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Jim Byrne Accessible Website Design Glasgow for The Third Sector, Voluntary, Charities and Not for Profits

Accessible, Responsive Website Design
Jim Byrne Web Designer

20 Simple But Effective Facebook Marketing Tips

  1. Set up a Facebook Page rather than a personal profile page. If you use a personal profile for an organisation you are breaking Facebook rules. On a practical level, you can share your Page ‘feed’ on your website, though not your personal profile. 
  2. Add an attractive and relevant cover photo. Change it often.
  3. When creating a link to a website create an image and add it to your post – don’t just let Facebook choose the thumbnail for you. 
  4. The optimal post length is between 80 and 100 characters. 
  5. Use scheduling software to post regularly. 2 posts per day seems to be a common recommendation. Popular scheduling services include SocialOomph and Hootsuite.
  6. Have a ‘call to action’ mindset when posting i.e. ask people to do something: take a survey, like, sign up for latest training.
  7. Add images and/or videos to your posts. You might want to get some statistics across – don’t just write it, create an infographic. 
  8. Fill in all the information you can on your ‘About Us’ sections: Website URL, physical address, contact info, keywords. Add a call to action in your biography e.g. ‘get your free guide’.
  9. Post content that has value to your audience – make it entertaining and informative. 
  10. Post Case studies that highlight your members/target group. Think about how you can recognise those who are part of your target group by linking to them, profiling them and showing how your services have helped them.
  11. Share content from others, particularly organisations working in the same area as yours.
  12. Only 20% of your posts should be directly promotional, that includes information about your events, training and services. 
  13. Promote and interact with other organisations working in similar areas to you even if they are competitors – share, like, comment on. This establishes you as an independent source of information about what is happening in the area you are working in and gives you credibility that you wouldn’t have if you only mentioned your own stuff. 
  14. Share the same content more than once. People have their own social media habits; if you post when they are not there, they won’t see it. Share the same content but with different headings and/or text.
  15. Try to create a conversation rather that just broadcast a piece of information. Ask a question, give an opinion and invite a response. Three quarters of non-profits are not doing that at the moment – they are just using it as a post board to announce things – so be different and try to make your posts engaging. (https://blog.bufferapp.com/social-media-non-profits).
  16. Create behind the scenes content. Take photos and video at training events, post updates about events you are attending or participating in. 
  17. Comment on trending issues – if possible in a way that is relevant to your own area of expertise. 
  18. Be nice to the people who are part of your social media network. Congratulate them on their successes, comment on, and share their posts and Tweets. 
  19. In general, your writing should have an informal and friendly tone. Lighten up. 
  20. Provide give-aways and discounts. Connect your discounts to something or someone. For example, your 20% off coupon could be ‘FRIENDSOFJOHN’ in honour of some good deed or success by someone in your network called John. Make discounts time related, i.e. ‘for today only’.

Contact me if you need help with website development or online marketing. Telephone: 07810 098 119.


Twitter for charities, non profits and the voluntary sector – Everything you need to unlock the power of twitter for good

Twitter for Voluntary sector, charities and non-profitsOhh look! it’s the book I wrote with Jeremy Webb.

Twitter for charities, non profits and the voluntary sector – Everything you need to unlock the power of twitter for good

"Essential reading for those in the Third Sector who need to know how to harness the power of Twitter." Tom Alcott, The Social Network Company.

You’ll learn why social networks are special, detailed Twitter mechanics as well as advanced strategies to grow a huge and dedicated following.

Twitter is a phenomena. It’s new and fast evolving – launched as a tool with no plan it quickly emerged as THE microblog platform on the web. BUT it is vast and quickly changing – this guide offers an easy way in to twitter, to maximise returns and to avoid the time-suck that poor social media is. Hat’s off to Jeremy & Jim for making it accessible and clear. Like a snow flake in an avalanche or a drinking from a fire hydrant it is easy to be overwhelmed by Twitter – but this book is clear about how to increase your signal to noise ratio, how to engage effectively and above all – how to get returns for your messaging so you are effective tweeter and not just a twit.
@Tom_Alcott, Tom Alcott, The Social Network Company.

