Nonprofits can generate substantial buzz and results if they invest the proper amount of time and effort into this important media channel.
Here are some telltale signs your nonprofit’s social media game isn’t up to snuff:
Hello? Anyone home? If you’re posting content that’s never being liked or shared, then you have a problem. Maybe you’re on Facebook but your audience is younger and hanging out on Instagram. Or –maybe your content is boring. Before you publish anything, identify your audience, determine where they live, and then post some content that YOU would engage with online.
Many nonprofits have small marketing teams, which makes writing and posting social content an afterthought. It’s important to keep your social channels up to date. If you’re only posting once a month, then you’re broadcasting there’s not much happening. Keep things fresh and develop a publishing calendar to stay on track (and if you can’t do it yourself, contact us).
What kind of content are you posting? If you’re only posting written status updates on Facebook, you’re missing out on the power video to increase the number of eyeballs on your content. How about creating a quick infographic for Instagram instead of just another photo? If you’re on Twitter, try to tag relevant people for increased engagement and use the right hashtags. Whatever your platform, mix it up and keep your content fresh and varied.
It’s not all about you. Or at least it shouldn’t be. Too many people forget the “social” part of social media, so make sure you’re sharing other content that’s not about your organization.
Promote another worthy organization’s event or share news articles that apply to your industry. If you give people value via useful/entertaining/informative content, they’ll be more likely to pay attention to your organization’s message.
If you want people to take a specific action (retweet, share, click on a link, sign up for a newsletter, etc) make sure your “ask” is very clear. Don’t assume people will get a subtle hint – spell out the action you want them to take using prompts like “Register here” or “Click this link.” Signups and registrations don’t happen unless you ask, so make the process as easy as possible.