Etowah County nonprofit groups recently gathered for a Social Media Conference in the Bevill Center at Gadsden State Community College for the first event of its kind sponsored by Alabama Power Company and United Way of Etowah County.

The conference featured Ike Pigott, an Alabama Power media relations specialist and spokesman. The Emmy Award-winning social media expert enlightened the crowd of nearly 75 attendees with Joseph Campbell’s seven-step storytelling process, “The Hero’s Journey.”

Not only were participants able to laugh, they learned valuable ways to translate their stories into intriguing social media posts. Pigott also walked the group through the importance of having a formal social media strategy.

“This is an opportunity for us to help strengthen the nonprofit community, helping them become stronger storytellers and use technology better, to reach the people that matter to them,” Pigott said.

Many of the guests came with only a basic knowledge of social media. Pigott guided attendees through different techniques and introduced new tools, offering quick and effective ways to communicate with board members and stakeholders, as well as the people they serve.

Valerie Shannon, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Alabama, attended the event hoping to gain a better understanding of the rapidly changing world of social media. “It’s always evolving and changing, and we have got to stay ahead of it if we want to use these great tools to spread the word about our organization,” she said.

“Nonprofits and social media are a great partnership,” said Joanne Hightower, executive director of United Way of Etowah County. “We want our nonprofits to have the most up to date information about why they should use social media and how they can use it effectively.”