Engaging communities online  

In recent years the web has been increasingly used to allow communities and networks of people to share content and connect. The most well known of these are Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr but there are more being created all the time and millions of people are using them.
They are a great way to find, and keep in contact with, people with whom you have lost touch. They are also very good for building and maintaining an online community with common interests. Many NGOs use Facebook groups and pages as a way to stay in touch with their members and keep them informed about their activities and events. It is often easier and more engaging to communicate and share information with large groups through a social network site rather than by email. Activists use YouTube and Flickr to share and publish online video and pictures.
Facebook, YouTube and Flickr, along with other social network sites, feature the option to email you whenever a comment is made on one of your posts. In this way you can track people’s uptake of and response to your message, which will help you make decisions about the value and effectiveness of using different online platforms and services.