You know it—nonprofit organizations are superheroes when it comes to tackling social issues and making a positive impact in our communities. But in today's digital world, nonprofits need a powerful sidekick to help reach and engage supporters.

Enter social media.

Social media platforms provide an incredible opportunity for you to share your mission and connect with supporters on a global scale. It's like having a virtual loudspeaker that can:

1. Raise awareness about your cause

2. Share inspiring success stories

3. Rally communities for action.

The best part is that social media breaks down barriers and allows real-time communication, making it a game-changer for nonprofits striving to make a difference.

Think of social media platforms as a Swiss Army knife for nonprofits. They offer features and tools that can level up your outreach and engagement efforts. You can share impactful content like powerful stories, eye-catching images, and heartwarming videos that tug at the heartstrings of your audience and inspire them to take action.

Plus, you can directly interact with supporters, build relationships, answer questions, and create a tight-knit community. And let's not forget about the power of sharing—social media makes it super easy for supporters to spread the word and amplify your message.

In this blog post, we dive headfirst into the world of social media for nonprofits. We discuss its benefits, uncover strategies you can use, and dish out some best practices for you to follow. My goal is to equip nonprofits with insights and practical tips that are backed by industry research and expert advice. So get ready to harness the true power of social media and take your nonprofit's impact to the next level!

Let’s look more closely at why you should consider building a solid social media presence.

A staggering 4.26 billion people across the globe are active social media users. Experts predict that this number will continue to surge, reaching an estimated nearly six billion users by 2027. This rapid expansion signifies the immense reach and influence that social media holds in today's interconnected world. These numbers show how social media opens up a whole new world of visibility and reach for your nonprofit!

Storytelling is a powerful tool for nonprofits to connect with supporters on an emotional level, and social media platforms provide the perfect stage for sharing these stories. You can craft compelling narratives that showcase your mission, impact, and the stories of the individuals you serve.

By sharing these stories through engaging and visually appealing content, such as photos and videos, you can create a strong emotional connection with your audience. This connection builds trust, loyalty, and a sense of shared purpose, helping to strengthen your brand and cultivate a community of dedicated supporters.

Charity: Water is a great example of a nonprofit using social media for storytelling. It shares captivating stories of individuals and communities impacted by the lack of access to clean water. Their visually appealing content, including striking photographs and impactful videos, brings these stories to life. By highlighting the personal experiences, struggles, and triumphs of individuals, Charity: Water creates a strong emotional bond with its audience. These stories not only inform viewers about the mission and impact of the organization but also motivate them to take action and support the cause.

Social media platforms offer an array of opportunities to amplify nonprofit fundraising efforts. One effective strategy is to leverage social media for crowdfunding campaigns. You can create engaging campaigns, set fundraising goals, and share them with your social media followers. By tapping into the power of social networks, you can inspire supporters to donate and encourage them to share the campaign with their own networks, thus expanding the reach and potential impact of the fundraising efforts.

Moreover, social media provides a unique space for nonprofits to engage with donors and supporters, fostering a sense of community and connection. Through regular updates, heartfelt thank-you messages, and behind-the-scenes glimpses, you make your supporters feel that they are valued members of your community. This engagement and sense of belonging can significantly enhance fundraising efforts, as donors are more likely to continue supporting a nonprofit that they feel connected to on a personal level.

A notable nonprofit organization that effectively utilizes social media for crowdfunding campaigns and donor engagement is DonorsChoose.

DonorsChoose is a nonprofit platform that connects teachers in need of classroom resources with donors who want to support education. They have harnessed the power of social media to launch successful crowdfunding campaigns. Through their social media channels, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, DonorsChoose shares compelling stories of teachers and their classroom needs. They create engaging campaigns with specific fundraising goals and leverage the reach of social networks to inspire individuals to donate. Supporters can easily share these campaigns with their own networks, amplifying the impact and expanding the reach of the fundraising efforts.

