The organisers of the Asia Pacific Conference on Mental Health (ASPAC) have turned to Twitter to connect with followers and supporters around the world.
Using the hashtag #2012ASPAC, individuals and organisations attending the conference are Tweeting live updates so that those not at the event can stay informed.
In this way, an online conversation has been started about mental health and the many challenges facing the sector.
Mark Brown, the editor of a mental health and wellbeing magazine in England, has been posting regular tweets throughout the conference, which is wrapping up today (June 13).
"One thing from my speech that seems to have resonated w/ people is the idea that lots of small answers [are] better than one big one," he tweeted this morning.
The conference, primarily organised this year by the Richmond Fellowship Western Australia, has also been promoted on Facebook and YouTube.
This is a good example of how using social media and modern technology to connect with interested parties and followers can be an effective nonprofit marketing strategy.
With a range of instant communication tools at our fingertips, charity organisations and nonprofits can now engage with their audiences and supporters faster and easier than ever.
And best of all, when you use social media correctly it can be low in cost - and sometimes, free.
You could use sites such as Facebook and Twitter to promote your next charity event or to drive awareness about a new campaign. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Create a conversation
One of the best things about social media is that it provides people with a forum to talk about issues together - even if seas or continents are separating them.
If you are on social networks, follow in the footsteps of the ASPAC organisers and try to start a conversation with your followers.
Don’t let your pages go stale by only updating them every few weeks when you have big news - instead, aim to post something small yet interesting every day or at least a couple of times a week.
Even asking your followers a simple question could start a conversation surrounding your organisation.
Film a video
The organisers of ASPAC also filmed an educational and promotional video for the conference.
A short clip can help you engage with your audience in a different way - while articles are good, sometimes it is easier to have an interesting speaker talk directly to viewers.
This adds a personal touch and can also be used at presentations leading up to the event or campaign.
