We use our social media accounts to check out cat videos and keep in touch with friends, but the power of social networks goes well beyond these. Each social media account is a powerful tool for reaching an engaged audience. One of the ways you can use this tool is fundraising.
Online fundraising is blooming, as people find it easier to donate online, rather than offline. Many nonprofit organizations are starting online fundraising campaigns which reach thousands of people thanks to social media alone.
Combine this with the fact most people use their smartphones to browse their social accounts and to make payments and you have the winning ticket. Social media can be used to reach people, engage them and keep in touch with them.
Set a specific goal
Each fundraising campaign is different, which means you have to decide your target before reaching out to a network. ABC Fundraising® professionals always conducts a deep analysis of their campaign’s goals and then decides who are the donors, who are the volunteers and other important people for the said campaign. This will help target exactly the people you need to achieve your goals and promote the campaign.
Create custom messages
A successful fundraising campaign needs to have a custom message and a call to action. The message has to be unique and fitted to the audience. Most campaigns are promoted on different social media platforms, which introduces the need for a new, custom message for each platform. For example, you can’t use the same content for Facebook and Twitter, as each platform has a different specific.
Create engagement
This is the most important tip: learn to create engagement. A viral post is a post that speaks to the audience on a personal level and allows the viewer to relate with the message. Another important tip is to reply to all your followers. This creates a relationship between you and the donor or potential donor, who is able to connect with a person, not only see a digital message.
Try out different things
Experiment with your campaign – try different methods to engage the audience and analyze the results. You might see there are days when your audience is more likely to react to the messages, as well as days when they are less active. Continue to refine your fundraising campaign based on the feedback you gather.
Provide feedback
When you see your efforts are paying off, you also need to show it to the people who made it all possible: your audience. Share with them the results of the campaign and how the sums raised are helping less fortunate individuals. This will provide your audience with a solid result, which can make them, become ambassadors for your cause.
Social media is a powerful tool for fundraising campaigns, as it can allow people to connect and help each other. After all, fundraising is a way to give people the chance to help their peers. After you connect with your followers, they will be able to see how their donations helped others and raise awareness on the importance of fundraising.