Choosing the right social media platform is crucial because it allows you to effectively reach and engage with your target audience. Each platform has its own demographics, features, and best practices, so selecting the platforms that align with your nonprofit's goals and audience characteristics ensures maximum impact.

As with all other activities that involve interacting with your audience, with social media, you need to understand your target audience's demographics and behaviors. Consider factors such as age, location, interests, and online behaviors. Conduct research or analyze your existing supporter base to gain insights into which platforms your target audience is most active on. This evaluation will help you focus your efforts on platforms that have the highest potential for reaching and engaging with your desired audience.

How can you determine your target demographics? Here are some ideas:

1. Online surveys: Design and distribute online surveys targeting parents and educators to gather demographic information such as age, location, occupation, and educational background. The survey can also include questions about their preferences, challenges they face in accessing educational resources, and their preferred online platforms for seeking educational support.

2. Data analysis: Analyze existing data from your website, social media platforms, and email newsletters to identify patterns and trends among your current audience. This analysis can provide valuable demographic information, such as the age range of their website visitors, the geographical distribution of their social media followers, and the engagement levels of different segments of their audience.

3. Market research reports: Explore available market research reports and studies focused on the educational needs and preferences of underprivileged children and their families. These reports often provide valuable insights into the demographic characteristics, challenges, and behaviors of your target audience.

4. Focus groups: Conduct focus groups with parents and educators from underprivileged communities. These sessions can uncover specific challenges they face in accessing educational resources and help you tailor your offerings to better serve your audience.

Each social media platform offers unique advantages and best practices that can be leveraged to maximize your nonprofit's impact. Before you create a social media strategy, take the time to learn about the different platforms to identify which one will suit you best.

Let’s look at some of the most popular platforms today.

1. Facebook: Has features like Pages and Groups to engage with supporters, share updates, and cultivate a sense of belonging. Take advantage of Facebook's fundraising tools, such as the Donate button and Fundraisers, to drive donations and amplify your fundraising efforts.

2. Twitter: Twitter excels in real-time engagement and allows you to connect with your audience through concise and timely messages. Leverage trending hashtags and participate in relevant conversations to expand your reach and increase visibility. Engage with followers, respond to inquiries promptly, and share bite-sized updates that align with your nonprofit's mission.

3. Instagram: This visual-centric platform thrives on storytelling. Use compelling visuals, including photos and videos, to share impactful stories related to your nonprofit's mission. Leverage Instagram Stories to provide behind-the-scenes glimpses and exclusive content. Collaborate with influencers and advocates who align with your cause to extend your reach and engage with a wider audience.

4. LinkedIn: A professional networking platform that can be valuable for nonprofits targeting professionals, businesses, or career-oriented individuals. Share thought leadership content, highlight success stories, and engage in relevant industry discussions. Leverage your connections and partnerships to expand your reach and foster meaningful relationships within the professional community.

5. YouTube: Offers a powerful medium for storytelling. Create compelling video content that showcases the impact of your nonprofit's work and highlights the stories of those you serve. Leverage the power of storytelling to connect emotionally with your audience and inspire them to take action.

Create a strategic social media mix that aligns with your target audience and objectives. Consider the demographics and behaviors of your audience, the advantages and best practices of each platform, and the resources available to your nonprofit.

Take note: It will be tempting to be on each and every platform, but this will only spread you thin. It’s better to pick one (or two at the most) to focus on. Strive for a balance between platforms that allow you to reach a wide audience and platforms that provide more targeted engagement. Regularly evaluate the performance of your social media efforts and adjust your strategy as needed to ensure you're reaching the right audience and achieving your goals.

Speaking of strategy…

You can’t just jump into the social media waters without having a plan. Well, you can, but you’re probably setting yourself up for a host of confusion. And even failure.

So, how do you create a social media strategy for your nonprofit?

