Nonprofits are in the business of helping and changing lives, which is why fundraising is such a vital part of their work. However, by using social media, you can not only increase donations but also engage more people who share your mission and values.
Here are a few ways nonprofits can use social media to raise more money.
Share Success Stories
When setting social media marketing goals for nonprofits, the first thing to ensure is sharing success stories. When you share the stories of people who have been helped by your organization, it lets others know that they are not alone and reminds them of how powerful a small donation can be. Their contribution may seem insignificant in their lives, but it’s critical to those who need it most.
Through the power of social media, these stories become more vibrant and humane. Your audience can connect with the photos and videos you use to share these stories. That’s the best way you can not only promote your nonprofit but also bring in new donors while retaining the old ones.
Create a Narrative
When you’re trying to tell a story that inspires people to support your cause, it’s crucial to focus on the right message. You may want to share your organization’s mission or vision, but this can be overwhelming and abstract for some potential donors. Instead of looking at these broad topics alone, think about telling your organization’s story to engage with potential supporters on a personal level. The best way to do this is by using visuals like photos and videos and even infographics if you’re feeling ambitious.
Build Buzz With a Video
Nonprofits should focus their video content on the mission and impact of their organization. For example, a nonprofit that saves dogs from being euthanized in shelters can use a video about one of its rescued dogs as an opportunity to show its work (and inform prospective donors).
You can also use videos to share information about programs or events with supporters who live far away from where you work. When people are interested in donating money online, they’ll want to know exactly how it will be spent before making the decision. They may not feel comfortable asking questions via email or over the phone. A testimonial video featuring happy clients will help reassure potential donors that their contribution will make an impact without having them visit an office in person or call every day for updates.
Use Social Media Ads
Social media advertising is a great way to target your audience and drive donations. Using advertising platforms, you can target people who are most likely to support your cause. For example, if you’re an animal rescue organization and want to encourage pet adoptions, you can use social media ads to target people in the market for a new pet. By targeting these potential adopters with ads that highlight how many dogs and cats are looking for their forever homes at your shelter, you may be able to increase adoption rates.
Using social media ads is also one of the best ways nonprofits can drive engagement with their followers. You can do so by promoting the causes you care about or causes related to those others might care about.
When nonprofits do this successfully, they’re able to attract new donors while also strengthening connections with existing supporters and all without having made them feel like they’re being sold something.
Reach Out to Influencers
Influencers are people who have a large following on social media. These influencers allow you to connect with your audience and increase brand awareness. They can also help you increase engagement, which will help you gain more donations.
For example, if a nonprofit is trying to raise funds for their pet shelter, they can reach out to an influencer who shares their passion for animals (like a celebrity dog trainer). They can get involved in the cause by donating themselves or sharing the campaign through their own channels.
Influencers are often paid consultants who have connections with brands that want them to promote products or services within the community they’ve built up around themselves. There’s no reason why nonprofits can’t benefit from these same connections.
Share Progress Updates
Sharing progress updates with your audience is a great way to keep them engaged. Social media provides many opportunities for nonprofits to share what is happening in their organization, from fundraising efforts to community service projects. In addition, it’s also important for you to use a variety of social media platforms to reach your audience – use Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as well as blogs and newsletters. The more places you publish information about your organization, the more likely it will be seen by those who support and follow you.
By sharing behind-the-scenes photos or videos on Facebook Live, you can allow donors to get a glimpse into what goes on behind closed doors, including volunteer activities that aren’t always publicized by other means. This, too, is a way you can share progress updates with your potential donors and wellwishers.
Nonprofits have a lot to gain from using social media. The more effective you are at using social media, the greater impact your organization will make on your community and the more donations you can bring in.