Working with nonprofits has been both an uplifting experience and a fantastic challenge for Hudson Valley Graphic Design. Unlike businesses who drive on sales, nonprofits run business on a message and a mission. Different formulas of business means a different way to promote the business. Here are five social media benefits for nonprofit organizations to successfully spread their message.
1. Quick and Affordable
Using social media allows nonprofits to send out messages in real time to the masses. When a news story breaks, that is relevant to the mission, the group can post the article instantly. To promote engagement pair the article with a good piece of conversational copy. Social media can be completely free for the nonprofits who do not have the ability to pay for an extra marketing source. Organizations control how much they do or don’t put into it.
2. The New Word of Mouth Tactic
Businesses have relied on word of mouth for years to expand, but now word of mouth has become “sharing” through social media. Nonprofits can encourage followers to engage their friends (and friends of friends) in the mission by sharing or inviting.
3. Build a Community
Social media allows a group to have a 24/7 community where everyone can share. Also recommended, is to create a private group. Private groups allow people to have a safe place where they can share without fear of being seen by the public.
4. Reaching an EXPANDED Target
Providing content for the supporters gained is a great step…but what about the people who are the reason an organization is created? An organization may reach to target troubled teens, suicide prevention, or drug use. Through social media, they can create and publish content directly intended for the groups they are supporting. Posting success stories, safe locations, or just asking “What is your battle?” can serve as a great help for the targeted group. Even if the nonprofit is for teachers, other unions, or not such a serious topic, the rules can apply.
5. Contact the Local Heroes
Best case scenario as content is posted everyone donates and the organization is blossoming. Unfortunately donations are much harder to come by. Social media allows for a simple outreach solution. Working with the popular people in a given town, city, or region will serve just as well as getting a decent donation from supporters. Contacts such as these have the ability to share content with their abundance of followers and the nonprofit will likely tap into new connections who had not yet known of their existence.
In conclusion, social media gives nonprofit organizations another platform to tell their stories and target those they are looking to help. Retail businesses accomplish this by offering deals and coupons. Nonprofits need to reach out through relevant stories that back their mission, inspirational posts, PSAs, and engagement of their communities. Statistics show that while nonprofit email lists have only grown 11% their followers on social pages have grown 3 or 4x that number.
Social media is the new norm and their is a place for nonprofit groups in the digital world.
Make sure to check out some of the nonprofit organization’s Facebook pages we manage!
Croton Community Coalition
Drug Crisis in Our Backyard
Croton Free Library