Geoff Livingston co-founded Zoetica to focus on cause-related work, and released an award-winning book on new media Now is Gone in 2007.
Earlier this month, Pew Internet released its annual Future of the Internet report. The survey of 900 leaders forecasts the future direction of online media. In turn non-profit strategists can glean insights into the future, and how to steer their individual programs.
This year’s research report dove into five critical areas. Here’s what non-profits need to take away from the Pew report for their efforts:
1. Google Changes the Way We Think
The report goes into great depth about Google — or more specifically, search and the short attention span of the Internet surfer. While most feel that Google does not make us stupid, it does change the way we approach information, changing cognitive processing. End readers will need to have better critical thinking and analytical skills to discern quality information.
With shorter attention spans, non-profits need to become sharper in their initial presentation of information — we now live in a 140 character world. Information must be substantive and factual, as well as inherently searchable on the traditional and social webs so people can find it. Finally, making bookmarks and sharing capabilities part of all content makes sense not only from a social networking standpoint, but so that readers can back track and access information for cognitive purposes.
“The report’s findings reflect the notion that the tools are not going to change much in the near future, but organizations need to change in order to use them better,” said author Allison Fine. “Rethinking how they operate, what they are trying to accomplish by connecting with people, is critically important for non-profit organizations to successfully engage through the social web.”
2. The Internet Changes Language
Another critical issue debated by the report is the evolution — or the de-evolution — of the English language due to SMS, Twitter and other short forms of communication. Sixty-five percent of respondents felt the Internet was improving the rendering of knowledge, but that language was evolving.
Non-profits need to remain flexible with the quickly evolving nomenclature of the web. While we may all want to rely on the nuances of great grammar paradigms such as those espoused by the hilarious book Eats, Shoots and Leaves, the new short form that is emerging will only continue to evolve. Community managers will need to stay on top of the latest Internet slang in order remain effective.
“Jargon excludes large chunks of audience,” said blogger and Kent State Professor William Sledzik. “I still have to look up ‘pwn’ every time I see it. Most readers won’t bother. They’ll just move to the next message. And I wonder how many folks outside social media knew the word ‘avatar’ before that movie came out.
“But here’s the upside,” added Sledzik. “Writing short-form messages for SMS, Twitter and other apps challenges us as writers. Breaking through in two-three seconds isn’t easy, and it forces you to know your audience and what motivates them.”
3. The Pundits Don’t Know What They’re Talking About
Predicting the future of the Internet has become a full time job for many, but 80 percent of Pew survey respondents say the pundits don’t really know what’s coming next. In fact, most believe that the future killer technologies of 2020 have yet to be revealed.
To stay relevant, non-profit strategists need to stay in touch with their communities and closely watch which technologies and social networks they are adapting. In the end, it’s about the non-profit stakeholder and not the tools. At the same time, expect change.
“I am often asked if Twitter is going to be around in 10 years, or if non-profits will have some other ‘next big thing’ to worry about,” said Holly Ross, executive director of the Nonprofit Technology Network. “The reality is that no one knows what tools will capture our collective imaginations next month, let alone in the next decade. What we can guarantee is the the tools will reflect the trends and norms of our society, which increasingly values openness and transparency.”
4. The Internet Will Remain End-to-End — Sort Of
One of the ongoing issues of today’s Internet has been net neutrality as well as the rise of clearinghouses for information, from blog content networks to social networks. More than 60 percent of Pew respondents said they felt the Internet would always be an open end-to-end network.
From an architecture standpoint, the respondents are right. The financial benefits for the economy are obvious. Yet the rise of the influential middle party — the clearinghouse — cannot be denied.
Many Internet users rely on voices they trust to filter that information — from top-ranked bloggers to community content streams on social networks. Non-profits will need to maintain strong relationships with powerful community influencers.
“Clearinghouses for information have been in the forms of our friends and neighbors for decades,” said Amber Naslund, director of community, Radian6 and blogger at Altitude Branding. “With the ubiquity of information across the social web, we’ll always look to voices that we trust to help us separate the wheat from the chaff. Influence isn’t always about who has the loudest voice or the most attention. Influence can be related to people who are passionate about your mission and spread the word voraciously, not just through a massive network.”
5. Anonymity and Privacy Will Continue to Be Big Issues
Anonymity and privacy will continue to be big issues. Respondents had no clear direction on how authenticity pressures would impact anonymity and privacy. 41% see stronger measures in place by 2020, and 55% say the Internet will remain as is.
This is a particular thorny topic for non-profits, especially those dealing with children, medical records, financial information, or traditionally inflammatory subjects. While privacy remains important, so does maintaining enough openness to keep a community committed. Non-profits will have to weigh this issue on a case-
by-case basis.
“Charitable organizations must take precautions to ensure that their constituents, including staff and volunteers are protected,” said Jocelyn Harmon, director, Non-Profit Services at Care2 and author of the Nonprofit Marketing Blog. “That said, being transparent, for example, the finances and operations of your organization is also a core value that non-profits must embrace. It’s a tough tightrope to walk but charitable organizations must attempt to strike a balance between these competing priorities.”
More social good resources from Mashable:
– 5 Real Challenges For Non-Profit Texting Campaigns
– Why We’re In the Age of the Citizen Philanthropist
– How Social Media Creates Offline Social Good
– How Non-Profits and Activists Can Leverage Location Based Services
– 5 Essential Tips for Promoting Your Charity Using Social Media
[img credits: David Reece, ydhsu]
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, alexsl
Tags: analysis, List, Lists, non-profit, Pew, social good, social media, study
