelligence, and invaluable contributions to their workplaces, homes, and communities.

By Molly Chase, Account Coordinator at Solomon McCown & Company

It's increasingly obvious that Facebook isn't just for college kids anymore. With over 500 million active users, 61 percent of whom are age 35 or older, businesses have discovered Facebook is a powerful tool to reach and engage target audiences. Of course, you already know all this, which is why you went ahead and built a beautiful Facebook Page for all your fans to like. But where are those fans?

Getting people to "like" your page isn't as easy as building it. Here are some tips to help get you started:

• Be Active: As with everything social media, the more you use it, the more other people will too. Keep content fresh (and interesting), respond to comments, send regular updates, and join the conversation however and whenever you can. Try integrating applications into your Page to increase interaction opportunities. If you engage and create and opportunity for your fans to reciprocate, they will.
• Reach Out: Once you're sure of your Page, you can begin actively inviting people to "like" it.  Send an e-mail to your list announcing the page and inviting your contacts to check it out. Include a Facebook logo or badge in all mass marketing or e-newsletters. Add a link to your Page in your e-mail signature.
• From Within Facebook: Chances are you already have a significant network on Facebook. Leverage it. Put a link to your Page on your personal profile, and even ask your friends to spread the word. When you leave comments elsewhere, include @yourfanpage to create hyperlinks and pique interest. Put lots of photos and videos on your Page, and be sure to tag people whenever possible.
• From Everywhere: In an era of Inbox Overload, many potential fans won't take action from e-mails alone. Instead, reach them where they already are. Link your Facebook and Twitter accounts to reach your fellow 140 character friends.  People coming to your website probably like who you are or what you do. But have they told the Facebook universe that they "like" you? If you embed a widget or "Like Box" on your site or blog, your fans can show their loyalty with a single click. For fans who prefer sms, you can invite them to join via text message (once you've secured 25 fans and a username for your Page). To join a Page from a phone, Facebook users need only to send a text message to 32665 (FBOOK) reading: "like yourusername" (without the quotes).
• Offer Incentives: Contests are a great way to boost people into action. In fact, any reward for "liking" you will help. Facebook enables you to show one thing to people who are fans and something else to visitors who haven't committed to "liking" you, which makes it easy to offer "exclusives" -- be it videos, news articles, or whatever. Studies have shown that Pages with built-in incentives enjoy a 200-300% higher click-to-like rates than static landing pages.
• Beyond Virtual: Put a link to your Page and the Facebook logo everywhere you touch people: on business cards, letterheads, brochures, advertisements, and even your office desk!
• Buy Friends: Facebook ads are remarkably effective and relatively affordable when trying to expand your network. The most consistent piece of advice, should you use this route, is to rotate your ads often. People get sick of seeing the same thing over and over, even if the viewers have been carefully targeted.

Speaking of... Have you "liked" the SolomonMcCown page yet?