National Parks Conservation Association

@NPCA

In today’s day and age, social media has become a daily activity for almost everyone. Social media users use it communicate, share pictures, brain storm ideas, plan events, shop, research, educate, protest, build relationships, find relationships, find lost family members and friends, review products, interact with companies and much more. With so much activity going on in the digital world, companies and organizations have learned how to put that resource to good use and benefit them greatly. While there are many social media platforms available today, some of the most popular and widely used ones are Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube.

Each social media platform has its unique qualities to engage users, companies, and organizations. Some of them have more complicated way to interact than others. However, one of the simplest interactive websites is Twitter. While users are able to Tweet simple statements, they are also able to share links to informational blogs, videos, websites, news stories, and more. Many large companies such as Dell, JetBlue, Carnival Cruise, Hertz, Best Buy, Microsoft, Mtv, Paramount Pictures and more have gained an understanding of how to use social media to boost their business and greatly impact their bottom line. However, not only are large companies using social media to improve their business, but small businesses and organizations are doing the same.

The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) is an organization that is committed “to protect and enhance America's National Parks for present and future generations.” “Present and future generations” is a key phrase from what we know as the definition of sustainability. Sustainability is defined as “forms of progress that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.” That being said, most American’s don’t know who The National Parks Conservation Association is or what it is that they do for our country, much less be willing to support the organization, sign petitions, and become active within the organization itself. Another concern they had was financial stability and the ability to continue their mission, if for some reason the US Government decided to cut funding to their organization. Therefore, financial independence was also a top priority of theirs that needed to be addressed. Consequently, awareness of their organization was a number one priority, and what better way to do that than to take to the use of a social media platform that interacts with millions of people a day? Once the brainstorming began, the NPCA decided to launch an awareness campaign that was, “piggy-backed Promoted Tweets on an organically trending topic (#IfGovernmentShutsDown) to generate awareness of their fundraising and petitioning initiatives, as well as to encourage a call to action in support of their cause.” (https://business.twitter.com/en/optimize/case-studies/npca/)

Once their goal was established, and their plan was in place, they began putting their plan into action. The NPCA began by embracing the controversial talks of abolishing federal funding cuts and using those discussions to their advantage. The NPCA stated, “Roads and trails unmaintained. Fewer park rangers. Closed national parks. These are some of the consequences of Congress failing to protect national parks from dangerous cuts in January under the so-called sequester. Congress must find a solution that protects America’s best idea.” Their survival was very much dependent on how fast they could get their concerned word out, and how fast could they get supporters involved to prevent further funding cuts. First, they were able to promote the organization’s name and mission, providing individuals the chance to learn what amazing efforts the NPCA was making to protect our national parks and forest land. Secondly, they were able to raise awareness on the possibility of their funding being cut, and what that would mean for US residents across the country. Within a few weeks, Twitter claimed that the NPCA had, “Over 5,200 people clicked on the link in the Tweet to contact members of Congress to support national park funding. The message was also picked up by Twitter’s “Top Tweets” and was broadcast to an additional 1.1 million people. CNN broadcasted the message as one of the most popular government shutdown Tweets.”

While there may have been some government interaction involved, their goal of awareness and support was indeed accomplished. Today the NPCA has 37,907 followers, with 7,204 tweets and an average of 30 re-tweets to EVERY tweet they produce! As we have mentioned numerous times, the greatest impact and advertising a company can have is from supporters and fans. That fact is the very same for non-profit groups, and other government funded organizations. The NPCA has learned to use the power of speech and awareness to their advantage, and at the same time, gain a huge following of fans and supporters. They have even began utilizing other social media platforms such as Facebook, and News Feed. It’s easy to see why organizations would want to gain awareness, but a true lesson can be learned from them. Never underestimate the power of the people! When the government is concerned enough about the public following, you know you have the numbers on your side. Whether you’re a non-profit, a small business, a government funded organization, or even a large company, social media can not only publicize your company or group name, but raise awareness about your cause, mission, or product, and improve your group’s image, encourage customer or fan interaction, and possibly increase your bottom line and improve revenue. As I mentioned before, never underestimate the power of the people, and with social media being used by millions of people a day, the sky is the limit when you embrace all that social media can offer!

Resources

National Parks Conservation Association Twitter - https://twitter.com/npca

National Parks Conservation Association Website - http://www.npca.org/

Twitter Case Studies - https://business.twitter.com/en/optimize/case-studies/npca/

Dave Raffaele – Twitter and JetBlue - http://www.daveraffaele.com/2009/01/social-media-case-study-how-jetblue-used-twitter-to-treat-me-like-a-human/

The New York Times – Wheat Thins on Twitter - http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/05/business/media/05adco.html?_r=4ref=business&