Weekly Round-Up 11/20/14

It was an outstanding social media week for the three organizations I am following; many posts were made, they were especially appealing, and a wide range of new ventures and topics were discussed.

The American Red Cross discussed Influenza, a new Measles and Rubella initiative, a new partnership with the NFL and Fedex Air, winter weather preparation, home fire relief, donation, a new Target Partnership, pet safety, and world toilet day.

The following Facebook post was especially appealing. It is discussing the work that Red Cross does with home fires.

“Did you know that even at 1:30 a.m., Red Cross disaster volunteers are helping families after home fires? Get an inside peek here:http://rdcrss.org/1xkUol8”

Here, the writer used a rhetorical question to grab the reader’s attention. The fact that the organization has workers out in the middle of the night shows dedication, importance, and commitment. These are all traits that the audience will admire, so this inevitably reflects well on the organization. In the photo, the process of home fire relief is described as “A Night In The Life.” This is effective at grabbing the reader’s attention and spreading awareness about home fires. The wording is catchy, the visual format of the photo stands out, and the red signals danger.

Care posted about a partnership with Amazon, midterm elections & policy, an H&M partnership for poverty and female empowerment, a company newsletter, clean water, Syrian and African conflict, their #MyPath campaign, donation, world toilet day, Ebola, and the organization’s mission.

The following post stood out among the rest:

CARE is equipping vulnerable communities in Sierra Leone and Liberia with tools they need to stop the spread of Ebola. Give today and join CARE in the fight to #EndEbola. http://shout.lt/LtcS

The communities that CARE helps are described as vulnerable and in need. This emphasizes the importance of the work being done and works to engage the audience, along with the #EndEbola hashtag. This post will stand out to past and present donors by grabbing their attention with phrases like “Give today and join CARE in the fight” This phrase emphasizes the fact that the organization is promoting a good cause, and a cause that is in need of help and support. The photo above shows a community of people in Africa who have been helped by CARE. They look like they are/were in some kind of trouble (Ebola) and this emphasizes the importance of the work that CARE is doing. All of this is important in the process of raising awareness and fundraising because once a reader is drawn in by appeal and realizes the important nature of the work that CARE does, he or she will be more likely to donate and follow the social media campaign.

Doctors Without Borders focused on Ebola, their Vital Pact campaign, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Malaria, TB, New Guinea, Syria, and malnourishment in Cameroon.

The following Instagram post was especially appealing:

“Amina Moussa: “I got diabetes when I was four-years-old. The treatment is too expensive in Lebanon so I was going back to Raqqa in #Syria to get my medication.” Amid the trauma and desperation of the #Syrian #conflict, those with chronic illnesses struggle even more. #Diabetes requires constant monitoring of blood sugar levels as the pancreas is unable to deliver the hormone #insulin. People find living with this routine difficult enough in normal circumstances. As a refugee in #Lebanon, Amina was forced to go to even greater lengths to procure the #medicine needed to keep her alive. Lebanon 2014 © Ghazal Sotoudeh/MSF “

The post extensively describes what life is like for a girl living with diabetes in the Middle East. The situation comes off as a desperate one; a condition as treatable as diabetes proves to be a struggle to deal with in the conflict-ridden regions of Lebanon and Syria. In the photo, Amina looks like she has suffered in her life and survived. This puts a face to the work that DWB has been doing, and helps to engage the audience by providing them with a touching and emotionally appealing story. These rhetorical aspects enable the post to accomplish DWB’s purpose of spreading awareness about global health issues as well as physically dealing with them.

My own personal experience with social media marketing

Shortly after creating Humanitarian Awareness, I created Facebook and Twitter accounts for the blog for promotional purposes. I had no challenges with the creation of these accounts; it is easy, free, and should definitely be used by all businesses, big and small. The more I used the accounts, the more I got an inside look into how effective and engaging social media can be from a business perspective; social media engages, promotes, and informs better than any website alone can. It allows the business to promote issues in depth, cater to specific customer interests, and provides easy ways of communication. For example, if a customer/follower has a question for the organization, it is much more time and cost effective to conduct this exchange on social media rather than over the phone, e-mail, etc. I also learned that what you say is just as, if not more, important than how many posts are being made. If your rhetoric is unappealing, bland, and repetitive, your audience is not going to take your posts as seriously and may even stop following the campaign altogether. I feel that the posts I made were effective at promoting the blog, engaging the audience, and spreading awareness; however, it was a challenge to constantly keep updating.

Weekly Round-Up 11/13/14

The organizations didn’t post too much on social media this week, and the posts that were made were not too appealing; however, I managed to analyze what I could.

This week, the Red Cross discussed Veterans Day, winter heating safety, and influenza.

Since it was veterans day this week, the organization made multiple posts about veterans and topics of interest to them. The following post on Facebook was especially appealing:

“See the latest Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces team train alongside the military at Ft. Bliss, Texas. From advanced first aid training to knowing what to do when a Humvee rolls over, they’re preparing for a 5 month tour of duty at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. http://rdcrss.org/1EvqBbC”

The post, by putting members of the Red Cross alongside members of the military, effectively communicates the message that the Red Cross is involved with the armed forces and is a military-friendly organization. The Red Cross workers are learning specific skills and preparedness information to prepare them for humanitarian work overseas. This appeals to veterans and their families, current members of the military and their families, and others who are interested in supporting the U.S. troops. The link includes a video that contributes to the serious nature of the Red Cross’ involvement in military affairs overseas. Workers are interviewed and make statements like “I work for the Red Cross and I love it” and “We bring a smile and they’re so happy we are here.” This puts the work being done in a positive light and establishes a sense of passion among those who work for the organization. This positivity and passion is touching and appeals to the emotions of the audience.

Doctors Without Borders discussed Ebola, the crisis in South Sudan, affairs in Afghanistan, and more. One post in particular was especially appealing:

“That was the day my life changed”: Managing #Ebola in West Africa http://bit.ly/14jywMq  via @BW

This post, regarding DWB’s work in West Africa, grabs the reader’s attention with the quote at the beginning. This tells the reader just how important the organization is. It changes the lives of those it provides aid to. By establishing that the organization does serious work overseas, potential and current donors with be inspired to give to the life-changing organization. The included web address is a link to a Business Week article about Doctors Without Borders’ work to manage Ebola overseas. The included information about the non-profit’s work appeals to the reader’s logos- it establishes a great deal of credibility and legitimacy for the organization through use of quotes and statistics. For example, “Since 1995 it’s responded to more than a dozen outbreaks of the virus, managing to limit the number of deaths in most areas to double digits.”

Care posted about the Berlin Wall anniversary, job opportunities, poverty, sustainability, the crisis in Syria, and more. The organization also made an especially appealing post about Ebola this week:

“It is essential to scale up the prevention measures to help #EndEbola in West Africa. Working with trusted community leaders, CARE is implementing social mobilization activities, health surveillance and hygiene promotion to vulnerable and affected communities. http://shout.lt/HW42”

The choice to use words like essential, vulnerable, and affected establishes a sense of severity and importance regarding CARE’s work overseas. The hashtag #endebola engages the audience in the conversation and is good for donor relations. In addition, the post lists a number of specific ways the non-profit has made an effort, which promotes transparency and credibility.

Weekly Round-Up ~ November 7th, 2014

It was a relatively slow week on social media for all three organizations.

This week, the Red Cross discussed Halloween safety, fire safety, Typhoon Haiyan, Ebola, and the organization’s new Monsterguard App. One post in particular regarding Typhoon Haiyan was especially appealing.

Typhoon Haiyan: 1 Year Later (6 photos)

Children are all smiles at Tanghas Elementary School, where the American Red Cross is installing hand water pumps, constructing new latrines, and repairing classrooms that were badly damaged by Typhoon Haiyan. Even though it was ravaged by high winds and fallen coconut trees, about 20 families used the school as an evacuation center and shelter after the storm. One year after Typhoon Haiyan, see how the Red Cross is helping this group of students. See the story: http://rdcrss.org/10o4owB

The post opens with a statement that the children are “all smiles” as the Red Cross helps them. This tells the audience that the victims and beneficiaries of the the Red Cross’s work are made happy by the help that they receive. In addition, the post goes on to describe specific actions that are being taken to help these victims, such as repairing classrooms, installing water pumps, etc. By listing specific ways the organization is helping victims/using funds, this promotes transparency within the organization and effective communication. The photo above shows the victims as happy and relieved, and puts the work of the Red Cross in a positive light. Appealing to the reader’s sense of compassion and emotion, the post is effective at reassuring the audience that their money is being well spent.

