By this point, you probably know that social media isn’t just a fad.
It’s sticking around…for better or worse. And yet, some people still ask us, “Should my organization be on social media?”
It’s not often there’s a clear-cut answer in fundraising, without any caveats. But that’s the case with this question.
“Yes. You should utilize social media for your organization.”
But if you haven’t been using it, or you want to increase how your organization uses it, you might be overwhelmed by where to start.
We get it.
There are a lot of different social media sites and apps right now.
Which platform do I use? What kind of posts should I make?
This post will look at the which site questions. We’ll cover the what kind of posts in another blog.
So, let’s talk about some of the social media sites, and where your org should be active.
Before we start, please know we aren’t going over every single social media site. But here are a few of the most common ones. Also, always remember that, “Your mileage may vary.” What works for one organization may not work for another one.
-X aka Twitter: Like most platforms, it has continued to evolve over the years, but this tends to be more news focused, rather than fun. Instead of “dogs of the office” posts, X/Twitter is a good place to share information. One benefit of X is that you can reach more than just donors on here.
For example, let’s say you’re a nonprofit that offers shelter for homeless individuals and there’s a big snowstorm coming to your area. X would be a great way to let the community know details of where and how to find shelter. You could tell potential guests where to come, as well as tell donors what supplies you need that they could donate. Very timely information that the other, algorithm-driven platforms wouldn’t be able to put in front of the right people as quickly.
-Instagram: This site focuses heavily on photos and images. You can share reels/videos as well, but images are definitely the driving factor. You can test longer and shorter captions, but the important part of the post is the image itself.
While Instagram is owned by Facebook/Meta and tied together, don’t try to post the exact same thing on each of them. Just like you create different letter versions for different donors, you should version your social media posts.
Which brings us to. . .
–Facebook: The OG of social media. Most teenagers will tell you that Facebook is for “old people.” And, as much as it may pain some of us at the Oneicity office to say…they’re not wrong.
The younger generations aren’t using Facebook. But that’s ok, because there are still lots of people who are using it, and it’s a way you can help donors connect with your organization.
Facebook posts incorporate all types. You can post photos, reels (videos), information, news, etc. The struggle with Facebook is finding your audience because of the algorithm. Don’t assume that when you post something, all of your followers will see it the day you posted it. The more interactions a post has, the more likely it will be that people see it. Play with the types of posts, the times and days you post, the length of post, all of it.
–TikTok: This site will bring you the youngest audience, (although that may have changed by the time this post goes live). TikTok is a video-based app, and luckily, the app makes it really easy to use to create and edit videos.
The important thing to remember is that on this platform authenticity is key. Overproduced videos that are too smooth and polished rarely work as well as authentic “rough” videos. This audience will see through anything that isn’t genuine.
But as easy as it is to use, be prepared for TikTok to use a lot of your time. Creating consistent content takes time. Don’t use it if you don’t have the time to spend on it.
Which brings us to one of the biggest tips we can share about any social media:
Consistency is key.
Wherever you post, the most important thing is to post consistently. A good social media strategy is one that you can maintain and keep.
Social media will take up as much time and money as you allow. You can boost posts or pay for ads, you can buy all sorts of equipment and editing tools to improve the quality of your videos and pictures.
It can get expensive, fast. And it can take up all of your time quickly.
Decide what parameters you want to set, how much you want to spend, and how much time you have to put towards it. Then you can see which of those sites you should focus on.
Questions about where or how to start? Email us at: howdy@oneicity.com
