For not-for-profit (NFP) organisations the opportunity to directly reach and engage with target communities is invaluable. With approximately 12 million active users in Australia alone, Facebook provides organisations with a large group of engaged users that can be easily reached for minimal cost.

Often NFPs fear social media because of the ‘freedom of speech’ risk involved. A platform that encourages an organisation’s key stakeholders to say whatever they think is daunting, and while it seems that the media overplays most social media gaffes, NFPs still have one thing in common – the organisation is usually underprepared and mismanages the negative feedback.

To minimise risk and ensure success when using social media, use these five tips:

• Decide why you are on social media
• Have a social media procedure policy
• Create ‘House Rules’
• Once you have rules in place, enforce them
• Review, measure and adapt.