Best Practices For Using Social Media For Nonprofit Fundraising

Best Practices For Fundraising On Social Media

Social Media can be a great tool for nonprofits to get awareness and raise funds, but you have to use it strategically in order to make an impact.  The fact that you’re a nonprofit means that most people will put up with more from you because they know that if you are asking for help or money, you have a good reason to (as opposed to a for-profit business).  That said, there are still some golden rules to follow as you approach your social media campaign strategy.

1. The Donation Process Starts On Your Website – NOT Social Media.  Make a clear home on your site with clear buttons and calls to action to make it crystal clear how to give.
2. Donate Buttons.  Place calls to action at the bottom of every page of your site.  Placing it at the bottom is an easy way to make it easy, but also to not bombard visitors with it as the first thing you see on a web page.
3. Add Links On Social Media.  Facebook has a call to action button where you can select “donate now” and make it easy for people to click and give.  Most other social profiles give you at least the option to put a hyperlink in the bio of the profile.  During your campaign, you might even consider changing that to be a specific link for giving instead of just your home page url.
4. Create Donation Graphics For Social Media.  Invest in a series of images specifically targeted for your giving campaign.  Give all of these images their own “theme” so that they all feel the same, but are still unique.  Of course, stay true to your branding, but creating 5-7 images allows you and your team a variety of graphics to use throughout your campaign without being redundant.
5. Remember That It Takes Time!  Most people will not donate to your cause immediately.  Typical sales cycles require five and seven encounters before they decide to convert.  If we consider social media, this means that you need to be posting regularly, and often.  Your audience won’t see every single post because of algorithms or timing of social media use. This makes the frequency and consistency of posting even more vital!
6. The Individual Is Important.  When it comes to nonprofits, people are likely to give because they know you or your passion for the cause.  All members of the cause need to be utilizing their own personal social media profiles (Facebook and LinkedIn especially) to get their close relationships on board with giving.  Posting on an organization’s business pages is not enough to build buzz for your campaign.
7. 80/20 Rule.  Keep in mind that your audience does not want to only hear about how you need money.  That’s why following the 80/20 rule is very important.  80 Percent of the content during the campaign should be educational, informational and/or helpful to your network.  The remaining 20 percent can be about the need for donors and funding.
8. Share A Sense Of Urgency or Timeliness.  As you approach your deadline, remind people that time is running out for you to meet your goal.  This helps people actually do something about your posts.
9. Share Your Story.  Don’t be afraid to share your passion with the world.  Your authentic story is much more compelling than any scripted message the organization writes up.
10. Thank Your Donors!  Whether you are thanking someone for a public donation, or simply thanking someone for sharing or posting about your cause, a thank you can go a long way!  Always respond to comments and encourage dialogue on posts by thanking people for their interaction and involvement in the campaign.  The more chatter, the more your posts will be seen by others.
11. Measure Your Goals.  Always measure your social media analytics, but also measure your website analytics.  Just because your social media “feels” like it’s not doing much, the website traffic may be telling a much different (better!) story.  Look at the stats from a comprehensive perspective to see how the campaign worked as a whole.