Social Media ROI: National Wildlife Federation

Using social media to drive traffic to the site, mainly using Digg.com and StumbleUpon.com.

Members are typically 65-year-old women; but wanted to experiment with different audiences.

By using a traffic driving strategy, don't have to create another culture on a social networking site like MySpace or Facebook.

Digg is 65% male--different demographic--and if a page is "dug" often enough, the page appears on the Digg homepage. Difference between undug and dug page--same page--traffic increased threefold (15,000 to 45,000) when appeared on Digg, and comments increased exponential.

Being popular on Digg.com doesn't just mean being on the homepage--your content is then pushed through feeds, and bloggers look at Digg for new content.

Digg is a community--have to determine what your niche is, always submit content, and create relationships within the community.

StumbleUpon.com: Download a tool bar, click it, and get sites tagged with your interests. Take a web 1.0 page and turn it into web 2.0, because you can see comments that StumbleUpon users leave. Also, SU users spend more time on your site than users on other social sites.

Challenge: Developing profile is something that takes time every day over time.

Success: Social media can push a campaign out for relatively low budget overhead.

95% new visitors on site.

Takeaways: Everyone should invest in community and reciprocate; consider your niche; be sure to listen to comments/feedback.

Q: What is the call to action? A: Varies; diggers are not activists. Listening audience -- hungry for information -- so just trying to use the strategy to introduce the organization.

Q: How do you plan on sustaining a presence if you leave NWF? A: Have one point person, but encourage other coworkers to be on Digg to pick up if an employee leaves.

Q: Have you seen a definite rise in constituents? A: Made more connections through these sites because of the conversations, but don't have numbers because it's almost a "handshake" relationship.

Q: Categories that work? A: Usually post under environment; have done "pets and animals"; best to submit to all applicable categories to cover all bases.