5 Lessons on How to Use Social Media for #SocialGood

Back in the days of Father Knows Best, parents would usher their kids down neighborhood streets, shoe boxes in tow, to raise money for charity. Today, aside from the occasional UNICEF can during trick-or-treating, local canvassing seems to have gone the way of print newspapers – swallowed by our passion for all things digital. Even the Girl Scouts seem to prefer sending emails or perching in front of a Home Depot to selling door-to-door.

But much like vinyl and high-waisted pants, going local is back and it's better than ever. As a matter of fact, some of today's most progressive companies are blending local with digital experiences to benefit social causes, including the likes of Macy’s, Safeway, Nike and Starbucks. We, at TD Bank, applaud their efforts and similarly support the causes that matter most to our customers and employees in the communities we share.

Today, we approach community participation in a bold, new way, blending online and offline experiences to maximize social impact. Our Bring Change initiative is a case in point. Running from May 2015 through February 2016, Bring Change supports local organizations that are making a real difference in the communities we serve.  But rather than simply identifying nonprofits and cutting checks, we're taking a whole new approach.

We're asking customers across our Maine to Florida footprint to join us by donating loose change at our coin-counting Penny Arcades in select stores. With over 500 "Green Friday" grant award ceremonies planned, we'll award over a million dollars to worthy organizations.  And we’re using our Facebook and Instagram pages to build awareness and conversation around community activism.

While our Bring Change initiative is still young, we've already witnessed the positive impact of social giving, beginning with our outreach to Our Children’s Foundation, an organization that runs a vibrant after-school program in West Harlem that prepares children for academic success.  

And since I happen to believe that all companies should find ways to support their local communities, I'd like to share 5 lessons on how you can launch a charitable initiative using a blended local and social approach:

1. Listen more than you talk: Here's the most powerful aspect of social technology: It gives you an opportunity to listen to your customers, not just talk at them. Invite your customers to tell you about the causes that matter most to them, then choose the ones that align best with your company's mission and values. Then, share news and updates about the organizations that you've decided to support on your social channels.
2. Location, location, location: In order to partner effectively with your customers in the communities where you do business, make sure you segment your content by region on Facebook and use geo-targeted hashtags on Twitter. This will allow you to develop a hyper-local focus when it comes to promoting local causes that you want to support. It will also ensure that the content on your social channels is relevant and engaging. Edelman’s Steve Rubel, an early social media pioneer, shared this simple advice: “Fish where the fish are.”
3. Work side by side: Don't just post about local organizations and events, participate! Even if it means having employees miss a bit of work here and there, the return on investment cannot be beat. Remember the ice-bucket challenge? It took social media by storm last year, generating significant awareness for the ALS Association, and increasing online donations ten-fold. Businesses should take note. Engaging in innovative social media strategies to support charitable efforts builds trust, boosts brand equity and deepens relationships with customers. It also improves employee satisfaction, which fuels referrals, retention and productivity.
4. Celebrate the voice of customer: When it comes to communicating over social channels, be sure to let your customers tell their stories in their own words. The vast majority of content posted on your social channels should NOT be self-generated. The goal is to drive two-way conversation, not one-way product pitches. Remember to share and promote posts from customers and local organizations that demonstrate your common values and interests. Highly branded posts may look pretty, but they're less authentic and therefore less effective.
5. Listen to your employees: Want to know which organizations are making the biggest impact where you do business? Ask your employees. In fact, empower your employees to help select and run local events and initiatives. For us at TD, this means planting trees, rebuilding towns ravaged by natural disaster, providing classes at local schools and community centers that promote financial literacy and helping children from underserved communities prepare for success in college and beyond.

Giving back to the neighborhoods where we live, work and play is not only good for business, it's good for humanity. And being the “human bank,” it should come as no surprise that we at TD Bank feel a very special connection to our communities. After all, we're not just bankers, we're also neighbors.  

By blending local and social engagement, we have an extraordinary opportunity to partner with our customers to support the communities we love.