How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media to Make an Impact

The holiday season is upon us, and now is the time to take advantage of the season of giving and make sure your nonprofit organization is making an impact. Is social media one of the tools in your fundraiser’s toolbox? If not, now is the time to add this valuable tool to your collection!

How can social media benefit your nonprofit?

• Social media is a cost-effective way to reach a broad audience and tell your organization’s story.
• You can connect with your supporters and increase awareness of your organization.
• You can boost your fundraising efforts.
• Posts can be shared – allowing you to increase awareness and support.

Which social media channels are most effective for nonprofits?

These results are based on a recent survey of over 9,000 small-to-medium-sized nonprofits:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• YouTube
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Pinterest.

Don’t spread yourself too thin and try to use all of them, though! Find out which channels your target audience uses most and start there.

What are the advantages of using social media for fundraising?

• You gain access to a ready-made and growing audience.
• You can connect with potential donors you might not reach otherwise. People like to support causes and nonprofits they care about by following a Facebook page or joining a Facebook group. 
• You can instantly communicate with and update your supporters to keep them informed.
• You create a far-reaching peer-to-peer fundraising network. Your audience can grow substantially when your followers share posts with their friends and followers.

What type of message is best for each social media platform?

Plan out your social media posts and keep in mind that each social media platform needs a different message type.

• Facebook is excellent for displaying photos and videos, including text. You can also link back to stories on your website or blog. Use Facebook Live to share in-the-moment events and updates with your followers. It’s best to post only 1-2 times a day on Facebook.
• Twitter is perfect for short, witty, and amusing tweets that grab people’s attention and lead to engaging conversations with supporters and donors. Use a compelling quote in your tweet if you link to an article or blog. You can post up to 5 times a day on Twitter.
• Instagram focuses on visually captivating photos that stir emotions. You can’t post links here, so people can’t click through to a website or blog. Posting 1-2 times a day is best for Instagram.
• YouTube is a great place to share videos with your followers. You can also link to YouTube on your other social media pages. Plan to post a video once a week or once a month on YouTube.

How can you know your social media posts are working for you?

To analyze your social media fundraising results, you need to dig deeper than just counting likes and shares. You need to measure activity and its impact on social media if you really want to know what’s working.

Here are some items to measure:

• Awareness – How many people saw your post? (impressions, views)
• Growth – How many want to continue seeing your posts? (followers, subscribers, likes)
• Engagement – How many people are concerned enough to respond to your posts? (reactions, clicks, comments, shares)
• Conversions – How many people want to help you? (donations, event registrations)

Bottom Line

Social media is a powerful tool that can help you raise awareness, support, and money for your nonprofit. By combining social media with other fundraising tools, you can connect and build a relationship with your supporters. Contact Impact Group Marketing today to learn more about our social media management packages, and let us help your nonprofit make an impact on social media!