Why You Should Use MySpace (7 Points)

Nicole points to a TechSoup article:

http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/internet/page6016.cfm?rss=1

How to Use MySpace to Raise Awareness: Three nonprofit organizations share their experiences includes a hot seven point list that library folk might take to heart as they plan for their MySpace profiles. I love the proactive approach!

Tips for Running a MySpace Campaign

If you decide to launch a MySpace page for your organization, here are seven things you can do to increase your chances of success:

On your MySpace page, ask friends to take specific actions such as “link to our Web site,” “subscribe to our e-newsletter,” “tell a friend about our current campaign,” “contact us to learn about,” and so on.

Write blog entries and circulate your entries via your “bulletin board.” Invite friends to post comments to your blog; visit your friends’ pages and leave relevant and valuable comments; host events; and continue to add friends.

Add videos to your MySpace pages. Images and videos have a way of motivating people to take action.

Update your MySpace page frequently and customize it to resemble your organization’s look and feel. Be careful not to make your page appear too stuffy.

Don’t make the mistake of staying within your own circle of like-minded organizations. When you add friends, consider reaching out to folks outside of your circle. In particular, nonprofits could reach out (via MySpace) to for-profit companies with strong social responsibility programs that can help spread the word about their causes.

Add your MySpace URL to your email signature line, business card, and letterhead in order to encourage people to visit your MySpace page.

Write articles about how your organization is using MySpace to advance its causes and submit them to both online and print publications. Or publish them on your Web site and ask bloggers to link to them.