Give Thanks, Tweetsgiving Style

by Kari Dunn Saratovsky on 25 Nov 2008

Earlier today I tuned in (via my laptop, of course) as marketing consultants Chris Garrett and John Haydon shared tips with nonprofits on how to best navigate social media – namely Twitter, Facebook, and the wild world of blogs. Not surprisingly, the number one question from online participants was where/how do I get started, and when will it pay off?

You can read all of their great advice over on the Chronicle of Philanthropy – but for a real-life example, I encourage you to take a look at what’s happening at Tweetsgiving.

The idea is simple:

1. Use the power of social media (Twitter and ChipIn, specifically).

2. Spread gratitude while inspiring others to contribute to a great cause - by "tweeting" what you're thankful for this holiday season.

3. Join with hundreds to raise $10,000 in 48 hours to help build a classroom in Tanzania.

If we had a "social-citizen-o-meter" (and perhaps we should), this project would tip the scale. Not only because it supports a great cause and helps build on the spirit of this holiday season, but Tweetsgiving is showing the power of social media in action. And what better way to show it -- in the past ten minutes that I've been writing this post, another 10 donors have joined in!

Our hats off to Epic Change as they work toward their goal of $10,000 this Thanksgiving Holiday. Whether or not they meet or exceed that goal - they are showing us all the ability of social networking to call individuals to action in measurable terms.

And, here's to a season of giving to one another tips and best practices as we all continue to test and better understand these new approaches -- one tweet, one click, one post at a time! Don't forget to share yours with us.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!