Doctors Without Borders posted about Ebola, Tuberculosis, Malaria, and South Sudan. Their posts were quite repetitive in the past week, lacking variety and creativity. However, one post on the non-profit’s Twitter page seemed especially appealing:

“This is no time for complacency”: Global drug-resistant #TB is racing towards a worldwide public health crisis http://bit.ly/1yKa68b

The tweet is quite alarming and uses word choice to create a tone of desperation. The quote “this is no time for complacency” catches the reader’s attention. The description of TB as global and drug-resistant is quite alarming, and effectively conveys the message that TB is extremely dangerous and spreading. Other descriptions such as “worldwide public health crisis” instill fear in the reader and contribute to the tweet’s overall tone. The tweet effectively conveys the desperation in the situation and promotes awareness and fear of the virus.

Care discussed World Savings Day, Ebola, South Sudan, Typhoon Haiyan, and a new partnership with H&M. The organization had some great posts this week. One in particular, also about Typhoone Haiyan, stuck out from the rest:

One year ago this week, Typhoon Haiyan (also known as Yolanda) devastated the Philippines. With your help, CARE reached more than 318,000 people with lifesaving food, shelter and livelihood assistance. We’ve continued our work in the region, helping the community to rebuild back safer.

This post relies heavily on audience appeals. “Devastated” grabs the reader’s attention while emphasizing the severity of the situation in the Philippines. “With your help” is a key phrase in this post. It engages the reader (and donor/potential donor) and includes him/her as part of the process of providing aid. A number like 318,000 adds to the organization’s credibility and emphasizes the large-scale nature of the work that CARE has been doing. Specific uses of funds are listed, which again promotes transparency and accountability.

Weekly round-up ~ October 30th, 2014

This week, the Red Cross discussed fire safety, blood donation, hurricane Sandy victims, and flu prevention in their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram posts. The following example was quite interesting and really promoted the topic of fire safety:

“You have two minutes to escape your burning home. Do you have a #gameplan to get out safely? http://bit.ly/12UqrwQ“

The image above is quite alarming. The red jumps out at the reader and is historically a color that symbolizes risk and despair. The line “You have two minutes to escape your burning home” catches the reader’s attention and achieves the purpose of making the audience think. Having such a short amount of time to escape a burning building, let alone one’s home, is a scary thought. Anyone in their right mind wants to avoid a situation like this, so it preps the reader to think strategically about a “game plan,” mentioned in the next line. The term itself makes the complex idea of a fire escape more understandable to the reader. The phrasing of this sentence as a rhetorical question speaks to the reader’s emotions and creates a sense of discomfort. After reading this post, one cannot help but be more aware of fire safety.

Doctors Without Borders focused on Ebola, history and culture of the organization, violence in Africa, job opportunities, public health, tuberculosis, and treatment centers in their social media posts. The following tweet really stuck out to me:

“More info, pt. 2: Since outbreak began in March, MSF has admitted 4,900+ patients. 3,200 confirmed w/ #Ebola. 1,110+ have survived. #MSF_USA”

This post relies on a heavy appeal to logos. An example of less being more, the organization has used numbers to speak volumes. A huge amount of people have been under the care of DWB, and many have survived. However, most have died. This shows the desperation of the Ebola situation in Africa. It also puts the organization in a good light by helping those on the verge of death to survive. Any current or potential donors would see this post and be assured that their money was going to a good cause, and they were potentially helping an Ebola victim survive one more day.

Care posted about their “We are Here” movement, Ebola, refugees, South Sudan, climate change, and care packages. The following tweet is filled with appeal to character, emotion, logic, and more:

“CARE staff delivers critical medicine and food amid heavy fighting in #SSudan: http://shout.lt/JFPv”

Within the text, the medicine is described as “critical,” which implies severity. It emphasizes the sense of importance and urgency of the work that CARE is currently doing in the conflict-ridden region of South Sudan. The fact that an innocent looking young woman is putting herself in danger by going to a violent region such as South Sudan shows that the organization is devoted to its cause and will take many risks in order to help victims. She looks like she means business, and takes her job very seriously. The post does a great job at rallying support for the organization.

