Social Media Tips for Your Nonprofit
Social media -- the newage beast that is highly relevant in this decade. Many nonprofit organizations that we work with struggle with their online presence. Most of the challenge stems not from an unwillingness to create content and post about their mission and impact, but from the lack of social strategy.
There’s an art to social media that, despite what some might say, can indeed be learned. That’s why Cogeo has put together this list of social media best practices to help your nonprofit generate more online buzz.
The Benefits
First, a quick reminder as to why social media is crucial. Don’t miss out on free advertising! Social media doesn’t cost a dime and is a major opportunity to educate people about your mission, values, programs, and events. You have the opportunity to go beyond your membership and community and reach new audiences.
We know this can be a daunting task for any team, but stick to these tips and tricks and your organization will grow in new and exciting ways.
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Have a Unified Message
Keep your message, tone, and announcements similar across all platforms. Sticking to a unified message is helpful for both your audience and your organization -- its leaders, staff, and volunteers.
The language you use should be mirrored on your website, social media, flyers and leave-behinds, even in the conversations you have.
If you haven’t analyzed the messaging your organization uses to describe itself and its needs, then use this time to do a little content refresh. Get your team together to answer some basic questions about your organization. You might uncover some fresh takes and better ways to summarize your nonprofit’s values, programs, and opportunities.
Stay Consistent
Keep posting! By creating a consistent schedule and posting 5-7 times per week with a variety of posts, you will increase your chances of growing your audience and staying relevant with your current followers.
This can be the most challenging part for many organizations, but keeping an organized schedule makes this much more manageable.
Stick to the 3 V's
So, what kind of content should you be posting? We recommend that you stick to the 3 V’s.
Valuable: Provide something that helps people and that they might see the value in using in the future. For example, a nonprofit organization from the sports sector should post a video of how to perform a certain skill or exercise like juggling a soccer ball, performing a dance, or shooting a basket.
Vulnerable: Provide something that connects people to your brand. For instance, a nonprofit organization from the social justice sector should publish an image and quote or video of an individual who was deeply impacted by the organization’s work.
Viral: Provide shareable, entertaining content. It may not have anything directly to do with the organization itself, but aligns with its mission or programs. For instance, a nonprofit organization from the art sector might repost a video of an artist completing a piece in a creative way.
Catchy Caption
Especially on Facebook and Instagram, make sure to write an engaging caption that is both useful and creative. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to write a novel, but make sure that it serves a purpose.
Again, make sure the messaging, language, and tone is aligned and consistent with that of the organization and its values.
Have fun with hashtags! Include at minimum 3-5 hashtags with a combination of popular or common hashtags and unique hashtags. Additional tip for Instagram: If you include the hashtags in a comment below, you’re more likely to hit the algorithm and appear higher in a search.
Stay Organized
Plan ahead! By creating a social media schedule, you’ll be able to post powerful content with intention, write meaningful captions, use your resources wisely, and maintain your sanity.
Look 2 weeks to 1 month ahead and plot out the type of content you’d like to post. Think about the 3 V’s as you do this and consider these 7 different content opportunities:
Upcoming events or meetings (Valuable)
Repost something from a leader in your field (Viral)
Inspirational quote or photo (Viral/Valuable)
Something the organization is excited about or has overcome (Vulnerability)
Tips for community members (Valuable)
Discount codes from sponsors (Valuable)
Discuss the details or benefits of a program (Vulnerability/Valuable)
Give yourself plenty of time to plan the imagery and copy. If you need to connect with other people or team members (photographers, videographers, community members to provide testimonials), you’ll have a considerate amount of time to work with them.
That being said, it’s smart to have back-up content that you can defer to. There will be times when you need to postpone a post so that you can finalize the content. Have some images or designs ready just in case.
To help with posting, especially for those organizations with multiple social media platforms, consider implementing a scheduling tool. There are many options with affordable pricing that allow you to post similar or same content in one easy click.
Sure! Social media can be a challenge, but with the right strategy, you can feel confident in building your online presence and boosting awareness for your nonprofit and its mission.