As newcomers to tweeting ourselves at SAIF, but already with 545 followers (yah!), this book provides crucial advice on how to make the most of the Twitter phenomenon. And although we try our best, quite frankly, we still have a lot to learn which is where Jim’s book comes in.
@saifscotland, Susan Burn, SAIF Project Officer.

Jim and Jeremy have produced an indispensable guide to getting started with, using and getting the most from Twitter. As well as covering the basics of Twitter – how to create an account, how to set-up your profile to maximum effect and how/when/what to tweet – the manual provides a trove of hints, power tips and links to resources that will benefit any Twitter user.
@dancham, Dan Champion, Champion Internet.

I wish I had read this before I decided to make an account on twitter, it would have been so much easier to understand. The book is the ideal tool for people who don’t do social network sites. After reading the book I have decided to deactivate my initial attempts and follow the books direction. I never thought Twitter was such a powerful tool for charities and voluntary groups, the way you have explained the power and how charities can benefit from it is brilliant. I have many spent hours ploughing through funding searches, trusts and donors when all the time the very thing I was afraid of had all the answers and contacts. Jim thanks from converting the unconverted.
@BdaaTerry, Terry Moseley British Disabled Angling Association

Now I finally ‘get’ Twitter.This comprehensive yet readable guide is a must-read for anyone wanting to market anything using the medium of the ‘Twittersphere’.
@mrjtrading, Mick Wood, Web Hosting & Design for Christians

I can recommend this excellent guide having read through it myself. The guide is thorough and I am sure even seasoned tweeters will find interesting tips by reading it."
@eleanor_ila, Eleanor Lisney, Independent Living Aids and Equipment


First chapter of Twitter book for beginners now online

Photo: Twitter for Voluntary, Charities and non-profits.Read chapter one online of, Twitter for charities, non profits and the voluntary sector – Everything you need to unlock the power of twitter for good.

"Essential reading for those in the Third Sector who need to know how to harness the power of Twitter." Tom Alcott, The Social Network Company.

You’ll learn why social networks are special, detailed Twitter mechanics as well as advanced strategies to grow a huge and dedicated following.

Twitter is a phenomena. It’s new and fast evolving – launched as a tool with no plan it quickly emerged as THE microblog platform on the web. BUT it is vast and quickly changing – this guide offers an easy way in to twitter, to maximise returns and to avoid the time-suck that poor social media is. Hat’s off to Jeremy & Jim for making it accessible and clear. Like a snow flake in an avalanche or a drinking from a fire hydrant it is easy to be overwhelmed by Twitter – but this book is clear about how to increase your signal to noise ratio, how to engage effectively and above all – how to get returns for your messaging so you are effective tweeter and not just a twit.
@Tom_Alcott, Tom Alcott, The Social Network Company.

As newcomers to tweeting ourselves at SAIF, but already with 545 followers (yah!), this book provides crucial advice on how to make the most of the Twitter phenomenon. And although we try our best, quite frankly, we still have a lot to learn which is where Jim’s book comes in.
@saifscotland, Susan Burn, SAIF Project Officer.

Jim and Jeremy have produced an indispensable guide to getting started with, using and getting the most from Twitter. As well as covering the basics of Twitter – how to create an account, how to set-up your profile to maximum effect and how/when/what to tweet – the manual provides a trove of hints, power tips and links to resources that will benefit any Twitter user.
@dancham, Dan Champion, Champion Internet.

I wish I had read this before I decided to make an account on twitter, it would have been so much easier to understand. The book is the ideal tool for people who don’t do social network sites. After reading the book I have decided to deactivate my initial attempts and follow the books direction. I never thought Twitter was such a powerful tool for charities and voluntary groups, the way you have explained the power and how charities can benefit from it is brilliant. I have many spent hours ploughing through funding searches, trusts and donors when all the time the very thing I was afraid of had all the answers and contacts. Jim thanks from converting the unconverted.
@BdaaTerry, Terry Moseley British Disabled Angling Association

Now I finally ‘get’ Twitter.This comprehensive yet readable guide is a must-read for anyone wanting to market anything using the medium of the ‘Twittersphere’.
@mrjtrading, Mick Wood, Web Hosting & Design for Christians

I can recommend this excellent guide having read through it myself. The guide is thorough and I am sure even seasoned tweeters will find interesting tips by reading it."
@eleanor_ila, Eleanor Lisney, Independent Living Aids and Equipment


How to create a Facebook Cause and use it to promote your organisation

5 simple steps to create your Cause on Facebook

1. Create a new cause and choose to have it support your campaign. According to the Facebook application we are about to learn about and use, “causes strives to empower people from all walks of life to have a positive impact on the world in which they live.”

