Fundraising 2010/Social Media

In other languages
  Updates       Testing       Translation       Messaging    


Social Media Team

Introduction edit

Social media has been an untapped resource for the fundraising activities in the past. We want to change that this year and focus on getting more visibility and outreach using some of the popular social media sites. Anyone interested in proposing ideas and messages, giving feedback, suggestions etc. please feel free to leave a message below!

Join the Social Media Committee.

Overview edit

This year's social media approach is rooted in perpetuating a two-way conversation between the foundation, community, and donors. The 10th anniversary provides a unique opportunity and milestone to get readers excited about Wikipedia, and will organically carry the conversation. As in previous years, we want to focus on showing appreciation for donors and the broader community.

Goals edit

  • Tell our story and invite conversation through the most effective Social Media channels
  • Recognize and applaud contributions – editing, donating, compliments etc.
  • Support all fundraising initiatives to encourage donations and always lead people to the donation page
  • Give a transparent open and frank view of the campaign's progress
  • Create buzz and excitement surrounding the 10 year anniversary – post about parties, and opportunities to get involved and celebrate.
  • Draw attention to positive mentions in media and significant milestones, monetary or not.
  • Create model for sustained volunteer involvement in social media answering questions and recognizing contributions year-round


Social Networking Sites We Intend to Use edit

LinkedIn edit

  • As of now two groups. Interested in more? Feel free to join one of them or both. Ask group managers for more info.

Micro-Blogging & Networking edit

  • Twitter:190 million users, Top penetration: 20.8% Indonesia, 20.5% Brazil.[1]
Current Wikimedia related accounts on twitter, assembled by Dgultekin.
  • Identica: Top penetration:24.4% India, 17.8% United States [2]
  • Facebook:500 million users, 70% users outside United States [3]
Most popular Facebook fan pages assembled by ragesoss
Wikipedia Fan Page
Wikipedia Community Page
Wikipedia Campus Page

Video edit

  • Youtube: 3rd most visited site, 23% visitors from United States [4]
Wikimedia Foundation YouTube Page
  • Vimeo

Twitter/Identi.ca edit

Twitter is most effective as two-way conversation with donors and supporters. It's our opportunity to disseminate information and support about the fundraiser – and then engage in the conversation that unfolds.
We are setting up a Twitter team to run the contribution handle, interested? Email me

  • Recognize Donors
  • Draw attention to positive blogs/reviews of the campaign from about the campaign and Wikimedia- we receive substantial news coverage during the campaign, but don't want to link to major stories.

Facebook edit

On Facebook we have the opportunity to provide more in-depth content, and to publicly engage in the comments on each post. Unlike Twitter, Facebook posts will be limited to two a day to get the max value out of each post.

  • We have the largest audience of any of our social media sites on Facebook with nearly 400,000 fans on our page, a community page 12,000 strong, and 14 unrelated fan sites with 35,000-550,000 fans each.
  • We will not be promoting Causes, we have concerns about their privacy policy and fewer than 1% of those who join a cause donate through the application.[5]
  • We've increased the number of posts weekly, now we need to personalize our page with photos of meetups, Wikimedians and around the office. (Licensing issues)

Fan Sites

Engage the admins of the fan sites with a 'fundraising contest' asking them to rally their members and friends to donate through a personalized URL.


Separate Fundraiser page on Facebook

There should be a separate "Wikimedia Foundation Fundraiser 2010" page on Facebook, just like there was a "Rally to Restore Sanity" page that was separate from the Daily Show with Jon Stewart page. The current Wikipedia Facebook page (with close to 500,000 fans) is the way to make people aware of the fundraiser page. At the fundraiser page, people should be able to click a button that says "I donated to the Wikipedia Fundraiser", just as at the Rally page, people could select "I'm going to attend".

The point of a separate fundraiser page is that when people click to say that they donated (other options could be "I'm thinking of donating" and "I didn't donate this year, but I still support Wikipedia"), that action will show up as a post on their home page, and their friends will see the post on their Wall as well, and are likely to check out the Fundraiser page. The Fundraiser page, of course, will have a direct link to where donations can be made.

None of which can be done without a separate fundraiser page on Facebook. John Broughton 18:58, 6 November 2010 (UTC)[reply]

'Other Ideas ....

YouTube/Vimeo edit

We currently have only one active handle on YouTube: Wikimedia Foundation with 159 subscribers and 24,503 uploads visits (also on Vimeo).

  • We are now part of the YouTube Non-profit program, which gives us full-page branding, and features our videos on the non profit channel.


Other Ideas: ...

Messages edit

Got anything funny, clever or heartfelt that you think would work on these sites. Think about your friends, family - how would you tell them about Wikimedia's Fundraising drive this year and then selflessly ask them to donate. Its your chance to be creative so go ahead.

Write a post, upload an image or a video. We will try to use them in the campaign -

  • "Facebook wants to eat Wikipedia" -ragesoss
  • "Hypochondriacs for Wikipedia"
  • "servers dont grow on trees kids, and the server farms are not what you think"
  • "Wikipedia-the living encyclopedia, needs your support....don't hurt its feelings"
  • "140 characters to tell you about wikimedia fundraising, still a non-profit, need support to keep it all running now can I haz your moneyz"
  • "Help make Wikipedia, your favorite encyclopedia, a better place. Donate for a good cause."

Holiday related edit

  • "New year's resolution that you can do instantly - help fight illiteracy. Donate now"
  • "This holiday season give someone the gift of knowledge. Donate now."

References: