Top 5 Social Media Tips for Fundraisers

Social media is a cost-effective approach to drive fundraising efforts to a broad audience and a useful tool to keep supporters informed while adding a personal touch.

Here are our five tips on how to use social media to maximize your fundraising success:

[tw-divider]
Establish a Clear Goal
[/tw-divider]

Before you start sharing and engaging your audience on social media, it’s good to establish specific goals and a CTA, which is a call-to-action, or the action that you are asking your audience to take. Here are some questions to think about that might help with crafting your key messages:

• What is my fundraising goal?
• What do I need from the audience to assist with reaching these goals?
• Are there any other actions that I would like the audience to support?

[tw-divider]
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat?
[/tw-divider]

Broadcasting posts on all platforms might seem to be the best way to maximize your reach. However, strategizing based on specific audiences and select social media platforms might be more effective.

Each platform does a great job in getting the word out. However, their audiences are different. Facebook is popular for mature users while younger demographics gravitate more to image and tagline-based platforms like Twitter and Instagram. Creating posts that cater to specific audiences ensures your message will be heard and acknowledged properly.

It is also good to determine what type of posts work best on each platform. Facebook is great for hosting other forms of media like videos. Despite its 140 character limit, Twitter is fantastic for sharing rich content, relevant articles, and an effective platform to discover trending topics. Snapchat and Instagram veer away from text and focus on the art of storytelling through images.

[tw-divider]
Add Variety
[/tw-divider]

In addition to a CTA, it’s good to add variety to your posts. Incorporate news articles, videos and blog posts that complement your CTA. This approach will keep your audience engaged and act as a steward for your fundraising efforts.

[tw-divider]
Create a Story
[/tw-divider]

Fundraising is usually driven by passion for the cause. Sharing your personal connection and story behind your fundraising goals is effective in creating support and fostering donations. It also adds authenticity to your message.

It’s also a great idea to share other people’s stories. Some individuals have the same connection to the cause and some have benefited from what you are supporting. Showcasing these narratives will not only capture audience attention, but it is a great way to create connections between those who have a similar story to tell.

[tw-divider]
Be Social!
[/tw-divider]

Social media is a useful tool to broadcast key messages about your fundraising goals. However, it can easily become a one-way dialogue. It’s essential to maintain proactive conversations with your audience (it is called social media, after all!) Encourage engagement by asking questions, sharing interesting content, and acknowledging those who interact or support your efforts.

Adding a human dimension to a digital platform not only adds authenticity to your approach, but it also builds meaningful relationships between you and the community.