By: Scott Kinser
Meerkat is so new, debuting March 13 2015, that many of you are unaware of its presence but Meerkat is not just a new app fad. It’s already being predicted as the new technology that will affect the 2016 Presidential campaign. In addition, Meerkat user base is has grown from a few people on March 13 to almost a million users within 10 days. Something almost unheard of from with new social media applications but more importantly, what is Meerkat and how can it help with nonprofits?
Meerkat is a new app that allows users to easily livestream video from their cellphones onto their Twitter accounts. Meerkat has gained so much steam because it gives the selfie culture a way to broadcast live video in real time. Also, you can use the hashtag #Katch to your Meerkat video description tweet and the service will record and upload the live stream to YouTube, tweeting you a link to the video once it’s done processing. Also, anyone can tune into your live stream and as they stream your live feed, viewers can interact with you via twitter. They can retweet or favorite your stream as well.
Now that you’ve been educated on what Meerkat is and how it works. I bet you’re wondering how exactly would this be beneficial to your nonprofit..
Here are a few ideas that nonprofits can use Meerkat to their advantage.
1. Broadcast Service Events
Imagine if Habitat for Humanity could live stream the moment a new homeowner receives the keys to their brand new home live to all their followers? What a powerful testament to their mission!
Sure, they’ve put together powerful videos in the past, but the live aspect brings a certain higher level of intrigue. Now, supporters all over the world can take part in that special moment. The ease of use makes it possible to stream these events almost every single time they happen, making the huge impact of the organization felt.
2. A Virtual Gala
If your organization relies on a large gala to bring in donation dollars, you could expand the footprint of that event by live streaming it via Meerkat. Followers could watch your fundraising thermometer fill up live from their homes, no matter where they live. With a mobile-friendly donation page, they could even help you reach your goal!
3. Donor Webinars
A live streaming webinar could be just the thing to engage mid-level donors who you can’t necessarily invest large amounts of time nurturing, but need more than simple email blasts. Use Meerkat to live stream a facility tour, educate on need, and make a donation presentation to a larger group, increasing your efficiency in your asks.
4. Put the Storytelling Power Directly in the Hands of Your Beneficiaries
100 Cameras has a strong mission and a powerful way of communicating that mission: putting cameras in the hands of those they serve, so that the general public can see the world through their eyes.
Meerkat gives nonprofits the ability to take that even further with live streaming. Beneficiaries can show supporters a live look in at their lives (if they so choose) as well as the obstacles, the joys, the challenges, and the triumphs.
5. Broadcast Important News and Political Events
Twitter made the protests in Ferguson tangible for many people because they could instantly read and see what was happening. Meerkat allows the world to easily broadcast and watch live streams of important events like this.
Is your organization concerned with human rights? Broadcast from the next protest in your area. Is your organization fighting for political rights? Broadcast from the floor of your local government, showing a speech to your supporters as it happens.
6. It’s All About the Stories
Meerkat is simply a tool, and in the end, tools are only as valuable as the uses we find for them. The nonprofit world thrives on stories, and Meerkat is the next in a long line of storytelling tools.
If you’ve already figured out your story and have been telling it successfully, you should have no trouble utilizing Meerkat as a platform for communicating with supporters. If you haven’t figured out your organization’s story, you’re unlikely to find success using it.
So as you can tell, Meerkat is a great addition to helping you build and further expand your nonprofit. Giving it a try now will put you on the map and give you that edge against everyone else before they use it.
