Social media fundraising can often feel like trying to be heard in a crowded room. Since I started back in 2004, when Facebook first emerged, the landscape has changed dramatically and continues to evolve. Platforms like Instagram keep us on our toes with constant algorithm updates. While these changes can be challenging, they also present new opportunities. Today, I want to help you navigate this dynamic environment and make social media a game-changer for your cause. I'll share three easy-to-implement strategies designed specifically for nonprofits eager to expand their reach and increase donations without blowing their budget.
Shameless Plug: Learn More!
Before diving into a few of my secrets, if you want to learn all my secrets and become a professional social media fundraiser, check out my online training. This comprehensive course covers everything from fundraising principles to advanced techniques - and even donate ads!
Strategy 1: Deeply Understand Your Audience
First up is what I call "creeping" your audience. Understanding your followers and prospective followers is key to engagement and growth.
Here's how you can do this effectively.
Case Study:
I'm currently working with a new organization, making them a perfect example. My first step was to conduct a deep dive into their followers. I went through their posts to see who engages... and then took a peek at their profiles. This helped me gather psychographic data—hopes, dreams, motivations—that isn't captured by metrics alone. Demographic data is important, but understanding the emotional aspects of your audience is crucial. I also ran polls and surveys, sent direct messages, and had conversations with top engagers to truly get to know our supporters.
Stepping into Their Shoes
Now that I understand the audience, my next step is to step back and look at our social media from their perspective. Why would they want to follow our account? What value do we provide to our followers? Are we inspiring, educational, or entertaining? These are important questions to consider as I refine our approach. For example, after understanding that our audience values stories of impact, I plan to start sharing more personal success stories, which should significantly boost engagement and, therefore, reach.
Strategy 2: Consistent Posting and Engagement
Before asking for donations, building a community of supporters is vital. Plus, social media algorithms favor active creators. Even when you're not actively fundraising, consistently posting high-quality content is essential. To help with this, I've created a pre-publish checklist you can download. This checklist includes questions like:
What is the goal of the post?
What's my hook?
Will this post provide value to my audience?
Have I targeted the appropriate keywords and hashtags?
These questions help ensure consistency and quality in your posts. While sticking to a posting schedule is up to you, I recommend posting at least a few times a week. Consistent posting will keep your audience engaged and more likely to support your campaigns when you launch them.
Strategy 3: Leveraging Analytics
Analytics might seem tedious and time-consuming, but they are crucial. I regularly dive into analytics for my clients to understand what resonates and what doesn't. I pay special attention to shares and saves, as these are excellent metrics for tracking virality. Meta's feature allows me to download insights, enabling a deep dive into performance data. When I find a post that really pops, I use it as a basis for future fundraising posts. For example, a post that received high engagement for one nonprofit was repurposed into a series of similar posts, leading to a noticeable increase in donations.
There you have it, my top three tips for turning social media into a powerful tool for fundraising for your nonprofit. If you're interested in delving deeper and learning all of my secrets, be sure to check out our Social Media Fundraising course!
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