How to Start a Career in Ecommerce Part 5: Social Media

In part 4 of this installment, we covered how one without any work experience could contact their favorite non-profit and conduct some email marketing for them to gain experience.  The non-profit would likely need, and would very much appreciate the help, and the worker would gain real-world knowledge on a valuable skill.

That exact same model applies to social media activity as well.

At a minimum, every organized group needs to be represented in some way on Facebook - there are just too many eyeballs in that venue to ignore it.  If a Facebook presence already exists, there are a bevy of other options:

• Does the non-profit's work lend itself to a constant stream of updates?  If so, a Twitter campaign is needed.
• If the non-profit has a story best told visually, then Instagram and/or Pinterest engagements will be effective.
• Does the non-profit have stories that lend themselves to video?  If so, setting up a YouTube page for them will be the ticket.
• Is the non-profit all about getting physical footsteps?  Then helping them with a Foursquare engagement will be appreciated.

Don't have experience with a given social media platform?  Don't sweat it - all of them are free, are just an iTunes Store download away from being on your phone, and a simple Google search on strategies will arm you with everything you need to get started.

Going into it, here are a couple of basics to remember:

• Many people still don't "get" social media.  In fact, a recent study showed that 70% of Fotrune 500 CEOs don't participate in any kind of social media!  Many people don't use it, don't understand it, and don't know what kind of impact it can make.  That is especially true for older demographics, so expect a lot of your job to be around education.
• Social media is just that - social.  It requires engagement, and one needs to devote the necessary time to establish and maintain a dialog
• Your activity will be the brand voice of the non-profit.  You need to be in clear alignment with their views and goals as you're communicating.

The options for engagement are vast, as are the responsibility and learning that go along with it.  The only thing preventing you from augmenting your resume with this experience is you, so go out there and make it happen!