If you’ve been rocking with me for a while, you’ve heard me say this a lot—setting clear goals and objectives are a must for any activity. These goals should align with the overall mission and objectives of your organization.

Examples of social media goals for nonprofits include:

• Increasing brand awareness

• Driving website traffic

• Boosting engagement with followers

• Increasing donations

• Recruiting clients and volunteer

By defining goals, you have a clear focus and can work toward that.

Once you know what you want to achieve with your social media efforts, you can identify benchmarks that will help you measure your progress. These are the KPIs.

Some common KPIs for nonprofits include:

• Number of followers

• Engagement rates (likes, comments, shares)

• Click-through rates

• Website traffic from social media

• Conversion rates (donations, volunteer sign-ups)

• Sentiment analysis

By regularly monitoring and analyzing these metrics, you can gauge the impact of your social media campaign and make informed decisions to optimize your strategy.

Consistency is key in social media, and a content calendar and posting schedule help you achieve this.

A content calendar helps plan and organize the types of content to be shared, including educational articles, success stories, event promotions, and behind-the-scenes glimpses. It ensures a consistent flow of content and allows for strategic alignment with important dates, campaigns, and events.

For example, Giving Tuesday is held every year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. You can then plan social media content around the date, in tandem with possible donation drives you may have planned for the season.

By scheduling posts in advance, you can maintain a regular presence on social media and engage your audience effectively.

Here are some content calendar examples for your reference.

Let’s look at practical tips you can follow to make your social media campaigns effective.

You may already have experience with branding. You probably know that it is an important part of your marketing strategy. The same goes for social media, which falls under online marketing anyway.

Following your branding includes using consistent logos, color schemes, and visual elements to establish a recognizable and cohesive brand identity. By ensuring a consistent brand experience, you can reinforce your mission and create a sense of professionalism and trust among your audience.

Here’s an example of how I keep consistent branding on my social media platforms. I use a color palette and a font set, which I interchange.

Hashtags are powerful tools for increasing visibility and reaching a wider audience on social media platforms. Research and utilize relevant hashtags that align with your cause, campaigns, or events. Strategic use of hashtags can help your content be discovered by users who are interested in similar topics or causes.

One way to do this is to follow and observe other nonprofits. Look at their popular posts and see what hashtags they use. If these hashtags are relevant to your nonprofit, then use them as well.

You can also use tools that are designed for hashtag discovery:

1. Hashtagify is a comprehensive hashtag research tool that allows users to explore trending hashtags, identify related hashtags, and analyze hashtag performance. It provides insights into hashtag popularity, reach, and correlation. It can help you find the most relevant and effective hashtags for your content.

2. RiteTag is a tool that provides real-time hashtag suggestions based on the content you are writing or the topic you are exploring. It offers insights into hashtag popularity, engagement, and reach.

3. Tagboard is a social listening tool that allows you to search for hashtags across multiple social media platforms. It aggregates posts and content associated with a specific hashtag, providing a snapshot of the conversations happening around that topic. You can use Tagboard to discover popular and trending hashtags related to your cause or industry.

4. Sprout Social is a social media management platform that offers hashtag monitoring and research features. It provides insights into hashtag performance, engagement, and reach, allowing you to identify popular and relevant hashtags for your social media content.

5. Twitter's Advanced Search feature allows users to search for specific hashtags and explore the latest tweets using those hashtags. It can be a useful tool for you to discover hashtags that are currently being used and engaged with by your target audience on Twitter.

These tools can assist you in finding the right hashtags to enhance your social media visibility and engagement. It's important to experiment with different hashtags and monitor their performance to determine which ones resonate best with the target audience and generate the desired results.

‼️ This, I cannot emphasize enough.

Too many people fall into the trap of creating social media content and posting, posting, and posting. Sure, you want to post regularly (see above: consistency). But, social media is all about interacting with others—your donors, funders, volunteers, and community.

