The world as we know it has become tech-dependent. Interactions and relationships are now fostered through online platforms, tools, and apps. As a non-profit organization, this could prove to be difficult as most of your work is centered on being in the field. However, the strategic use of social media for nonprofits can actually add value and at a fraction of the cost of using traditional communication channels.
There is so much that you can do, learn and teach through social media. It has become simple to convey your message across the globe and ensure that you’ve made an impact.
How do you stand out within the digital space?
As a non-profit, it is key to go above and beyond in order to change lives and spread the good word.
Social media success can be reached by telling authentic stories. However, there is a need to understand the target audience in order to resonate with them.
Social media allows you to scale. According to data provided by HubSpot, the main priorities of social media marketers at nonprofits is to fundraise, generate brand awareness, recruit volunteers or share news.
The correct use of social media gives you the chance to promote your nonprofit and find people to help with your mission.
How to develop a social media strategy for nonprofits:
- Set clear goals on what you want to achieve
- Zone in on the audience you are targeting
- Identify which platforms you will be using
- A budget and mind map to show how it is you are going to achieve your objectives
How to increase social media traffic
Create attractive visuals
Social media is very visual. Creating posts with visuals helps your work become more attractive and through that you reach your targeted audience faster. This could be donors or volunteers.
Content with relevant images rank up 94 percent more views than content without images.
In comparison to other types of content, visual content is more than 40 times more likely to get shared on social media. They are numerous tools that allow you to design and create wonderful content such as Canva and Unsplash.
Tell authentic stories
Organizations need to tell authentic stories that emotionally appeal to their audience. Your content must evoke some emotions in your audience as evidence of what you do.
Be responsive
Interact with your audience. Have a conversation, share ideas and understand your audience. This makes you a relevant thought leader, who resonates with their audience. 83 percent of your Facebook fans and 71 percent of your Twitter followers expect a response from you the same day they ask a question.
Become a social tagger
Hashtags carry your content far. Use popular hashtags strategically, will make your content reach who it’s meant to reach. Examples of hashtags that work for nonprofits are:
- #Charity
- #DoGood
- #Fundraising
- #Activism
- #Nonprofit
- #Philanthropy
Running a test on a handful of non-branded hashtags can help you to discover which terms are resonating with your audience.
Grow beyond organics
Social media success involves a budget. One of the best ways to grow your audience and gain more exposure is to invest a modest amount into paid social advertisements.
Schedule your content
This helps you save time and ensures that there is consistency in your content. Platforms such as Hootsuite are efficient in structuring your content and seeing how well it’s doing.
Measure the effectiveness of your strategy
Every strategy starts with a lineup of objectives. With social media, you need to formulate one that works with your target audience. The social media platforms allow you to trace your progress through. You can do this by using data from native platforms, such as:
- Facebook Insights
- Instagram Insights
- Twitter Analytics
- Pinterest Analytics
We Support Ministries is a leading Texas-based insourcing company that provides virtual assistants and administrative support for Churches and Non-profit organizations. Moreover, we provide both short and long term virtual outsourcing services customized to suit your business process needs.
