Why Social Media Matters to Nonprofit Organizations
Social media is no longer restricted to a college student’s favorite pastime. The digital space has permeated all aspects of industry and society, with social media distributed content driving trends and rapidly impacting our world. Over 80 percent of the US adult population is currently active on social media, with Facebook alone boasting more than 2 billion users worldwide. While social media was traditionally thought to be primarily effective at reaching the under-30 demographic, the fastest-growing Facebook user demographic for the past three years has actually been senior citizens! Millennials and Gen Zers are flocking to social media apps like Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, as these platforms offer distinct in-app features that align with these generations’ user preferences.
All organizations - from government agencies to nonprofit organizations - are tasked with both managing an active social media presence and responding to organization-related content posted on social media. Such an objective can be a daunting task, especially when social media platforms and user preferences change on a daily basis. Keeping up with social media trends, app features, and other digitally-related updates can be challenging. Successful social media management required a multi-faceted communications strategy that integrates marketing, public relations, and technology skills, and often extends beyond a single department or team member.
Can’t nonprofits just stay off social media?
Historically ( as in five, ten years ago), abstaining from social media was regarded as a somewhat acceptable strategy for established organizations that did not utilize e-commerce to facilitate transactions. Early applications for social media were predominantly focused on the Millennial generation, and many thought that social networking apps like Facebook and Twitter would remain a teenage and 20-something fad. The past few years have proven that premise to be very untrue, as modern organizational growth is readily observed as going hand-in-hand with social media presence and engagement.
Many established organizations learned the hard way that just because your organization isn’t posting online, doesn’t mean consumers/donors aren’t posting things online about your organization. Thanks to the tech boom, the lines between the digital world and our physical communities have become increasingly blurred and organizations - including nonprofits - are expected to connect with communities digitally. This includes providing timely responses to social media posts related to their organization and its operations. Implementing a social media management strategy that includes social listening can help prevent a communications crisis. Thanks to the hyperconnected state of our modern-day communities, a negative social media post or experience has the potential to spread like wildfire across multiple social media platforms.
What Social Media Can Do for Nonprofit Organizations
Social media can help nonprofit organizations do the following:
Reach potential clients.
Connect with community leaders.
Fundraising campaigns.
Increase brand awareness.
Recruit board members, volunteers, and other supporters.
Nonprofit organizations can leverage social media tools to help advance the mission. Active, engaged organizational social media accounts can help nonprofits connect with a variety of target audiences - clients, donors, and volunteers - and help increase community awareness about fundraising campaigns, organizational events, and programming.
Here are a few interesting statistics regarding social media and nonprofits:
29% of online donors cited social media as the communication tool that most inspires them to give to a nonprofit organization.
87% of donors that first donate from a social referral source make their second donation from a social referral source.
Social media drives 57% of traffic to a nonprofit’s fundraising campaign pages.
55% of people that engaged with nonprofits on social media took some sort of action, either donating or volunteering.
In 2018, 8.5% of overall fundraising came from online giving.
Implementing social media efforts into a nonprofit's operations is essential to organizational sustainability and growth. When executed effectively, social media can help nonprofit organizations maximize their outreach efforts. Today’s population wants to connect with organizations they love on social media, especially nonprofits. By providing organizational supporters and an easy way to connect with the organization’s initiatives and support programming through social media, nonprofit organizations can activate supporters in a way that initiates a ripple effect within their community.
Social Media 101 for Nonprofit Organizations
Social media is the preferred channel for communication with Millennials and Gen Zers when it comes to charitable opportunities. In 2017, surveyed nonprofit organizations reported that Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn were their top three utilized social media channels for distributing information and connecting with donors. Recognizing the essential role social media plays in modern-day fundraising is important for all nonprofits interested in securing individual donations.
Social media can help amplify nonprofit organization’s outreach initiatives, increase community connection, and help recruit clients, donors, volunteers, and supporters. Popular social media apps, like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn, can provide nonprofits an opportunity to share their mission and engage the community. While operations are important for nonprofit development, so is demonstrating the impact of an organization’s work through online communications.
Developing and executing an effective social media strategy can be challenging for many nonprofit organizations, especially those operating with limited resources in a highly saturated space. It can be hard to stand out and connect with your support base online. A nonprofit can only publish so many “Donate today!” posts before their social channels start losing traction. Forward-thinking organizations are quick to adopt multi-channel social media strategies to maximize their online presence and initiatives. Figuring out which social media platforms are best for your organization can require market research and the development of an organization-specific social media strategy.
Developing an Effective Social Media Strategy for a Nonprofit Organization
Today’s consumers are active on social media, and tomorrow’s will be as well - at an even higher concentration. Integrating an effective social media strategy into your organization’s long-term plan can help ensure its relevance for generations to come. Prioritizing the development of an effective social media strategy should be the cornerstone of every organization’s communications and marketing outreach initiatives. Social media provides organizations a variety of tools to advance their brand, broadcast their message, and connect with potential clients, customers, and supporters.
One of the most frequently asked questions we receive at Becker Digital is “How can nonprofit organizations develop an evergreen social media strategy?”. Given the rapid rate at which the digital world evolves, the development of an evergreen social media strategy can be challenging, especially for nonprofits, many of whom are operating with limited resources in a highly saturated space. As part of our webinar series, Becker Digital hosted, “Social Media Strategy for Nonprofit Organizations” - an education webinar that provides a deeper dive into eight key strategy elements that have the potential to drive social media success.
Want to learn more about developing a social media strategy?
Developing an effective social media strategy can be an incredibly challenging undertaking for busy nonprofit leaders. If your organization is in need of experienced assistance to help support its social efforts, contact Becker Digital to schedule a Discovery Call and discuss customized digital outreach opportunities for your organization.