Friday, October 22, 2010

Social Media Saves a Dog in Need

I thought I understood that anything can be accomplished over the internet, but I never imagined that it could save a dog in desperate need of help.

 Meet Teddy:
Teddy post-surgery as seen on austinpetsalive.org

He was picked up from Ben White Blvd. with two broken elbows. Luckily, Austin Pets Alive came to the rescue within minutes and put their social media to work.

They posted Teddy's tragedy to their facebook and blog, and raised $1,500 within 30 minutes! By the next morning, they had enough for his surgery, $3,000.

While it was the dedicated supporters and volunteers of APA! that made Teddy's survival possible, it was social media that facilitated the quick response necessary to save him. 

It's amazing, and APA! continues to rescue other dogs the same way.  

APA's social media illustrates the power of social media, and more importantly the interactive nature of social networks like facebook and blogs that allow for real time responses. Can you imagine what might have happened to Teddy if this were 6 years ago, before the evolution of social media began?

This story points to the immense benefits social media can have for an organization, particularly nonprofits who depend on volunteers and supporters to stay afloat. APA's facebook and blog are more than just a promotional tool, it is what links them to their lifeblood.

Their social media makes the experience of donating online personal for each supporter because they provide detailed bios and updated stories about their animals in need. For example, someone who donated to Teddy can see their contribution at work through the progress he made in recovery, like this video or follow up story.

I think it's safe to say that this story exemplifies the effectiveness of social media when its power is unleashed for a positive social cause; and since my last post focused on the negative consequence of social media, I thought it only fair to play the advocate in this week's post.

Can you imagine what social media could do if it were applied more often to the goals of socially responsible organizations and businesses? It has the potential to move the world forward in an unprecedented way.

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