How to Build a Social Media Following: Top Secrets Revealed
If someone was scrolling through their social media account and came across a post from your nonprofit, would they like, comment, or share it? Just like听听is useful for fundraising, your social media presence should cater to听your听defined target audience.
According to a recent听听poll, only 20% of nonprofits feel 鈥榚xtremely confident鈥� that they are maximizing their social media potential. And in a digital world where听55% of people听who engage with nonprofits on social media take some action, that鈥檚 a substantial missed opportunity.
Social media is an effective promotional tool when used strategically, whether it鈥檚 to promote a听听campaign, spotlight your volunteers, or feature an upcoming fundraising event. In this guide, we鈥檒l explore the top secrets your nonprofit can use to access its social media potential and drive more results. Let鈥檚 dive in!
Understand your audience
As the old saying goes, you can鈥檛 be all things to all people. That means you must have a comprehensive understanding of your supporters鈥� demographics and interests
Leverage tools like your CRM platform and previous social media analytics to pinpoint who your audience is and what they care about. Once you鈥檝e gathered this information, you should be able to answer common questions like:
- Where should you post?听According to听, the age of your audience can directly inform the platform you use. For example, Gen Z and Millennial audiences are active Instagram users, while older generations tend to be more active on Facebook.
- What should you post?听The content you post should be crafted with your platform and audience in mind. Longer-form content suits Facebook users, while shorter-form videos work well for Instagram users.
- When should you post?听Take a look at your target audience鈥檚 time zone and reference research on engagement rates based on publishing times. For example,听听have found that an effective time to post on Instagram is Mondays from 10 a.m. to noon. Compare this research to engagement data from your previous posts.
From there, you can curate a strategy to target a defined supporter group. For example, you could plan to post short, engaging Instagram reels to share your nonprofit鈥檚 story and easy ways a younger audience can get involved.
Schedule your posts
Scheduling your posts ensures you鈥檙e making the most of your social media presence without sacrificing additional time and resources. Not to mention, with scheduled posts, you can:
- Maximize peak hours. As previously mentioned, your audience has peak engagement times, but you need to plan to hit those hotspots consistently. Plus, your nonprofit likely has a stacked schedule, so taking time out during the middle of a pressing meeting or volunteer event to post is not ideal.
- Communicate consistency.听听successful social media brands tend to post around 3-5 times a week. Additionally, posting regularly allows you to cultivate a loyal audience who looks forward to your content.
- Track reliable results. The most comprehensive results are tracked using a large amount of data. With a structured schedule, you can look back and discern your content鈥檚 performance with confidence.
Consider using automated posting tools so your content can go live automatically without missing the ideal window.
Though planned posts are crucial for saving time, spontaneous posts can have just as much strategic value for your nonprofit. For instance, if you find a post sparks lots of comments and conversations, capitalize on that opportunity and consider live streaming with a Q&A. Or, showcase a fundraising event鈥檚 atmosphere on your story to let your supporters experience it virtually.
Use consistent branding
Distinguish your organization by using your branded assets on social media. Here are a few ways you can infuse your brand within your social media profiles:
- Manually set your social media account as a nonprofit (many platforms also offer special perks like promoted hashtags to nonprofit profiles such as听).
- Use your logo as your profile picture.
- Post your mission statement (an abbreviated version) on your account.
- Use a similar tone and language as your other accounts.
- Post content that directs back to your听website听for more information.
Consistent branding indicates professionalism and makes it much easier for others to find you online. That said, you can tweak your tone based on the platform you鈥檙e using. For instance, a Twitter audience expects brief statements, perspectives, or announcements as the character count is limited.
Create interactive engagement opportunities
Use your social media to go beyond posting static, one-sided updates. Instead, leverage interactive content to grow your online community. This will give others the chance to join the conversation and meet like-minded supporters.
Interactive content like challenges, contests, polls, and filters offers a different way for supporters to get to know your organization鈥檚 personality. Plus, they allow your followers to create user-generated content that can help you reach even more audiences! For instance, a volunteer-created 鈥渄ay in the life鈥� challenge video posted under a unique hashtag can be a听.
If you鈥檙e new to the social media scene, you might consider partnering with a听听to kickstart your engagement efforts. Their experience and expertise will help you quickly spread your mission and connect you with other passionate supporters.
Lean into storytelling
Although posting often should be a priority, you鈥檒l also want to look for ways to elevate your existing content. One of the best ways to do this is by听storytelling. As a nonprofit, you offer something other brands do not 鈥� a plan for promoting social good.
Lean into your culture and vision to showcase your values and what makes you unique. Here are a few ideas to consider trying out:
- Share testimonials.听Post supporter, beneficiary, and staff testimonials to indicate your nonprofit鈥檚 impact on the community.
- Highlight your appreciation.听听suggests hosting a 鈥渧olunteer of the month鈥� social media spotlight to show your gratitude and inspire others to give their time.
- Share your thoughts on recent events.听If your nonprofit is advocacy-based, share your perspective on relevant news topics as they emerge to establish yourself as a thought leader.
Posting varied content will allow you to showcase different sides of your organization without boxing yourself in. This way, followers will truly get to know you without doing extra digging. As a result, they鈥檒l be much more likely to give or volunteer should you decide to host a social media-based fundraiser.
Your social media presence is a powerful听digital marketing听tool. Use it to its full potential by planning a strategy that appeals to your audience and showcases your nonprofit鈥檚 unique mission.
