Social media is all about building relationships. There are no better tools for relationship management than Facebook and Instagram. Use these tools to set yourself up for social media fundraising success. After all, nonprofits rely on their communities to support them. Grant cycles are unpredictable, but your supporters can be far more reliable (and reachable).
If you’re planning to fundraise, here’s how you can get the best results out of your campaign with a little help from Facebook and Instagram. Remember, your ability to raise money is affected by two key factors: the strength of your relationship with your audience and the quality of your campaign strategy.
Start your campaign with a clear result in mind
Before you start drafting any posts, it’s important to get clear on your goals. First, you need to be very specific about your financial goal. You should be able to explain how you arrived at that number and how the funds raised will be spent.
It’s also worth considering how much you could reasonably expect to raise. Nothing is more disheartening than a failed social media fundraising campaign. It makes you look bad to your supporters and it’s disappointing to the fundraising team. Consider how much you’ve been able to raise in the past and the typical income brackets of your regular supporters. Take into account the time of year and if people are tightfisted or generous. Now, set yourself a strict initial goal as well as two stretch goals.
Remember that fundraising campaigns are not only about raising money! Of course, if you’re a nonprofit, then you need a social media fundraising campaign to bring in the dough so you can keep the lights on. But don’t forget that your campaign is also an opportunity to get recognition for your organization. People may be encountering your nonprofit for the first time. Make sure your digital team knows that their posts need to educate and invite people to join your online community, even if they can’t donate right now.
One idea to avoid and three things to do instead
The one thing you need to avoid in your social media fundraising campaign is actually quite counterintuitive. We advise that nonprofits stay away from posting in the organic feed a lot. Why? It can have a negative effect on the social media strategy, once your campaign is complete.
Instead, here are three things your nonprofit should definitely do. First, use Stories and LIVE videos to spark attention and attract donations. There is a higher level of urgency (and engagement) with this type of content. Facebook’s Creator Studio offers a Featured Link option on LIVE videos which can be displayed during a LIVE broadcast. Our experience in social media fundraising for nonprofits has proven that this type of content tends to generate much better results.
Second, use Premiere videos. If you’re not able to do a LIVE video, Premiere is Facebook’s way to allow you to “live” broadcast a pre-recorded video. Your followers won’t know the difference. They can interact with it like a live video but you’ll have the benefit of a polished, prepared video. Third, use the fundraiser tools available on your social platforms! Many of these platforms have easy tutorials and you should feel free to explore their tools to support your campaign.
Secret weapon: Facebook
Let’s talk a bit more about Facebook. One common concern from fundraisers who use Facebook is that they don’t get the users’ emails. It’s true, when you raise money on the Facebook platform, you don’t get to collect donors’ email addresses. However, there’s a way around this.
If you’re conducting a social media fundraising campaign on Facebook, you will get the donors’ names. This means that you could search for them and follow up with a Facebook message saying “thank you.” Then, you can simply ask them if they’d like to be added to your email list.
Don’t be put off by this extra step. Facebook’s fundraising tools are robust, and because Facebook is built for sharing, it can actually boost your total reach. All you need to do is ask people to share your post and help you raise funds. You could even offer a reward or a gift if they help raise a certain amount.
Killer Bee Marketing works with Vidare Creative to help ensure your organization has a digital fundraiser strategy that reduces online confusion and strengthens relationships with your fans. We love to design campaigns, collect data, and get to the heart of your mission.
Brian Curee
CEO, Digital Strategist for Killer Bee Marketing
Let’s connect on LinkedIn: briancuree
Brian has worked in the digital field professionally since 2006 and has served the Christian Radio Industry since 2013. He has completed Donald Miller’s StoryBrand Marketing Roadmap and has a degree in Computer Science and Theology. Brian is passionate about helping the Christian Radio industry create a digital strategy that delivers clarity, improves conversions, and grows your station’s audience online by providing digital coaching, and consulting.