That means one thing: You respond to comments and messages, AND you comment on other people’s posts, too.

This shows that you value and appreciate your audience’s input, fostering a positive relationship and strengthening your online community.

Influencers, huh? The term may have gotten devalued in recent years because practically anyone can call themselves an influencer. Still, there are real people out there who have a solid audience they influence with their posts. The key is finding these people and making sure they align with your mission, values, and goals.

How do you find the right influencers you can partner with?

1. Social media research: Conduct research on various social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Look for individuals who have a significant following and regularly share content related to nonprofit causes or social issues. Pay attention to their engagement rates (likes, comments, shares) to gauge their influence and impact.

2. Hashtag exploration: Explore relevant hashtags related to nonprofit causes or social issues on social media platforms. Look for posts that have high engagement and are shared by individuals who resonate with your nonprofit's mission. This can help you identify influencers who are passionate about the same causes and have an engaged following.

3. Online communities and forums: Participate in online communities and forums dedicated to nonprofits or social impact. Engage with discussions and observe individuals who are actively sharing insights, resources, or experiences related to nonprofits. These individuals may have a strong online presence and can potentially be influencers in the nonprofit space.

4. Google search and blog research: Conduct a Google search using keywords related to your nonprofit's mission or cause, along with terms like "influencers" or "top bloggers." Explore blog articles and websites that feature lists or profiles of influential individuals in the nonprofit sector. These resources can provide valuable insights and recommendations for identifying influencers.

5. Recommendations and referrals: Seek recommendations and referrals from fellow nonprofit professionals, supporters, or colleagues who may be aware of influential individuals in the nonprofit space. They may have personal connections or insights that can help you identify influencers who align with your nonprofit's values and goals.

It’s not the most fun activity, but tracking (and analyzing) performance is necessary to ensure you are not wasting your time on social media. We go back to the KPIs I mentioned earlier—you have already identified these. Now, it’s time to examine them and see the results of your social media efforts.

Let me quickly recap the KPIs you can analyze:

• Number of followers

• Engagement rates (likes, comments, shares)

• Click-through rates

• Website traffic from social media

• Conversion rates (donations, volunteer sign-ups)

• Sentiment analysis

Of course, I won’t leave you hanging with only the what. Let’s look at how you can analyze these KPIs and what they mean.

Tracking and measuring social media efforts is essential to evaluate the effectiveness of a nonprofit's strategy and make data-driven decisions. Here are examples of how the following metrics can be tracked and what they indicate:

Number of followers

This metric represents the size of your social media audience and can be tracked directly on each platform. It indicates the reach of your content and the potential audience you can engage with. However, it's important to focus not only on the quantity but also on the quality of your followers.

What does that mean?

You may have 10,000 followers, but if 5,000 of them are bots or people who are not part of your target audience, then this becomes what we call a vanity metric. It doesn’t mean much in terms of your goals.

Engagement rates (likes, comments, shares)

Tracking the engagement rates on your social media posts provides insights into how well your content resonates with your audience. Compared to the number of followers, engagement rates are more reflective of how effective your social media efforts are.

Likes, comments, and shares indicate the level of interest and interaction your content generates. The more likes, comments, and shares your posts have, the better idea you have of what your audience likes.

Click-through rates

Click-through rates simply refer to how many people click on your social media links that lead to your website. It helps you understand if your content is engaging enough to make people want to learn more. At the end of the day, this is one of the most important things to measure.

Say you publish a post on Facebook about your Clean the Beach event. You include a link for people to sign up or donate. So, you want them to click on that link and visit your event page.

The click-through rate is the number of clicks on that social media post.

Or, let's say you posted a tweet on Twitter that includes a link to a blog post on your nonprofit's website. To measure the click-through rate, you can use a tracking link or a special URL that you create. This link has a code that allows you to track how many times it was clicked.

