Social Media for NonProfits; a snapshot of Kenya

Social media is not only used for marketing and publicity, it is also used to pass on information, education and create awareness. However, from surveys It appears that non-profit organizations prefer the use of email and website to communicate to their audiences and are less conversant with the use of social media. It is significant to know how non-profit organizations are using these social media spaces to their advantage because the organizations are not in the profit making business and can benefit from free tools for communication. It is also pertinent to know the kind of content that sells to Kenyans.

The platforms used the most in Kenya are Twitter, Facebook and Whatsapp. Facebook is highly recognized in Kenya. As much as it has more users, Twitter is considered as the social media with a greater impact. Whatsapp too is being utilized by 49% of Kenyans who access via phone or tablets. Kenyans love social media and that is why finding out how non-profit organizations use social media to for marketing and public relations activities is interesting to know

If organizations understood the power of public relations in creating awareness for their work, they would have videos on social media showcasing what they do. Non-profit national and local organizations in Kenya have for the longest time used brochures as their communications tool to publicize their work. Recently, organizations have not been publishing hardcopy newsletters because of limited resources. Those with capacity have been posting the newsletters on their websites. However, not many organizations have been doing newsletters because they do not have the skilled personnel to package their work. News bulletins are more popular within government institutions and the government has mastered the act of having public relation practitioners publicize their work. One reason that newsletters and bulletins are not done by other organizations is a lack of staff with a public relations background.

There is an emerging trend in Kenya of using Vlogs. Young people are the ones exploring this option and prefer not to read but to watch and hear. These could be used by organizations to pass messages in interesting ways. There is also Snapchat which young people prefer using rather than Twitter. Organizations need to utilize these spaces to get their information to the public

Creative ways of communicating should also be explored. Organizations are beginning to learn how to use creative messages that can be encoded and decoded in the shortest, clearest and most precise way. They have started using graphics and online posters that give information in one piece. Cartoonists have been using their artistic skills to depict the occurrences in the country (See Image). Organizations have also started outsourcing cartoonist’s skills to pass on information. This is a useful tactic to apply in sending out messages especially to people who do not have time to read. It is also a worthwhile method to communicate to young people. 

On the 14th of October 2021 We’ll be hosting a free webinar discussing the Rise of Digital Media in Africa and its impact on NGO Campaigns to secure your seat click here

Source: Malinga, Irene M., “SOCIAL MEDIA USE BY NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN KENYA Read the full article here 

 

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