With an estimated 3.6 billion social media users worldwide in 2020, having a strong presence on these platforms is paramount to the success of any industry, organization, or brand. For nonprofits, social media not only helps achieve marketing goals, but it also cultivates a mission-oriented community that’s bound by a common goal. Nonprofit fans are often deeply connected with the missions of their chosen organizations, and they tend to be very passionate about their causes. These audiences can be found both on and offline, so it’s important to engage with them across multiple touchpoints.
By offering relevant, meaningful, and timely content, nonprofits can communicate their values and offer worth to users. Social media also enables these organizations to connect with younger audiences that may not typically raise funds for their organizations. Thanks to all of the apps available online these days, charities can activate and inspire people on channels like Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, and Instagram Reels. In the nonprofit world, it’s all about inspiring others to join your circle – and social media is the perfect outlet to stimulate change.
Social media has proven to be a great place to motivate people to come together and rally around certain causes. Think about how much publicity the ALS Bucket Challenge got, for example. This campaign went viral and did amazing things for a good cause, increasing the funding for the ALS Association by 187 percent globally.
Social media can be a powerful tool in a nonprofit’s marketing arsenal, allowing brands to cultivate relationships, build trust, and achieve business goals. Some common nonprofit marketing goals may include:
Social media can assist in all of these areas and more.
A social media presence amplifies a nonprofit organization’s reach and messaging to its advocates and beyond, reaching audiences that may not yet be familiar with the organization while capturing new fans. Additionally, social media offers opportunities for users to financially contribute to meaningful causes. For example, many nonprofits seek donations through Facebook Fundraisers or the Instagram Stories donate sticker. Both of these tactics result in 100 percent of donations being passed along to the nonprofit. You can also utilize online fundraising platforms like GiveWP, a WordPress plugin that helps you easily create donation pages through your website.
Though the benefits of employing social media for nonprofits are clear, it’s critical to have a well-thought-out and researched social media strategy first. The following are some things you should consider before you delve into this process:
Once the strategy is developed and executed, it’s important to continually measure your successes through analytics. When your campaign is off and running, you should examine fans’ engagement over time, paying attention to the actions they take (such as click-throughs to your website or clicks to read particular articles). You need to understand your audience’s general patterns of behavior as they relate to your content. From there, you can make any necessary tweaks in real-time to provide an enhanced social media experience and increase your brand’s social engagement.
Every successful social media campaign requires careful planning, goal setting, and, often, a dedicated digital marketing partner. If you need assistance creating and executing a social media strategy for your nonprofit organization, Zero Gravity Marketing can help. Contact us today to learn how we can ensure you reach your organizational goals through Social Media Marketing!