Today, with so many developed new communication technology, it is indispensible to modern people absorbing and searching information through the Internet. By both receiving and releasing news, it is getting more easier to us sharing ideas, exchanging information, having more interactions and maintaining closer relationship nowadays. Based on such situation, the relationship and trust among people would sometimes cause massive influence than mass communication media. luence we have is more than mass media. The service of ¡§Facebook Places¡¨ has been creating a massive trend to millions of users to leave a message or upload a photo by ¡§check-in¡¨ via Facebook recently no matter where, when, what or with who. And such situation has plenty of similarities with the ¡§Word of Mouth¡¨ concept which we have learned before. Based on the Word of Mouth theory, the aim of the research is to discuss if the effect of ¡§Word of Mouth¡¨ and the consumer behavior would be influenced by Facebook ¡¨check-in¡¨ service. The research is focusing on 300 Facebook users ( no matter one who have tried the ¡§check-in¡¨ service before or not) through questionnaires by paper and online. In conclude, it is related between the effect of ¡§Word of Mouth¡¨ and Facebook ¡§check-in¡¨ service, because most users would have much concerns on these places or stores appearing on Facebook via ¡§check-in¡¨ service, and would have high willingness to visit them since their friends or families have ¡§check-in¡¨ before.

Sociala mediers uppkomst har inneburit nya möjligheter för marknadskommunikation men de har också vänt upp och ner på traditionella marknadsföringsmetoder. Det finns därför en osäkerhet kring hur mediernas fulla potential för dialog, interaktivitet, relationsbyggande och viral spridning ska utnyttjas. Syftet med denna studie är därför att skapa ökad kunskap och förståelse för hur ideella organisationer använder sociala medier för att kommunicera samt skapa och underhålla relationer till sina supportrar. En flerfallstudie genomfördes av tre väletablerade ideella organisationer i Sverige, Djurens Rätt, Greenpeace Sverige och Amnesty Sverige. Empirin samlades in med hjälp av intervjuer med ansvariga för kommunikationen i sociala medier inom respektive organisation. Även en kvantitativ innehållsanalys av organisationernas Facebook-sidor utfördes. Empirin analyserades sedan utifrån valda teorier och genom jämförelser fallen emellan. Därmed kunde slutsatsen dras att alla tre organisationer använde sociala medier som ett verktyg för att engagera supportrar i deras verksamhet och sakfrågor, främst genom att uppmana dem till lobbying och påverkan. De kommunicerade alla på ett sätt som genererade eWord-of-Mouth för att uppnå viral spridning av sina budskap. Den typ av kommunikation som användes i störst utsträckning på Facebook var av dialogisk och relationsskapande karaktär, trots att ingen av organisationerna satte relationsbyggande i fokus. / The arrival of social media has brought new opportunities for marketing communication. This change, however, brings major changes to the perceptions of traditional marketing methods. Uncertainty exists in how to best utilise media’s potential in regards to creating dialogue, interaction, relationship building and viral reach with and amongst supporters. The purpose of this study is thus to contribute to a greater understanding of how non-profit organisations are using social media to communicate as well as creating and sustaining relationships with their supporters. A multiple case study design has been employed, focusing on three well-known nonprofit organisations in Sweden; Djurens Rätt, Greenpeace Sweden and Amnesty Sweden. Qualitative research data was gathered through interviews with persons responsible for social media communications within the three organisations. A quantitative content analysis of the organisations’ Facebook pages was also conducted. The empirical findings were then analysed through relevant theories and comparison between the cases. The results indicate that all three organisations used social media as a tool to encourage their supporters to engage with the organisation’s activities and beliefs, primarily lobbying- or advocacy-related activities. The organisations communicated in a way that generated eWord-of-mouth, in order to spread their messages virally. On Facebook, communication was mainly characterised by two-way dialogue and relationship building, despite none of the organisations focused on building relationships with their supporters.