How the Humane Society amassed 1 million Facebook fans

The organization’s number of Facebook ‘likes’ has doubled every year since it launched a page in 2007. Here’s how it happened.

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When the Humane Society of the United States hit 1 million Facebook “likes” in early November, the animal protection organization’s response wasn’t a joke or a goofy picture—though it did post a picture of a dog in a party hat on its blog. It was a call to action.

“There are a million of you, and that means there are a million stories of love and companionship, too,” President and CEO Wayne Pacelle said in a video. “We want to hear them. Send them our way.”

Since launching its Facebook page in May 2007, the Humane Society has tinkered with the tone of its Facebook page and the frequency of its posts. One thing the organization has discovered: When it comes to caring for animals, people prefer something a little more serious than the tongue-in-cheek fare found on many Facebook pages.

Path to 1 million

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