Marie Curie UK
Marie Curie UK provides support and information for people suffering from or impacted by terminal illness. Their success is dependent on volunteers and charitable donations. As a result, their online presence is geared towards raising awareness, providing information, and encouraging people to support them. I think the way they communicate online is very effective.
Marie Curie’s central communications platform -their website- has a clear layout and is user-friendly. Links to further information are clearly signposted. This is especially important due to the emotional nature of Marie Curie’s work. Perhaps one of the most impressive features is the online chat service. Instant messaging is commonplace in many other industries, and perhaps many people prefer the anonymity it gives them. Marie Curie has responded to this demand, and as a result have made their services more accessible to those who may not feel comfortable talking on the phone or in person. Visitors to their website are greeted with a simple, easy-to-use interface and an easily recognisable colour scheme. Marie Curie does an excellent job of conveying information and raising awareness through their website.
Marie Curie have an extensive presence on social media. They are active on industry leaders such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. They also have a blog! Having a broad social media presence means information is accessible to a wider audience, and Marie Curie has taken advantage of the platforms available to them.
To be effective online, I think it is important to keep all of your accounts well-managed. Would you follow an account that didn’t post any content? Marie Curie regularly update their social media accounts, but are careful not to overdo it. The only thing worse than a dormant account is one which never leaves you alone!
Marie Curie have an active Facebook account. Their page has nearly 600,000 likes — an impressive number for a charity. This high number is arguably due to the quality of posts. Their content is often intended to generate an emotional response. They post real stories about real people, allowing their followers to relate. These stories are presented in different formats, keeping their audience entertained. Often their posts include short, punchy and sometimes heartbreaking quotes, links to stories/external content and (occasionally tear-jerking) videos.
Elsewhere on social media, Marie Curie connect with their audience in even more personal ways. On Twitter, for example, the charity is able to respond to people’s messages. Their Instagram account is full of striking images; some are designed to tug on the heartstrings, some promote their campaigns, and others just update their followers as to the everyday goings on within the charity. These more interactive platforms provide another dimension to Marie Curie’s online platform, which generate conversations, raise awareness and increase support for their work.
I think Marie Curie strikes the right balance between uplifting and emotionally charged content, which can be challenging for charities. Looking forward, Marie Curie perhaps would do well to consider a large online campaign after -for example- the success of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
