Nonprofits have been told since Facebook’s rise to prominence that they need to be investing in a social media marketing / fundraising campaigns. Many nonprofits thinking the path to success would be intuitively obvious hit road blocks, speed bumps and struggle to see a return on their investment.
Too often, the problem nonprofits face is they’re treating their social media fundraising campaigns like their direct mail, telemarketing or email campaigns. Spray and pray tactics are employed and the results do not follow. Nonprofits don’t understand what needs to go into their campaigns are too often unsuccessful.
Here are 3 of the largest problems we see nonprofits struggling with their social media marketing campaigns, and how to fix them. What are problems your nonprofit’s run into with its social media campaigns? Let us and other readers know in the comment section below.
1. Too many social media channels
Twitter, Vine, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram. Each one of these very different social media channels has the potential to help your nonprofit achieve its mission. Many nonprofits see the accounts are free to sign up and use, create accounts on each, and are immediately overwhelmed.
Use a social dashboard to consolidate your social media channels into one place and manage from that central nexus. HootSuite, Buffer, and SipSocial are among the best and most efficient. Start your search there.
2. Duplicate social media profiles
Some nonprofits struggle with multiple profiles being made by staff members or volunteers who are eager to help. Confusion and chaos can ensue when it is unclear which account is being used as the companies flagship profile.
To combat the issue, assign a social media lead who is responsible for identifying and establishing the main accounts. Then, assign the accounts to account managers who are responsible for the daily maintenance and upkeep of the various channels. Ensure they’ve been properly trained with a list of your best practices and what goals you have for each channel. Whether it be to drive awareness or increase attendance at your next event. Always start with a goal and then go from there.
3. Diluted messaging
Too often, nonprofits do not stress the importance of continuity between their social media channels, and struggle as a result. IF your nonprofit is gearing up for a major fundraising event, ensure your social media strategy is consistent across all channels. Use the same #hashtags on Facebook as you are on Twitter, share the same picture on Instagram that you Tweeted out earlier. By adding continuity, social viewers are expecting something, and your nonprofit is building brand awareness.