To create a new cause, type the word “causes” in the search field on your Facebook page. A variety of results will appear on your screen, just click on the “go to app” button alongside the icon shown below:

Photo: The Facebook Cause Application.

Once you’re in, click on the “continue to causes” button.

Click on the log in button at the upper left corner of your screen. A pop up screen will appear asking if you will allow the application to access your basic information. Proceed by choosing “allow.”

Photo: Facebook Causes.

On the left hand corner of your screen, you will see the ‘Set up your new Causes profile’ link. Click on it to create/join a cause. To personalize your account, click on the “edit profile” link beside your name. Populate the necessary fields. Be sure to choose a URL for your cause and add pertinent information in the Bio field.

2. Invite your friends and network to join and support your cause.

Once you’ve created a new cause, you can either invite your friends to join or just wait for people to find your cause and join your group. Facebook’s “feed” feature will automatically notify your friends. You can also send messages to personally invite them to join your cause.

3. Tell others about your cause with photos.

Facebook’s Cause application only allows you to select one picture or logo to go with your cause. But you can upload pictures on a photo-sharing site such as Flickr or Smugmug and add a link to your page.

4. Use your cause to get media coverage.

Public relations is one of the most important aspects of promoting non-profit organizations. It works because you can get a lot of free publicity through it. So why not use your cause and the funds raised to write a press release about your achievements? You’ll probably need to have a lot of members signed up or a significant amount of money raised for the media to pay attention, but it’s worth it.

5. Involve your friends and supporters.

Looking for ways to involve your members and supporters? After a donation has been made, a scorecard on your member’s profile page tracks how many people your members recruited and how much money they have raised.

Contact us today. We are hugely experienced award winning web designers and developers. Please read what our clients are saying about how we helped them meet their aims.

Or phone to talk over your ideas: 07810 098 119.


Twitter for charities, non profits and the voluntary sector – Read the first two chapters free

The first two chapters of Twitter for charities, non profits and the voluntary sector free

Read and buy the full e-book at a special price.


Is Facebook useful for voluntary sector organisations?

Why would a voluntary sector organisation use Facebook?

Is it because,

  • Facebook has more than 750 million active users
  • Average user has 130 friends
  • 50% of users log on each day
  • People spend over 700 billion minutes per month on Facebook

Yes, Facebook is very popular! This was brought home to me when I visited Ireland recently to play some gig (I play music in my ‘spare’ time) and every venue I went into mentioned that they had promoted the gigs through their Facebook account.

Read more about Facebook for the voluntary sector…


Twitter for charities, non profits and the voluntary sector book launch

Twitter for Voluntary sector, charities and non-profitsOhh look! The book I wrote with Jeremy Webb is being launched.

Twitter for charities, non profits and the voluntary sector – Everything you need to unlock the power of twitter for good

"Essential reading for those in the Third Sector who need to know how to harness the power of Twitter." Tom Alcott, The Social Network Company.

You’ll learn why social networks are special, detailed Twitter mechanics as well as advanced strategies to grow a huge and dedicated following.

Get your free chapter of Twitter for charities, non profits and the voluntary sector


Nonprofit Organizations: Why use Facebook?

If you haven’t seen a use for Facebook for your organization, then you are not alone. Many people view online social networking tools, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Myspace as time-draining distractions.

Facebook also has the potential benefit of having your entire network of friends in the one place, so you can easily announce new activities, campaigns, and events to your constituency without having to email a large group of people – and risking the effects of the spam filter’s black hole.

Facebook can also help you to connect with organizations and people which might not have known about your organization before. As it is an easy venue to plug into an existing audience that has similar interests.

