Putting Social Media to Good Use

I always get giddy and excited when some of my favourite things collide. That's why when Danny Brown of Press Release PR announced his goal of raising $12 000 for 12 different charities over the course of 12 months using the power of social media, I got SUPER excited.

It's called "The 12 for 12 Thousand Challenge" (or 12for12k for short), and it's gaining momentum fast. Brown is using the colossal power of social media tools such as Twitter and Facebook to get as many people on board as possible. The hope is that these people will take part in the project, which encourages everyone to donate each month to a different predetermined charity. Have qualms with donating to a specific charity on a particular month? That's okay; just spread the word and spread the love.

Aside from asking for support from his vast online networks, Brown is also staying true to the core idea of social media by allowing everyone interested to provide feedback and ideas. The 12for12K Facebook group already has over 100 members (not bad for a group that's barely a week off the ground) and the word on Twitter is spreading rapidly.

I love seeing social media being used for the benefit of social activism. It's amazing to watch the power that these tools have to rally people around a cause, and it's even more exciting knowing that you can be a part of it. Kudos, Danny!

I'm clearly proccupied...

Have you ever noticed how as soon as something is brought to your attention, you suddenly start to notice it everywhere? First it was idealist.org, then it was Twitter and now I'm finding it impossible to ignore all of the many online social networking sites out there! While I don't have anything ground-breaking to say here, I just wanted to share a couple other finds with you all.

First, a fellow PR student with a huge heart, Bryna from Streams of Hope recently brought a site called TED.com to my attention. She's pretty excited about the place so I just had to check it out and now I absolutely see why! TED (which stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design) started as a conference back in '84 and has since morphed into a hub for the sharing of amazing ideas. When you join in, you can begin discussing the various TEDtalks (with subject matter ranging from technology to art and pretty much everything inbetween) and begin meeting people of like mind. It seems like there's something for pretty much everyone on TED!

The second link is one I found pretty much by accident. Wetpaint is a site that essentially allows you to create a social website on whatever it is you're passionate about. From there you can add applications like wikis, forums or your own blogs to your site.

There are SO many ways to start networking online, it's really incredible! I just wanted to share a couple more. Enjoy!

So... What ARE you doing, anyway?

Do you Twitter? If not, you might be missing out. This relatively new social networking website operates on a pretty simple premise: It wants to know what you're doing.

Essentially the same thing as Facebook's status feature, you type in what you're doing (or thinking, planning, reading... Anything really) and share it with the world. Also like Facebook you can amass followers (akin to 'friends', these people will get your updates as you make them) or follow others to help you stay in touch. Add mobile connectivity and you will will never be out of the loop again. Seriously.

Sound daunting? From the offset it can seem rather ridiculous - who REALLY needs to know exactly what you're doing ALL OF THE TIME? Once you get the hang of it though, it's easy to see the appeal. And if Facebook has taught us anything it's that we truly enjoy being able to yammer endless about ourselves and stay connected with our friends. Once you get the hang of it though, it's easy to see the appeal (a word of caution: use your Twitter power wisely. Not only is this yet another facet for endless procrastination, it can easily get overwhelming. I have one gentleman following me, whom I do not actually know, who also happens to be following over 1,000 people. Can you IMAGINE the ceaseless updates you would receive? But anyway, I digress...)

So what does Twitter have to do with Public Relations? Answer: A lot more than you'd think. When used correctly, Twitter is an excellent networking tool. Use your "tweets" to keep in contact, share ideas and useful links or to discuss specific happenings and you'll always be in the loop. With the rapid transaction of information being shared, you can follow trends by watching the what is making its way into people's tweets, adding yet another level to the world of media monitoring.

I've only been twittering away for a week now and I'm already witnessing some of its potential. After some gentle nudging on the part of a dear friend of mine, a PR professional from Toronto eager to harness the power of Twitter, I signed up to begin the networking process. At one point, I made a tweet about Idealist.org and when I signed in a couple of days later, I noticed that I had gained a new follower. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that said new follower was none other than Idealist's official feed!

It's happening people, and it's happening fast. In the world of PR it has never been more important to stay on top of what's happening out there. If you're not on Twitter, who knows what you could be missing? It still might be too early for this girl to tell, but it might be worth the obsession in the long run.

Intrigued? Give it a try!

You can find out what yours truly is up to right here.

Nothing wrong with a little idealism...

FACT: I am an idealist. I love getting involved, educating myself on global issues and being a part of the growing movement to make a difference in the world we live in today. One of my favourite places to get up-to-date on all of these things all over the world is a website called Idealist.

Idealist is the place were people from all over the world are able to bring together their ideas, their opportunities, and to search out other like minded people. The site contains a blog that is regularly updated with all kinds of interesting news in the world of activism, allows people to create personal and volunteer profiles and has an extensive database of jobs, internships, volunteer opportunites, events, and many other opportunities! Further more, the range of topics is wide covering everything from poverty, global education, women's issues, the environment... The list goes on and on!

If I sound excited, it's because I am.

In the world of PR, social media and networking tools are huge. If you're in non-profit, this is an excellent tool. Organizations can start up a profile, post events, advertise and instantly connect with literally thousands of eager social activists from around the world. Not only that, the site gives people with a specific common interest an informative forum to meet, discuss and rally to action in one convenient place.

If social activism is your thing, this place is highly recommended. Check it out, sign up and start networking!