Who is Doctors Without Borders seeking to reach on social media?

A main target audience of the Doctors Without Borders Organization is the general public. Since the non-profit focuses on global health issues/crises, a goal of the organization is to create awareness and spread cautionary information regarding the  health issues they are dealing with. For example, the organization recently tweeted “The population needs to be warned about the risk” regarding Ebola, with a link to a CNN article about the virus. Although most people in the world are not following the social media accounts of Doctors Without Borders, the ones who do receive important information about global health issues which can then be spread to others.

In addition, the organization attempts to cater to those who donate by making emotionally appealing posts about success stories and victims. There are countless stories like this, from instagram photos of DWB workers holding healthy babies, to Facebook posts of adolescents who are happy, healthy, and cured of Ebola. Potential and current donors are people with humanitarian and global public health interests, so the organization makes most of its posts about these topics. When a donor sees posts about the positive work that Doctors Without Borders is doing, he/she will feel a sense of comfort and assurance that the money is being well spent.

Another aspect of DWB’s social media presence is possible recruitment of new workers. Because of this, posts are sometimes made about the work that people do when working for the organization. For example, “On any given day, #MSF has more than 25,000 people working in projects in nearly 70 countries” was recently tweeted by the non-profit. Anyone who is potentially interested in working for the organization can scroll through the organization’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages to find out more information about what it is like to work for the company and the type of work that they do.

Weekly Round-Up October 17th, 2014

This week the red cross focused on disease/sickness prevention, home fires, and disaster preparation.The organization made posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and more. One especially appealing post was the following photo:

“25 years ago, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake shook Northern California to its core. Amid confusion, hunger and sorrow, over 69,000 people turned to the American Red Cross. Learn more about the response and preparing for the next emergency on redcross.org:http://rdcrss.org/1CwIkMS”

This post put the Red Cross in a positive light. The image of a worker providing aid for a relief worker established a sense of credibility. This makes me believe in the integrity of the work that the organization does, and works to persuade potential donors. The supporting text relies heavily on pathos with word choices like “confusion, hunger, and sorrow.” These words emphasize the severity of the situation, and why the Red Cross’ involvement was so important. The inclusion of the number 69,000 further establishes logos and credibility. The fact that so many people turned to the Red Cross for help portrays the importance of the work that the organization does.

Care discussed World Food Day, their Share A Meal campaign, Ebola, domestic violence, Syria, and more. Many of the organization’s Facebook and Twitter posts this week were especially appealing. One super interesting post was this one:

“The air turns chilly in the US and talk of pumpkin spice lattes is on the rise, but in #Syria, where #refugees are without power or shelter, the cold can be life-threatening. http://shout.lt/HJqg“

This post is filled with interesting rhetorical approaches. The reference to Pumpkin Spice Lattes is great, and appeals to a wide range of people in the potential audience. The drink is popular among Americans, and its growing popularity is real. The contrast between something as unimportant as a caffeinated drink and life-threatening living conditions overseas makes the reader feel almost uncomfortable and achieves the purpose of emphasizing the severity of the situation in Syria. The post mentions that many live without power or shelter, and this is bound to capture the attention of anyone lucky enough to have stable living conditions. The phrase “the air turns chilly” paints a picture of fall in the United States, and evokes a sense of comfort as well as appealing to the senses. The link to he article at the end provides the reader with more information and establishes even more credibility for CARE.

Doctors without Borders focused on Ebola, malnutrition, and South Sudan. Utilizing Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, the non-profit made many touching posts this week, especially regarding Ebola. One post was a stand out:

“Kollie James is the 1,000th #survivor of #Ebola treated by #MSF and has now been discharged from the treatment centre in #Foya, #Liberia. He said to his #father upon leaving the centre, “Pa, I am well”. Kollie and his father Alexander, an MSF healthcare worker, survived the infection but, tragically, #Ebola took the lives of his mother, uncle and two sisters who were unable to receive treatment in time. Among the 4,500 patients #MSF has admitted to its care centres in West Africa, more than 2,700 were confirmed as having #Ebola. Despite all the loss and suffering caused by this disease, we are now able to celebrate the 1,000th survivor.”