If you have video content, podcasts, interviews, or documents just languishing on your desktop, creating a presence on Facebook provides an easy way to upload these types of media, without spending the time or resources required for updating your own Web site.

The way that Facebook interacts with other social media tools, like Twitter, blogs, and Flickr, can provide a simple interface to consistently and easily update your community of supporters with news of your organization’s activities.

Best of all, using Facebook is free so the cost is only in how much time you and your staff choose to invest. What’s the return on the investment? If not a direct monetary ROI, there will definitely be a marketing return that becomes evident as your network grows.

Creating a fan page on Facebook can also be used to increase your volunteer base and to help your members do the advertising of your organization’s mission for you.


Social Media Content That Engages

The cry of “Content is King” has been a rallying call for bloggers and online publishers for years.

Creating and marketing your content is now as easy as typing text and uploading images and videos and then hitting the publishing button.

This has been facilitated by the advent of social networks and blogging software that facilitate fast efficient multi-media publishing.

The reality is that everyone is now a publisher as social media has provided easy to use tools which has put a personal printing press in everyone’s hand.

We are not only creating but sharing this content on desktops, laptops, ipads and smart phones to our Facebook and Twitter streams. The mobility of the smart phones has accelerated this publishing revolution that allows us to share anytime and anywhere as the impulse takes us.

The more engaging the content whether it be video or text the more likely it is to be shared.

The “Content” Explosion

To put some perspective on the scale of this online publishing phenomenon here are some facts and figures

  • In 2010 on Facebook alone there were 30 billion images published by millions of “authors”
  • 5 Billion Photos published on Flickr by 2010
  • YouTube figures reveal that 48 hours of YouTube videos are uploaded every minute as of May, 2011
  • It is estimated that over 330 million blog posts are published every year

Content is what drives people to subscribe to blogs, search on YouTube and play on Facebook. Internet users are looking for information and content that

  • Informs
  • Educates
  • Solves problems
  • Entertains

Tags: ,


Some Ideas To Help You Create Your Brand via Twitter

The current population of Twitter is numbered at a massive 6 million and is forecasted to reach 18.1 by the end of 2010. The possibilities of networking are infinite. If you are on Twitter – whatever you are doing on there is either strengthening or hurting your Therefore, personal and/or organisational brand.

How you can build your personal brand on Twitter

Twitter handles are like domain names, they give your account a sense of identity and uniqueness. Just like domain names, you need to make sure that you make it your own. Perhaps you need to do a bit of name brainstorming; to that end you could spend time at the Tweexchange website (http://tweexchange.com/) to check if the Twitter name(s) you are interested in are available.

Creating your identity through your profile

Right before you start with Twitter, you need to complete your profile. When filling out your info make sure that it mirrors your personality and what you want to portray.

Your profile should reflect your professional capabilities. For example, if you are a pro in Fundraising for charities, make sure that you select a background which tells something about your fundraising successes. Work on your bio and make sure it matches your skill set. The key here is to be honest; don’t claim any skills you don’t have – but equally don’t fail to mention what makes you unique. Your bio will be a big help in determining who will follow you.

Establish yourself as being an expert

A very good way of creating your personal brand is establishing a reputation amongst your followers on your expertise within your particular field. A great way to do this is to have Q and As with your followers. Answer questions from them on certain topics. The more you tweet about that topic/those topics, the more people will remember you and they now know who they will turn to when they need help.

Learn to use 3rd party apps

Although there are thousands of Twitter apps that exist, there are only a few that can truly help. Below is a list of the apps that are commonly used by people to help establish their personal brand.

  • Twellow
  • Tweetbeep
  • Tweetmeme:
  • Hashdictionary
  • Ping.fm
  • Twitter Grader
  • Tweetlater

Creating A Mastermind group

Simply put, a mastermind group is a group of Twitter users who share common interests and who help each other become more successful. Finding these people who are similar to you will give you the opportunity to help them and vice versa. There too are applications that can help you form these mastermind groups such as Grouptweet and Twitter Groups.


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“The audit was extremely comprehensive, clear and demonstrated Jim’s expertise in the area of accessible web design.” Peter Madden, Project Manager, Sealed Envelope Ltd