How to maximize your nonprofit’s social media fundraising
- Boost Fundraising and Support |
We all know that in digital fundraising content is key. But there is no point spending hours perfecting your post if it’s going to be forgotten a short time later. True, you could spend a fortune on paid promotion. But if you really want to make the most of your nonprofit’s social media posts you need to get people clicking ‘share’. Paid for or not, if you can get your organization’s content shared regularly and in high-enough volume, you will earn the followers, referrals and links you need to rise above the noise.
The psychology of sharing
What is it that inspires supporters to click ‘share’? As luck would have it, The New York Times has done some research on the subject. Don’t worry, we will not make you read all 46 pages. We’ve paraphrased. Here are our key takeaways:
Sharing is not new. We have always done it. It is just that now we tend to do it online. There are five key motivators for this:
To bring valuable and entertaining content to others: Sometimes it’s useful, sometimes it’s funny. Sometimes we want to inspire action. We share because we want to give others useful content. Plain and simple!
To define ourselves: People share to reinforce the image they want the world to see. They share the content that clicks with their values and projects the right personal image.
To build relationships: Sharing content helps people connect. Some use it to maintain lapsed relationships. Others use it to build new ones with people that have similar interests and values.
Self-fulfilment: Sharing information makes us feel more involved in the world, adding to our sense of self-worth. Of course, the more likes, comments and shares we get, the greater the value added (no wonder social media can be addictive!).
To get the word out about causes and brands: Sharing content is a great way to rally behind causes and inspire people to get involved in issues you care about.
Did you realize there was so much psychology behind a simple share? And when you look at the driving forces behind it, there is an interesting mix of motivations. Some are more altruistic than others, but there is definitely space for nonprofits to get their message out.
Turning motivations into sharable social media for nonprofits
In order to create sharable content, you need to think like a supporter. Take stock of the motivational spectrum and develop content that aligns with it. You cannot do this if you do not understand your audience, so get to grips with your CRM and draw that donor portrait. If you’ve got social media accounts up and running, work through your analytics. What do they tell you about your audience?
Once you have got these ingredients in hand, it is time to create social media and fundraising posts that:
Add real value: People will see straight through click-bait. Take the time to mobilize content that your audience will find genuinely valuable.
Entertain, inform, and are useful: You will not be able to do all three at once, so rotate their purpose and design a content strategy that gives enough space for each.
Catch attention: Headlines, lists, bullet points, infographics, GIFS, memes, videos. When someone is scrolling you’ve only got a few seconds to make them stop and share.
Spark an emotional response: It does not always have to be a positive one. Posts that anger, inspire, and surprise also get a high number of shares.
Recognize your relationships: Run a successful fundraising campaign or event? Social media is a great way to say thank you and show people you value their support.
Call for action: Give people a purpose, a reason to get the word out and share your posts. Sometimes a direct question, ask, or instruction is all you need to inspire action.
Struggling for ideas? Our A-Z of Social Media is a great place to start.
Test, refine, repeat
When it comes to social media, the only limit is your creativity. Do not just spray and pray. If you really want to create content that works you need to get strategic. Test ideas, learn from your results, and refine your process. Or to put it another way, find out what works and do more of it.
Now, that’s a secret worth sharing!
Want to maximize your nonprofit’s social media fundraising? Contact us to see how your CRM can help you with your efforts by telling you more about your supporters. Set up your personalized demo today.
