{"id":11564,"date":"2020-10-08T16:31:56","date_gmt":"2020-10-08T20:31:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newpirdev.wpengine.com\/for-orgs\/learning-center\/resources\/socialmediagoals-a-non-profit-guide-to-effective-social-media\/"},"modified":"2024-06-28T01:29:41","modified_gmt":"2024-06-28T05:29:41","slug":"socialmediagoals-a-non-profit-guide-to-effective-social-media","status":"publish","type":"learning-center","link":"https:\/\/pir.org\/for-orgs\/learning-center\/resources\/socialmediagoals-a-non-profit-guide-to-effective-social-media\/","title":{"rendered":"#SocialMediaGoals: A Non-Profit Guide to Effective Social Media"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Malleana Ruffin, Social Media Manager, PIR<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article is part 8 of an 8-part series called “Bootcamp for Mission-Driven Organizations”.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While celebrities may claim to break the Internet with their captivating content, you don\u2019t have to be a Kardashian to use social media effectively. Well leveraged, social media can be one of the most cost-effective and impactful aspects of your non-profit communication plan. Social media connects your cause directly with the people who want to support your cause\u2014what could be better than that? Want to be a #SocialMediaPro? Read on. This advice will have you posting in no time.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

#ChooseYourChannels<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sheer number and variety of social media channels can be overwhelming. It\u2019s important to cut through the clutter and choose wisely. Facebook has <\/span>2 billion active monthly users<\/strong><\/span><\/a> and <\/span>the widest demographic range of any social media platform<\/strong>,<\/span><\/a> a<\/span>ccording to <\/span>www.pewresearch.org<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, while Twitter is a fast-paced, high volume network with <\/span>demographics skewing to the under-30 age group<\/strong><\/a>. Instagram is the platform of choice <\/span>if you want to reach a millennial audience<\/strong><\/a>. And, LinkedIn is a professional network used for sharing industry articles and general business or non-profit content. Make sure to select the platforms most likely to reach your intended audience. Don\u2019t expect to find many middle-aged users on Instagram, for example. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

#PlanYourPosts<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with any marketing strategy, planning your social media posts will make them more effective. <\/span>Create a content calendar to map out what you will share, where you will share it, and at which intervals. Some questions to consider during planning are: <\/span>How often will you post? Who will manage the content? What will the approval process be? What events, internal and external, should you plan for? It\u2019s also helpful to learn about <\/span>how often to post on social media<\/a><\/strong> and what <\/span>time of day<\/a><\/strong> gets the most clicks on various platforms. In addition, it\u2019s important to provide content that is useful and newsworthy to your audience. Not doing so can have the opposite of your intended effect\u2014fewer followers and supporters for your cause.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

#ShareYourStuff<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Short, sweet, and show-while-you-tell are social media content guidelines to live by. As for the \u201cshort\u201d part, composing<\/span> succinct posts isn\u2019t just relevant on Twitter, where characters are limited to 280. Brevity is also a boon on Facebook, where posts of fewer than 80 characters offer up <\/span>66% more engagement<\/a><\/strong>. In regard to \u201csweet,\u201d r<\/span>esearchers at Cornell University partnered with Facebook to study 500,000 users and found that <\/span>\u201chappy\u201d content gets shared<\/a><\/strong> more quickly and often than \u201csad\u201d content. While raising awareness and funds for your non-profit, coming from a positive angle will benefit your strategy. And, don\u2019t forget \u201cshow-while-you-tell.\u201d Pictures and videos make your content come to life. Your audience<\/span> is <\/span>three times more likely to engage<\/strong><\/span><\/a> with Tweets that contain images and videos, and Facebook posts that incorporate visuals receive <\/span>more than twice the engagement<\/strong>.<\/span><\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

#EncourageEngagement<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hashtag everything to engage followers interested in what your non-profit or good for the world business offers. You can use popular ones, such as #MotivationMonday or #TBT (Throw-Back Thursday), and link them to your mission. Check out the website <\/span>www.hashtags.org<\/a><\/strong> to search thousands of hashtags and see what\u2019s trending and relevant to your organization. In addition, you can drive engagement through interactive content. Turn \u201clikes\u201d into action by experimenting with Twitter polls and Facebook surveys. Contests or challenges are great, as well. Invite followers to caption an inspiring photo, tell a life-changing story, or nominate an amazing volunteer. Here are some <\/span>social media contest tips<\/a><\/strong> from <\/span>www.classy.org<\/strong><\/span><\/a>: <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n