This post appeals strong to pathos/ emotion. This young man has recovered from a terrible, life-threatening virus. You can see the gratefulness in his eyes. The post includes figures that put the work of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) into perspective. Kollie is the 1,000th survivor of Ebola, among the 4,500 Ebola patients the organization has treated. The presence of such large numbers emphasizes the large amount of work the organization is doing. The fact that Kollie has family members that died from the virus shows how lucky he is to have survived, all thanks to Doctors Without Borders.

In the field of humanitarian and non-profit work, a strong and engaging social media presence is crucial for effective fundraising. In addition, it is a key component in raising awareness, which is a goal of the organizations themselves. With each cause, comes a social media campaign of its own. Marketing the organizations is crucial for their success, and this is the most effective way of reaching the public. In the non-profit world, money and success are not guaranteed, so organizations have to work hard to achieve success. Doctors Without Borders, specifically dealing with world health issues, relies on social media to bring people together in times of crisis, as do the other two organizations I am following. For example, the American Red Cross works to spread awareness for natural disaster preparation. That inform the public of necessary steps to take to ensure safety in dangerous situations like tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and more. A recent post on the Twitter page of the American Red Cross promoted tornado preparation awareness. This is a great way to reach the over one million people who follow the account. They posted “Get Ready To Drop, Cover, and Hold On” with a visual image of steps to take when preparing for the impending doom that is an approaching tornado. In this case, social media with the method of communication for the organization and probably the most convenient way to instantly reach over one million people. Quick, cheap, and convenient communication is exactly what humanitarian non-profit organizations need to spread awareness.

Another instance in the importance of social media in the non-profit humanitarian sector is it’s ability to provide access to donations and make the process easy. Care recently posted an update demonstrating this: “A10: Donate, learn more, advocate! #UpChat #ShareAMeal http://care.org/advocacy” This post asks for donations, provides the reader with information, and engages the audience in further conversation with the use of conversational hashtags. In addition, the post provides a link to the organization’s website, where there is a link for easy donation. In addition, there is information on advocacy, awareness, and more. Without social media, the non-profit would surely have a lower amount of donations, and a tougher time with getting the message out.

The Organization Doctors Without Borders often utilizes Instagram to spread awareness of the work that they do (mostly overseas.) Social Media plays a crucial role on doing this task for the organization.

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Patrick Poopel, six years old, holds his certificate saying he is #Ebola free. Patrick and his father were both discharged from the Ebola Case Management Centre run by #MSF in Monrovia, #Liberia. “Being discharged from the centre is a confusing affair. After weeks when people are afraid to go near you, suddenly they want to hug and kiss you. It can bewilder anyone, even a worldly young man like Patrick,” says MSF psychologist Ane Bjøru Fjeldsæter. Liberia 2014 © Morgana Wingard

View on Instagram

A success story such as this one puts the organization in an extremely positive light, which therefore promotes the organization. The little boy in the photo has survived thanks to Doctors Without Borders.

Without Social Media, these important organizations would have a much tougher time raising awareness, providing information to the mass public, raising money, and informing the public of their work.

I have chosen to analyze the following post from the least effective organization I am following, Doctors Without Borders.

“For Those In Peril: read more about the #migrant crisis happening along Central Mediterranean route on MSF’s @issuu: http://bit.ly/1pxsj3d”

The post is word driven. Words like peril and crisis contribute to the tone of the post and appeal to the pathos of the audience, whom MSF assumes is of a caring nature and uninformed of the ongoing crisis. The post does achieve its purpose of this appeal as well as being informative. This is done through word choice, photos, information and more. Through the inclusion of the link to the photo journal, additional emotional appeal is added though eye-catching photographs and additional information. Photos show MSF workers helping those in need and this promotes the legitimacy of the organization. Still, there is a lot left unsaid in the post and certain information that is not included such as detail on what the organization is actually doing in the situation and how they are specifically helping those refugees involved in the crisis. Is this only going on in Italy? How many refugees have they helped? What happens after they receive care from Doctors Without Borders? Overall, the rhetoric of the post is very bland, which is similar to the rest of the organization’s social media campaign/ basic rhetorical context! Bland and less engaging than the other two organizations.

