4 Facebook Tips for Nonprofit Organizations

Facebook dominates the social space in the United States, as it currently has over 2 billion monthly active users (MAU) and remains a social media favorite among users of all ages. While widely adopted and incredibly popular, Facebook can be a challenging space for nonprofit organizations to gain exposure on, primarily due to the 2018 algorithm changes adjusted content priority to that posted by personal accounts, and reduced organic reach for businesses and organizations. However, the recent algorithm changes also included a shift towards locally-sourced content - a change that helps location-specific organizations gain traction in this relatively saturated digital space.

Facebook can be a highly rewarding social media channel for nonprofit organizations to utilize.

Here are a few Facebook-specific statistics that provide more insight into the app’s potential:

●   In 2019, 69% of adults in the United States reported using Facebook.

●   74% of adult Facebook users visit the site at least once a day, with the majority visiting the site multiple times a day.

●   66% of US adults located in rural communities have an active Facebook account.

●   Facebook usage is more common in lower-income users than higher-income users.

While Facebook offers many app features with various functions, the primary purpose of Facebook as it relates to nonprofits is that it offers a platform for visual storytelling - it informs the community of the organization’s offerings and how they can help support its initiatives.  Effective use of the app can help nonprofit organizations increase awareness, connect the community, and cultivate long term relationships with organizational supporters. By providing page followers with varied content that includes images, resources, and videos, nonprofits may enhance their program outreach while demonstrating impact.

Here are a few interesting statistics regarding Facebook and the nonprofit sector:

●   18% of individual donors have donated to a nonprofit through Facebook fundraising tools.

●   On Giving Tuesday, more than 29% of mobile donation traffic came from Facebook.

●   During an average peer-to-peer fundraising campaign, 15-18% of donations are referred from Facebook.

●   84% of Facebook users share nonprofit content and fundraisers to show their support for a cause and highlight issues that are important to them.

●        93% of nonprofit organizations have a Facebook Page:

○         25% post once daily on Facebook,

○        23% post once every other day,

○        19% post once weekly,

○        18% post twice or more daily

○        15% post less than once weekly

While Facebook is typically regarded as a marketing-related platform, its recent success in generating donations demonstrates the app’s fundraising potential. As the philanthropic base becomes more saturated with Millennials and Gen Zers, the importance of utilizing social media-facilitated fundraising tools will only increase. Identifying ways nonprofit organizations can incorporate such resources into their organizational operations in the present may be influential in shaping its future.

4 Tips for a Nonprofit Organization’s Facebook Strategy:

Incorporate video content into the nonprofit organization’s Facebook feed. 

Video content is becoming more and more prevalent on many social media apps and is often incentivized by garnering greater organic reach than image or text-based posts. Consider posting a variety of video content - 60-second explainer videos, Live video interviews, 3-7 minute chats with organizational team members. If you’re looking for video editing programs, check out Animoto, Lumen 5, Magisto, and Storyo.

Utilize the page’s Facebook’s Story feature.

Similar to Instgarnm’s Story feature, Facebook Stories offer organizations a unique way to connect with their online audiences. Thanks to Facebook-Instagram integrations, organizations can co-post Instagram Stories on Facebook Stories, which can help make this process quite time-efficient. If you’re new to Stories, click here for more information on sharing an Instagram Story to a Facebook Page. 

Sign-up for Facebook’s Charitable Giving Tools.

Facebook’s Charitable Giving Tools are a goldmine for nonprofit organizations looking to extend their online fundraising initiatives - a fundraising strategy that will be all the more essential as we practice social distancing. Once an organization has signed up for Facebook’s Charitable Giving Tools, they will gain access to the Donate button, which can be added to the organization’s page, posts, and live video, making it easy for supporters to contribute in a few taps. Donors have the option to give a one-time or monthly recurring gift. While peer-to-peer Facebook fundraisers may not be especially successful in landing large organizational sponsors, they have the potential to help the nonprofits connect with potential individual donors with very little acquisition cost. Click here for additional information (including video tutorials) on how to create and promote fundraisers on Facebook.

Focus on long-term relationships, not short-term social media analytics.

While we tend to focus on social media analytics (the number of followers, likes, and reach) such quantitative results fail to capture the true value of social media - long-term relationships. Clicks are great, but what if that’s all they are - just clicks? Nonprofit organizations should prioritize a relationship-focused social media strategy that does more than just disseminate information. To evaluate how well your organization’s current social media strategy stacks up, read our blog post, Is Your Social Media Strategy Social Enough?. For more information on fostering relationships via digital channels, review our webinar, Social Media Strategy for Nonprofits. 

Learn more about social media strategy for nonprofit organizations:

If your organization is looking for a creative partner to provide marketing and PR services, Becker Digital is always ready to help. Our team of experienced professionals is available for projects large and small. We work to customize our services to the client’s needs. Contact us to schedule a complimentary call and learn more about how digital strategy can enhance your organization’s mission.