Much has been said about the questionable use of non-profit ‘front’ organizations that strategically communicate messaging to the public and congress on behalf of corporations, unions, and other organizations. Typically, these organizations blast out their communications at appropriate times (just prior to a vote, for example) to sway public opinion one way or another, often-times using heavily slanted news and paid polls. The method of delivery is typically mass telephone calls and mailings, and to a lesser extent, emails with links to websites or blogs from which to register concern or donate funds.
Surprisingly, very few of these organizations have gathered social media into their toolchest. According to one recent studyhttp://capitolcommunicator.com/News/tabid/116/EntryID/769/Default.aspx, 75 percent of organizations studied are using four or fewer online tools. That, from a list that includes Facebook, MySpace, blogging, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Digg, StumbleUpon, widgets, email signup form, blog badges, SlideShare and Flickr.
In fact, the top 10 were the only groups that scored higher than 50%; they are:
Sierra Club: 10/71%
Service Employees International Union: 9/64%
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers: 8/57%
American Wind Energy Institute: 8/57%
Human Rights Campaign: 8/57%
National Electrical Contractors Association: 8/57%
Business Roundtable: 7/50%
League of Conservation Voters: 7/50%
National Beer Wholesalers Association: 7/50%
U.S. Telecom Association: 7/50%
Personally I was shocked by this. I thought the lobbyists in Washington were much more social media savvy than it appears they are.
Having said that, I wonder how much more effective they would be if they made better use of these tools? Or would it increase their chatter, possibly involve their publics sooner or in more ways than they desire? What’s your take?
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