{"id":33995,"date":"2023-05-31T08:53:23","date_gmt":"2023-05-31T12:53:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/?p=33995"},"modified":"2023-05-31T08:53:24","modified_gmt":"2023-05-31T12:53:24","slug":"how-nonprofits-can-foster-engagement-on-social-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/how-nonprofits-can-foster-engagement-on-social-media\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond Likes and Shares: How Nonprofits Can Foster Engagement on Social Media\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By now you probably know that you should have social media accounts for your nonprofit organization (and if you didn\u2019t, now you do).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social media is a very effective method to connect with current and potential donors. But building a successful social media campaign<\/a> is more than just creating a page or posting a picture.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a social media strategy to be effective, you need to have engagement with your followers. When you increase engagement with them, you\u2019ll find new followers, build deeper relationships with the followers you already have\u2014and turn your followers into donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But where do you start? And how<\/em> do you build engagement?  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think back to being a kid in school (middle school or elementary) and remember what your teacher taught you about the 5 W\u2019s and H: Who, Where, What, When, Why, and How<\/em>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using these to build your social media strategy will maximize your opportunities to engage with your followers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Who and Where<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. What<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. When and Why<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. How<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n
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    \"woman<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    First, start with the Who and Where: <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    It\u2019s hard to separate the who<\/em> from the where<\/em> because the who depends on the where. As each social media channel is unique, your audience will be different too. Your audience on Facebook isn\u2019t the same as your audience on LinkedIn, which will probably be different from followers on TikTok. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    To start building more engagement, look to see where you already have the most followers or engagement already.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Use that base and start building on that foundation. Many social media channels have insights and analytics<\/a> so you can find out who\u2019s already following you. Those tools are vital to learning about your audience, and that can help guide you with what to post and where.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    There are so many options for social media platforms now, but don\u2019t feel like your nonprofit needs to do all of them. Start with one that you\u2019re already using, and then you can look at building other places.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Next, the What: <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    What<\/em> to post is the most important element of building engagement.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You want to share things that your followers will want<\/em> to engage with. One of the most important things to remember is to vary your posts. By having different types of posts, you give more opportunities for your audience to engage and relate.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It might be tempting to always do something similar, especially when you have a post that creates lots of engagement. But if you always do the same thing over and over people keep scrolling and begin to ignore you. Find what works, but don\u2019t rely on one type of post. You\u2019ll need to have multiple types of posts to keep followers\u2019 interests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Some of the content will be dependent on the platform. LinkedIn tends to be more professional and structured, while TikTok is more relaxed and focused on fun. Each social media platform is different, so you\u2019ll need to cater your posts for that specific place. Creating one post and then plastering it everywhere won\u2019t create engagement. You\u2019ll need to tailor the post for each site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But When and Why? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The Why we discussed earlier: engagement helps build your donor relationships and attracts new donors. But when should you post?  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Well, there\u2019s not a set answer. Luckily, most social media platforms can show you in the analytics when your posts are getting seen the most, thus (hopefully), when your followers are engaging with them. But those aren\u2019t always accurate, so play with different times. Try posting at various times of day and see when your posts get the most traction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Now, the most important question: How? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The other questions helped build the base for creating an environment that encouraged engagement. But now how do you actually create engagement? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Be personable.<\/strong> \u201cPeople give to people\u201d is a phrase we use all the time in fundraising. And it\u2019s true here. One of the best ways to create engagement is to show that you\u2019re a real person behind the posts.  

      Some of the best social media campaigns I\u2019ve seen are ones where the brand has a clearly defined persona. They\u2019ve created a relatable, interesting persona and you can tell what their personality is through their posts. These are successful not because they\u2019re funny or sweet, but because they\u2019re real.  <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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      1. Reply to comments, messages, and questions quickly, politely, and personally.<\/strong> Don\u2019t just give a generic, \u201cthanks for sharing\u201d reply. That doesn\u2019t feel personable. That feels automated. Give specific replies. Reply to direct messages when followers send them. By being personable, you help create more opportunities for conversation.  

        Think of it like small talk: Your post is the initial greeting. Then they reply back. If you don\u2019t respond, it becomes the awkward shuffle part when people try not to make eye contact. Reply back with an appropriate response that encourages discussion. Let them know you welcome responses and conversation with them. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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        1. Create a space that invites engagement.<\/strong> That may sound obvious, but it\u2019s a rule that\u2019s easy to break. This goes hand-in-hand with what kind of posts you\u2019re creating. Ask questions that encourage your followers to answer in the comments. Resist the temptation to always ask for money or only show volunteers. These are both good posts you should do. But not all the time. Like I said above, you need to vary your posts. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

          One final thought to share with you: as you work to build engagement on social media, be patient. It takes consistent, little steps every day to create an active social media following. Don\u2019t get discouraged if you\u2019re not a viral sensation overnight. Just keep posting consistently and you\u2019ll get there.  <\/p>\n\n\n

          \"Get<\/a><\/span>