How to Step Up Your Nonprofit Social Media Strategy & Increase Donations
Social Media has been the great equalizer, granting many opportunities for anyone with an internet connection to stand out. Get the most out of it for your nonprofit by following the tips below.
The impact of your non-profit is something worth sharing in and off the web. You should be aware of the exponential growth that occurs when you ramp up your social media strategy, and you’ll discover that you can increase donations by 59% at least with social giving. Over half of people engaging with your nonprofit over social media take further action in the long run.
Taking the time to create memorable content to reach tens of thousands more volunteers and followers is well worth it. It’s crucial for you to learn about the best tactics for your social media presence, and then you’ll be able to connect with people who are passionate about your cause and doing good. Here are some tips for stepping up your social media marketing strategy and gaining valuable donations.
Set Up Nonprofit Social Accounts
As a nonprofit, you have access to benefits on social media that normal accounts and for-profit businesses don’t have access to. This includes donate buttons that make it super easy for your followers to contribute, and you can also take advantage of fundraising tools. It’s free and painless to switch to a nonprofit account across platforms, so I wouldn’t waste any time getting on board with this.
Here are some ways to access the numerous nonprofit benefits for some specific platforms:
- Find out if you’re eligible and enroll in Facebook’s fundraising tools.
- Make sure that you enroll your charitable organization with Facebook Payments.
- Sign up for Facebook’s Charitable Giving Tools.
- Ensure that you’re signed up to accept donations and run personal fundraisers on your Facebook.
- Per Facebook, follow these instructions to add a donate button to your Facebook account:
- Go to your organization’s Page.
- Click Add a button. If you’ve already added a button, hover over the button and select Edit Button to change the text.
- Select Shop with you or make a donation > Donate > Next.
- Select Donate Through Facebook.
- Click Finish.
- Remember that Facebook owns Instagram, so enrolling in Facebook’s Charitable Giving Tools also gives you access to benefits on Instagram.
- Switch to an Instagram business account.
- Per Instagram, follow these instructions to add a donate button to your Instagram business account:
- Go to your profile and open the menu.
- Select Settings.
- Tap Business then Donations.
- Turn the slider on beside Add Donate Button to Profile.
- Follow @Nonprofits on Twitter to get access to Twitter’s verified best practices.
TikTok
- Contact the TikTok For Good team to gain access to promoted hashtags and campaigns.
YouTube
- Check your eligibility and request a Google Nonprofits account (Google owns YouTube) and you’ll gain access to Ad Grants, Youtube’s Nonprofit Program, and more.
Create Your Social Media Strategy
“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, writer and pioneering aviator
Simply posting on social media in your free time will maintain your social activity, but it won’t accomplish your goals. It’s important to develop a social media strategy from the start in order to gear your posts toward a specific plan of action. Get creative and adjust your goals to align with the different operational features on each social platform.
So what are your goals? Your biggest priority may be gaining donations, having a profitable pledge drive, gaining volunteers, or maybe you’re promoting an event. List out all of your goals and then develop a strategy for each social media platform that will reach the widest audience and motivate action. As a nonprofit you’re striving to create action for your community and cause, so you should regularly include a call-to-action with links and content.
Your plan should establish how often you want to be posting, and you should create posts regularly. Studies show that the more you post the more engagement you’ll have, and it’s a good rule-of-the-trade to limit posting to five per day so people don’t feel ambushed or spammed. Try using a social media planner to target posts to the widest audience during the most active parts of the day. You want your audience to know that you’re responsive, active, and that your content is up-to-date.
If you’re having difficulty coming up with a concrete plan or you’re unsure of how to implement a strategy, get inspired by some success stories or review the existing strategy of a competing organization. There are numerous nonprofits with a story to tell and you can see the campaigns that helped them accomplish their goals. Take note of how these organizations established their needs, stayed consistent, and provided resources to drive donations.
Develop Your Social Media Team
A dedicated team with experience in the social media world can work cohesively for successful campaigns. If you have the resources you can hire a dedicated social media strategist or a whole team for large organizations and campaigns. You can even use your volunteers who are eager to help your cause as additional hands for running your social media accounts.
If your non-profit is active in your local community, try partnering with a local social media or digital marketing agency. They might provide a deal for local businesses or non-profits. Plus, it’s always nice to support local businesses.
Along with organizing a social media team, you should implement policies and guides for each team member to follow. Having clear and concise policies will maintain structure, fluidity, flexibility, and a consistent voice across your social media platforms.
Try to include the following practices for your social media team:
- Create a hierarchy and/or delegate duties for team members. This can include having one person overseeing all social media platforms and others running their respective accounts that they’re most familiar with.
