NGOs are not UFOs

Visibility of non-governmental organizations on the Internet

The star-laden sky of non-governmental organizations in Serbia has more than 15,000 stars shining in it (according to the most recent data from the Serbian Business Registers Agency), with some of them bright, some almost invisible, and even a few discernible constellations... Some of the stars do not shine at all.

The same description applies to the Internet as well – some of the NGO "stars" are still to begin their active lives, while some of them obstruct their visibility to the public. Why? Why are some of the media willing to inform us about each project from the political sphere, while humanitarian, environmental, democratic, anti-discriminatory and non-violent goals promoted by NGOs in order to create a better world have been given much less attention?

It is clear that the society often lacks a faith in the better future and that pessimism and depression are on the increase, spreading all over the country like a seasonal flu. Very often, NGOs and civil society associations are described in media reports and articles with a degree of uneasiness typically experienced when facing the unknown – similarly to UFOs. We could blame journalists or editors for this state of affairs, but non-governmental organizations also bear a part of responsibility. They have not made their activities visible and available at all times on the Internet. It is not enough to post information about a project somewhere on the web site, with a page title that is identical to the title of the project. It is of crucial importance to be present in the right place, at the right time and in an appropriate form. Regardless of the level of cooperation with the media, citizens' associations should be aware that their web site is also a part of the media.

In the information society, where the speed of communication corresponds to the pace of life, the appetite for information from the Internet, and the lack of the free time, the patience of users and the time spent on web sites are measured in seconds – often not exceeding 10 seconds. It is evident that information has to be prepared for quick consumption, as well as to be sufficiently visible.

Advice for the non-governmental sector

Many non-governmental organizations should pay more attention to the nature of communication on the Internet. Fox example, removal of the "Intro" page that serves to welcome visitors would be extremely welcome.

Publication of information about projects and activities is desirable and justified, but it should also be offered in a form of short news on the home page of the web site. The home page of numerous civil society organizations still offers only the basic information "About Us". Such a page sends a wrong message implying that the main achievement of the organization to this day is the very act of its founding. If all relevant web articles were shortened into a form that is typical for internet news, the home page would present the activities of the organization in a much more attractive fashion than the "About Us" page could ever do. In this way, sending a message to the public would be much more efficient than what could be expected from a simple shortening of the path that leads to information by a few mouse clicks.

If you don't follow web communication trends, follow your common sense

It is almost superfluous to discuss whether the same news should be posted on social networks as well (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube...). Is there any organization that has not created a Facebook page despite the fact that 2,000,000 citizens of Serbia use it every day?

It is a fact that many associations are missing on an opportunity to engage with the community on Facebook, a network that allows creation of virtual communities – groups connected via the Internet that strive to achieve common goals. Online activities on the network itself offer the possibility of engaging a larger part of the public and often results in creation of a new material that can be offered to the media or published on the official web site of the organization.

The very term 'social networks' literally describes the possibilities offered by Facebook and other social web sites.

Apart from networking of individual members of the society, it is also possible to form connections between organizations themselves by using all available segments and possibilities supported by the media on the Internet, which could double the media visibility.

The fight for advancement of the society exists in the virtual world as well as in the real world, and offers a chance to promote the faith in the better future. The media and non-governmental organizations should cooperate in bringing closer to the public many high-quality projects aimed at ensuring a better life for everyone. If successful web communication allows all the stars of the civil society sector to shine brightly, and if the NGO sector becomes more familiar than the rarely-seen UFOs, Serbia will have more faith in optimism and less in science fiction.

Vesna Opavsky

About the authors

MC Newsletter,
December 30, 2011