For example, if your tweet with the tracking link was seen by 100 people and 10 of them clicked on the link, your click-through rate would be 10%. This means that 10% of the people who saw your tweet were interested enough to click on the link and visit your website.

What’s this tracking link or special URL I’m talking about?

I’m going to have to be a little technical here (and you know this isn’t my forte, but if I can understand it, so can you!)…

Here are simple instructions on how to add a UTM or tracking link:

1. Generate a UTM link: Use a UTM builder tool like Google's Campaign URL Builder or any other UTM generator. Fill in the required fields, including the website URL, campaign source (social media platform), campaign medium (post type), and campaign name (specific post or campaign). This will generate a unique UTM link.

2. Copy the UTM link: Once you have generated the UTM link, copy it to your clipboard.

3. Create your social media post: Open the social media platform where you want to share your post, such as Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Write your post content as usual.

4. Insert the UTM link: Within your post, paste the UTM link you copied earlier. It can be added as a hyperlink or directly within the post's text.

5. Preview and publish: Before publishing your post, preview it to ensure that the UTM link is working correctly and directing users to the desired webpage. Once you're satisfied, publish your post.

This is what the URL Builder looks like.

By adding the UTM or tracking link to your social media posts, you can track the clicks and traffic generated from those specific posts in your website analytics tool, such as Google Analytics. It allows you to analyze the performance of different social media posts and campaigns, helping you understand which ones are driving the most traffic and engagement.

Website traffic from social media

This metric helps you understand the impact of your social media efforts in driving visitors to your website, exploring your content, and potentially taking further actions. However, your UTMs won’t really be useful unless you use website analytics tools like Google Analytics to track the amount of traffic driven to your website from social media platforms.

Conversion rates (donations, volunteer sign-ups)

If you have specific conversion goals, such as donations or volunteer sign-ups, track the number of conversions attributed to your social media efforts. This can be done by using tracking codes or custom URLs (see above) to measure how many conversions are directly influenced by your social media campaigns.

Sentiment analysis

Sentiment analysis involves monitoring and analyzing the sentiment expressed in social media mentions or comments related to your nonprofit. Tools like social listening platforms or sentiment analysis software can help measure the overall sentiment (positive, negative, neutral) and identify trends or patterns in the sentiment of discussions around your nonprofit.

A good measure for social media efforts depends on the specific goals and objectives of your nonprofit. It's important to align your metrics with your overall objectives.

For example, if your goal is to raise awareness, tracking metrics like reach, engagement rates, and sentiment analysis can be valuable. If your objective is to drive donations, measuring conversion rates and click-through rates would be more relevant. Regularly reviewing and analyzing these metrics can provide valuable insights to optimize your social media strategy and make informed decisions for continuous improvement.

Much too much? 🤯

I get it. While I understand the concepts and can probably do this given enough time, I believe in staying in my lane and delegating tasks to experts. So, I think nonprofit leaders should have a grasp of the basics, but I highly recommend you find a person who knows social media marketing and have them do it.

It’s not always about what/how you know, but who you know!

This book is an awesome read, by the way: Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork

Then again, if you have a limited budget, we circle back to you knowing the basics and starting out doing your social media until you can afford someone to do it for you.

The social media realm is rife with challenges and pitfalls. The trick is in knowing these, so you can overcome them when they arise. Here are some of the most common things you will have to handle.

Nonprofits often face limited resources and time constraints in general, not to mention when it comes to managing social media. The first thing you can do is to prioritize and focus on key platforms that align with your goals and target audience.

Develop a realistic content schedule and leverage social media management tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, or Sprout Social to streamline your posting and scheduling processes. Additionally, consider collaborating with volunteers or team members who can assist with social media tasks and content creation.

Negative feedback and crises can arise on social media platforms, posing challenges for nonprofits. Have a well-defined social media policy and response plan in place.

Respond to negative feedback promptly, professionally, and empathetically. Address concerns privately whenever possible and use the opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to transparency and resolving issues. In the case of a crisis, ensure that you have a designated spokesperson, monitor conversations closely, and provide timely updates to keep your audience informed.