- Have a transparent directory of team members and their roles, including contact information for everyone to communicate successfully
- Provide a guide for each social account that includes the voice and tone of the company, how to behave on the accounts, and what’s expected. This can include a long-term guide, a content calendar, and even a weekly guide since goals are constantly evolving.
- Establish security protocols along with account login information.
- Create a crisis communication plan. How will you shift your posting and tone during major events and sensitive situations?
- Provide all relevant laws, copyright, confidentiality, and privacy regulations for each social platform.
Check Your Analytics
The analytics tools on your social media accounts aren’t there to just take up space. They’re extremely useful for dialing in your social media presence to target your market, driving conversions, and fine-tuning your posting skills. Most analytics features on social channels show you statistics for clicks, comments, likes, views, and help you understand which posts are performing best.
The secret is how to use this data to your advantage. Check to see if photos with infographics, photos, and videos are outperforming posts without this visual content. Posts that include questions or encourage engagement are also more likely to perform well. You should also analyze the times of day that are performing well and gauge your future posts accordingly.
Use the Right Social Media Tools
You can amplify your voice and take your social media presence to the next level with some smart social media tools for nonprofits.
- Graphic design and posts tools such as PosterMyWall and HootSuite are great assets for managing your projects.
- Nonprofit marketing professionals like GlobalOwls also provide a much-needed boost for nonprofits looking for automation and innovative content. They not only have the expertise to perform all of the tasks we have mentioned above, but also the experience to perform a more targeted full-campaign approach than can be accomplished by most general agencies.
- A social media aggregator is a valuable tool for nonprofits who want to expand and stay engaged. This promotes a collection of your social media posts across all of your platforms, categorizes hashtags, displays reviews and comments, and allows all of your followers to get inspired. Existing and potential volunteers and donors gain easy access to your campaigns, mission, and actions to donate.
- Using specialized links to track referrals from social posts to your website can help you get a better analysis of content conversion.
Start Driving Donations and Improving Your Social Media Strategy
Your nonprofit is leading impactful causes and people are out there eager to join your organization in creating change. The first step is reaching them, so don’t miss out on the valuable opportunities with social media. Try out some of these tips and you’ll start to see donations and an expanding social impact.
FAQ
What is a nonprofit social media strategy?
A nonprofit social media strategy is a plan designed to engage supporters, spread awareness of the nonprofit’s mission, and ultimately increase donations through various social media platforms. It involves content creation, audience engagement, and analytics monitoring to achieve specific fundraising goals.
Why is social media important for nonprofits to increase donations?
Social media is vital for nonprofits because it offers a cost-effective way to reach a broad audience, share impactful stories, and build a community of supporters. Engaging content can inspire followers to become donors and advocates for the cause.
How can nonprofits create engaging content to boost donations?
Nonprofits can create engaging content by sharing impactful stories, updates on projects, beneficiary testimonials, and behind-the-scenes looks into their operations. Interactive content like polls, quizzes, and live Q&A sessions can also increase engagement and interest.
What are the best social media platforms for nonprofits to increase donations?
The best platforms vary depending on the nonprofit’s target audience, but typically include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Each platform offers unique features, such as Facebook’s “Donate” button, that can directly facilitate donations.
How often should a nonprofit post on social media to increase donations?
Consistency is key. Nonprofits should aim to post regularly while maintaining quality content. The optimal frequency can vary, but starting with 3-5 times per week per platform and adjusting based on engagement and analytics is a good strategy.
How can storytelling on social media increase donations for nonprofits?
Storytelling can powerfully connect with people’s emotions, making the cause more relatable and compelling. Sharing personal stories of those helped by the nonprofit or stories of donors and volunteers can motivate followers to contribute.
What role do social media influencers play in increasing donations?
Influencers can significantly expand a nonprofit’s reach and credibility. Partnering with influencers who align with the nonprofit’s values can introduce the cause to a wider audience, potentially increasing donations.
How can nonprofits measure the success of their social media strategy in increasing donations?
Nonprofits can measure success through metrics such as engagement rates, follower growth, website traffic from social media, and, most importantly, the amount of donations received through social media campaigns.
Can social media advertising be effective for nonprofits seeking to increase donations?
Yes, social media advertising can target specific demographics and interests, making it an effective tool for reaching potential donors. Many platforms offer nonprofit discounts or grants for advertising.
What are some best practices for nonprofits using social media to increase donations?
Best practices include setting clear goals, understanding the audience, creating compelling content, using platform-specific features (like donation buttons), engaging with followers, leveraging storytelling, analyzing performance, and adjusting the strategy as needed.
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