There’s no question that social media works for fundraising or success for non-profit organizations. In 2020, a year when the economy was bad for everybody, fundraising was still up 2.0 percent overall, and Facebook alone raised 1 billion more than the previous year. Some of that came from non-profits simply adding their organization to the list of charities for birthday fundraisers, where users ask their networks to donate to charity instead of giving them gifts.
Public relations firms Portland-based, Miami-based, New York-based, and elsewhere, are using social media for their non-profits with tremendous success. Here are some tips to help you jumpstart a social media campaign before you consider nonprofit PR Portland, or anywhere else in the nation.
Keep it Very Simple
Your networks don’t usually have time to read the long stories that compel them to reach for their wallets. Keep those moments for your Zoom meetings and galas. If you have a lot to say, break it up into several posts.
Even one long story spread out over 3 to 5 posts will keep them clicking, viewing, and engaging. Social media users like their follow-up stories as well. Keep telling them how things are going with the issues you are telling them about.
Video Works
There are numerous studies out there that show video works in any kind of marketing. You don’t need to look them up. Think about what you like most on social media. It’s the images and posts that have actual movement in them.
Sharing excellent videos is good. Making your own, no matter how rudimentary it may seem to you, is better. It’s how TikTok got famous.
Engage Back
Social media friends and followers like to hear from you and know that you are a human that cares. If you just keep asking them for money, they are going to get turned off faster than they would if you were a private-sector business.
Talk to the people that talk to you, because it’s something that they remember. Make a point to talk to as many as you can. Remember that they took a moment to say hello to you, or comment on a story, and they just want to know that you heard them.
There will always be some you need to avoid or block or just pretend you didn’t hear them. The others love knowing how human you are. It softens your next ask without you having to lift a finger.
Work With Experts
If you don’t have time to run a successful social media campaign, work with experts that can manage all of those profiles for you. Your nonprofit will enjoy the results.
