Social Media for Nonprofits

Whether you’re watching in a theater or checking out a DVD, what do you see before you get to the film? Previews! Movie studios understand the importance of building anticipation for future releases. Before you see a summer blockbuster, you’ll often see up to five previews. Can it be annoying? Sure. But the studios don’t want to miss out on a chance to get you excited about what’s to come. It’s a time tested strategy.

Bring some Hollywood to your nonprofit!

You should be doing the same thing with your social media strategy. Too many nonprofits only talk about what they’ve accomplished but say little about the future. As a donor, does that get you excited about supporting a cause? You do want to celebrate your achievements but make sure it’s balanced with a discussion of what’s next.

Twitter is a great tool for building anticipation. Let’s say you are announcing a campaign goal. Maybe you could “tweet” something like this, “Just announced our campaign total of $2 million. Thanks! But we’re not done yet. 1 in 4 children still need our help.” Then I would add a link that would take you to a blog or a YouTube video that tells you more about this issue. Remember that with Twitter, you only have 140 characters for your message.

Facebook also provides you with a way to let your supporters know what you hope to do and how they can help. By providing, short but powerful updates, you’re engaging people in your mission. You don’t want you donors to think that their gift has produced a, “Mission Accomplished” situation where one year’s support has permanently solved a problem. Social marketing can keep them focused on your future, a good thing in this economy.

Additional Resources:

• Twitter & Nonprofits
• YouTube Tips
• Does Grandma Use Facebook?