The intended purpose of this post is to appeal to a caring audience who isn’t aware of ongoing crisis. Even though the post is from the least effective of the the 3 social media campaigns, it’s still pretty effective. Effective at being a very informative post through inclusion of the link to the photo journal  – this appeals to emotion and even logic that humans should not be living that way (assuming that the audience cares). Within the link, photos of MSF workers helping those in need promotes the organization and makes the audience feel that the organization is legitimate. Still, there is a lot left unsaid and information not included which detracts from the effectiveness of the post. They mention that they help refugees once they arrive on italian shores, but not much else in terms of MSF’s involvement in the crisis. Bland rhetoric and appeal compared to the other organizations. Post is very similar to other posts, so it fits into the basic rhetorical context of the campaign, which includes posting similar things over and over again with slightly different information.

Weekly Round Up – October 10th, 2014

This week, the American Red Cross focused mainly on the topic of fires and fire preparedness. They made some especially compelling posts on Facebook and Twitter, such as this one:

“On average 7 people die every day from a home fire. The American Red Cross aims to reduce deaths and injuries caused by home fires with our Home Fires Preparedness Campaign: http://rdcrss.org/1qc6PrR”

This post, text and photo included, appeals to logos by giving a solid statistic. The fact that the statistic mentions “people” as opposed to a less humanistic term adds an emotional component. The red color in the post stands out to the reader and emphasizes the topic of fire. The two hashtags – #firesafety and #redcross- is a nice touch. They contribute to engaging the audience,users of social media, in the conversation and thus promotes the cause even further. This is the overall purpose of the post. The tiny photo of the house on fire adds further appeal to the audience, many of whom are homeowners. Even children would be frightened by the picture. The purpose of spreading awareness and information is achieved through these things.

Doctors Without Borders had a phenomenal week on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. They mainly posted about Ebola, Malaria, and maternal mortality in Africa. One of their Facebook posts was especially interesting and appealing to me as a reader, and potential donor:

“We are distributing 50,000 family protection and home disinfection kits in Monrovia to help families protect themselves from #Ebola.
“In order to get the epidemic under control, all infected people must be able to have a bed in a treatment centre, but until the facilities that have been promised materialise, this will be impossible. In the meantime, these kits offer people some protection from an infected family member until they can get the medical care they need in an Ebola centre,” said MSF coordinator Anna Halford.”

http://www.msf.org.uk/article/liberia-massive-distribution-ebola-safety-kits

This post, including a link to an article on their website, tells me that the organization is out there doing significant work. The inclusion of a number like 50,000 adds to the legitimacy and significance of the cause. The inclusion of #Ebola engages the reader in the conversation. The quote from Anna Halford states a specific plan of action that the organization is taking to combat Ebola; this makes the reader feel confident about the actions of the company. In addition, the linked article provides pictures of cheerful African beneficiaries of MSF’s work. They are smiling, cheering, and happy. This appeals to emotion; it shows that the work the organization is doing is positive, impactful, and worthy of further donation. They have established a sense of legitimacy and appealed to ethos.

CARE posted about the International Day Of The Girl and South Sudan. Their posts were aimed at promoting the International Day of the Girl, the philosophies behind it, and raising awareness of the ongoing crisis in South Sudan. One post in particular included thought-provoking rhetoric-

“What would make your world a better place? These girls’ answers will inspire: http://shout.lt/G11s  #DayOfTheGirl”

The rhetorical question inspires the reader and makes you think. The organization then responds with an appeal to pathos with the word “inspire.” This makes me think that the answers to follow are significant and worthy of reading. It makes me want to know more about Day of the Girl. The #DayOfTheGirl hashtag engages social media users in the conversation, and the photo is a nice visual touch. It promotes the cause by adding a face to the picture (literally) and appealing to lovers of art as well.

All three organizations did a great job this week; there is no stand out.