Here’s an example of how this may play out.

Comment: "I donated to your organization, but I haven't seen any updates on how the funds are being used. What's going on?"

Response: "Thank you for your donation and support. We apologize for any confusion regarding the use of funds. We strive to provide regular updates on our impact and the projects we're working on. We understand your concern and are committed to transparency. We will immediately share an update on how your donation is making a difference through a private message. Alternatively, please send your email address via DM so we can send you the updates. Your contribution means a lot to us, and we appreciate your patience and understanding."

The nonprofit acknowledges the comment and expresses gratitude for the donor's support. It then addresses the concern raised by the donor regarding the lack of updates on fund utilization. The response demonstrates transparency, understanding, and a commitment to addressing the issue promptly. By assuring the donor that their donation is valued and promising to provide an update, the nonprofit aims to rebuild trust and strengthen the donor-nonprofit relationship.

When responding to negative comments, it's crucial for nonprofits to:

1. Respond promptly: Show that you are actively monitoring and addressing concerns raised by your audience.

2. Be empathetic and understanding: Acknowledge the commenter's concerns and emotions, demonstrating that you genuinely care about their feedback.

3. Provide a solution or clarification: Offer an explanation, resolve the issue, or outline steps you will take to address the concern raised. Don’t leave the person hanging!

4. Take the conversation offline if needed: If the issue requires a more in-depth or private discussion, kindly request the commenter to reach out through direct messages or email to ensure their privacy and address the matter thoroughly.

Remember, your response not only addresses the specific commenter but also leaves an impression on others who may be observing the conversation. By handling negative comments with professionalism, transparency, and a focus on problem-solving, nonprofits can turn a negative situation into an opportunity to showcase their commitment to their mission and the satisfaction of their supporters.

Social media trends and algorithms are constantly evolving, posing challenges for nonprofits to stay relevant and reach their audience effectively. Stay informed about the latest trends and changes in social media platforms through industry blogs, webinars, and professional networks.

Experiment with new features and formats to keep your content fresh and engaging. Regularly review your analytics to understand what strategies are working and make adjustments accordingly. Building a flexible and adaptable social media strategy will help your nonprofit navigate these challenges and stay ahead of the curve.

Again, this may prove to be too much for nonprofit leaders who have a ton on their plate. So, don’t hesitate to tap into your staff and/or volunteers who know more about social media than you do!

One word: Delegate!

Social media has become an indispensable tool for nonprofits. It offers an unparalleled opportunity to connect with your audience, raise awareness about your cause, and drive meaningful action. By embracing social media and implementing effective strategies, you can expand your reach and increase your impact.

In this blog post, we explored the benefits of social media for nonprofits, the importance of choosing the right platforms, and strategies for success. We discussed the power of storytelling, engaging with your audience, and leveraging metrics to measure your performance. We also touched upon the challenges and common pitfalls that may arise, emphasizing the importance of transparency, responsiveness, and adaptability.

As a nonprofit leader, you hold the key to making a difference in the world. Social media empowers you to share your mission, inspire others, and build a community of dedicated supporters. It provides a stage to showcase your impact, connect on an emotional level, and mobilize people for change. By harnessing the power of social media, you can transform your organization and create lasting positive change.

Remember, success on social media requires a strategic approach, consistent effort, and a genuine connection with your audience. Stay true to your mission, engage authentically, and continuously learn and adapt to the evolving social media landscape.

As you embark on your social media journey, be open to experimentation, embrace creativity, and collaborate with other like-minded organizations. It's time to unlock the full potential of social media for your organization. Embrace the opportunities, overcome the challenges, and go on a journey of innovation, connection, and impact. The world is waiting for your message, and social media is the megaphone that will amplify your voice.

Go forth, inspire, and change the world, one post at a time. 😀