This week’s blog prompt is to interview an expert. I interviewed my subject a few weeks ago but decided to wait to write the blog until this week as he is Sam Hoover, Global Social Media Lead for Compassion International. I got in touch with him via LinkedIn and corresponded over email.
What made you want to work for Compassion?
“I have worked in a lot of nonprofits in my career. The first thing, working in nonprofits I feel, takes a special kind of person. I think I am that kind of person, and so certainly the nonprofit ministry side of what Compassion does is really great. It’s really great to work with an organization that prioritizes my faith, prioritizes Jesus and says the most important relationship I have should be the one with Jesus. It is definitely aligned with our beliefs. Then, you can’t get much more of a noble cause than serving children around the world. I have been a child. As a former kid, and one who was extraordinarily blessed, it is so fulfilling to work for an organization that works with children all around the world.” said Hoover. “I think that the Bible is really clear that kids need to be a priority and I am just so happy to work at an organization that says ‘yep, that’s true and we are going to take that really, really seriously’. That’s why. Love working for being able to work for a nonprofit and a ministry that the focus is serving kids around the world. Just can’t get better than that.”
How did you get to being a Global Social Media Lead?
Hoover has been working at Compassion for nine years. He worked at the marketing office in Colorado that is focused on marketing in the U.S. He managed the social media team, which owned and operated all of the most followed channels on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. In addition, he built relationships with other marketing directors.
“We have a marketing partner in the U.K. and they manage and operate their own social media channels. If you look up on Instagram, you’ll find Compassion and you’ll find Compassion U.K, you’ll find Compassion Canada, and Compassion Australia,.etc.” said Hoover. “So I was building all of these relationships with marketing directors and then one day, a position on our global marketing team-to focus all my time and efforts on disturbing our global marketing partners. And I said ‘I would love to do that’. One of my favorite parts of my job is building relationships with people around the world. If I could do that full time, sign me up. So I applied, and got the role. That was three years ago, last month (January).”
What are the different countries under your social media umbrella?
Compassion has 13 marketing partners. Each of those partners manages and operates its social media efforts. Compassion serves children in 25 countries around the world. Most of those countries have some sort of media presence, too. About 38 countries do social media somehow, someway. Many of those countries do different aspects of social media. The marketing department is very involved in social media. The human resources department uses social media for recruiting and promoting internships. Compassion has a handful of unique teams managing social media in each country.
How does culture play into impacting Compassion’s social media presence? Is there a difference in how you would approach social media in different countries?
One of the approaches that Hoover’s team takes is “globally designed but locally delivered” in that they might design a campaign or a content set-photographs, graphics, and a story at a high global level and then distribute all of that content to their partners, where at the local level, they are empowered to make whatever changes they need to make that story fit their culture or their context. For instance, Compassion Spain has followers who speak Spanish; Compassion wants them to translate the content into Spanish. Or Compassion Switzerland, which has three official languages (French, German, and a local dialect). Compassion delivers the content globally to Compassion Switzerland, and they will translate that content to fit their local cultural context.
How has Compassion used its social media to grow as a nonprofit?
They use it in a lot of different ways. The most significant way is to build awareness of the ministry. To create awareness of the opportunities that fans and followers can have to reach and minister to impact children worldwide. Reach, and brand awareness is one of the usages. Human resources use social media to recruit new employees and interns. They also use it for fundraisers. Compassion will use to discuss opportunities for people to give money to specific projects or meet particular needs. Compassion uses social media to share news about events happening, like marketing events like concerts, events at church, or natural disasters—in many creative ways.
Do you have a posting schedule, or is it different for each country?
It is different for each country, which is good because each country is foreign. Those posting schedules are unique per channel. What works on Facebook isn’t guaranteed to work on TIkTok. One might post a video on YouTube at a particular time because the YouTube audience is more active than a similar one on Instagram.
“We definitely have a schedule but that schedule takes a lot of things into consideration when we are looking at what we are posting with each different channel and each different platform.” said Hoover.
How has social media impacted Compassion?
It has affected Compassion in a lot of ways. “One of my favorite ways is that we get to hear stories and see experiences of sponsors. Sponsors will share their experiences on their social media channels. They’ll tag us or talk about Compassion. We are able to listen for those conversations and hear how the relationship the sponsor has with a child is making a difference.” said Hoover. “We knew all of that was true, but social media really opened up the door for us to hear those conversations much more frequently.”
How has social media engagement changed over time?
It has changed a lot. Social media was so new in the early days, with little engagement. As the popularity of social media grew, Compassion saw engagement grow, as well. They see a more focused engagement as people use social media differently today than 5-10 years ago when social media became a thing. Compassion has seen engagement change as social media is reflected in the culture. It fluctuates. Some days they see a lot of engagement; some days, very little. All engagement matters. It is up to Compassion to figure out what engagement means and how they can create better experiences for better engagement.
How do you see social media playing a role in Compassion’s future?
Introducing Compassion’s brand and ministry to new audiences is the most significant way. “Social media is full of younger, and younger generations who have so many different ways to spend their money, give their time and attention to. Social media is becoming one of the primary places for us to find new audiences.” said Hoover.
Do you have any advice for small nonprofits?
“Yes, I do. Know your audience. It’s the same advice I would give to a large nonprofit, as well.” said Hoover. “The more that you can know the people who support you. The more that you can know the people are interested in the work that a nonprofit does. The more you know a person, the better you can create experiences that help them, that serve them, that make them feel known and that make them feel seen. It all starts with knowing who your audience is and then creating experiences. Whether that’s on social media, or websites, or emails, or events- it all starts with knowing your audience.”
Anything else that you would like to add?
“What I love the most about social media is that it constantly changes but it’s all built on the same principle of people connecting with people. That has been true since the dawn of time. We have wanted to build relationships, have friends, and share our experiences, well before social media. Social media has unlocked the ability to do that for good and for bad.” said Hoover. “That’s what I love about social media. It changes all the time but is ultimately it’s just people connecting with people (sic) and I love that.”
