Starting in 2012, as a movement to create an international day of giving. Giving Tuesday has grown from $10 million in donations, to $117 million in 2015. This Tuesday, 11/29 is gearing up to be the largest single day for nonprofit donations in history. Below are some statistics and social media tips that can help your nonprofit strategize for this important day.
Original article at MobileCause.com
Things to Keep in Mind for #GivingTuesday
- It's uniquely mobile experience
#GivingTuesday is a social media movement at its core and nearly 80% of all social activity happens on a smartphone. Your ability to get people to share your campaign and make donations from a mobile device is paramount to your success. - It’s all about new donors
#GivingTuesday is a great way for your organization to connect new supporters who would not have otherwise made a donation, or have never heard of your cause. Set clear donor acquisition goals for your campaign and focus on these key metrics. - #GivingTuesday inspires millennials
Millennials (donors under the age of 35) prefer to give to causes that they hear about from their friends on social media. Additionally, young donors would rather get involved than just donate, so make it easy for them to volunteer and fundraise for your cause!
May we suggest reading: #Giving Tuesday by the Numbers
Social Media Tips
Seeing Is Engaging: Photos, Videos, & Images
No matter what day of the year and even more so on #GivingTuesday, posts with visual elements see higher engagement rates that text alone. Photos result in a 85% increase in interaction rates on Facebook and a 35% increase in retweets on Twitter.
If you don’t have a graphic designer and the idea of creating a slew of visual posts causes you stress, we have good news: your visual #GivingTuesday posts don’t need to be professionally produced videos or images. In fact, some of the most popular images you post on #GivingTuesday could be quick shots you snap on your phone. Here are a few ideas of great visual posts that will carry your message far:
- Behind-the-scenes photos of your staff getting ready for #GivingTuesday
- Photos or video from an in-person event you hold on the day
- A video collage of your supporters talking about why they give
- #unselfies of you and/or your supporters
Getting Ahead Of Things: Pre-day Posts
The size and growth of #GivingTuesday means great things for us all—more donations, more awareness, and, of course, more giving. But the huge number of organizations creates a lot of social media chatter and sometimes that can be difficult to break through.
So start early. In this pre-event window, consider:
- General posts about how #GivingTuesday is coming soon
- Stories and successes from last year
- Information about any special plans or events you have in store this year
- Posts to tease any plans you have–without giving away the details!
Before the flood of #GivingTuesday begins, supporters will engage with your previews as they, too, get excited for the big day.
Sharing Is Caring: Supporters And Their Stories
#GivingTuesday is a day to lean on your supporters and their willingness to share your message as their own. It’s a day when your followers are primed to engage with stories of giving, coming together in the spirit of generosity. And it’s a day to show your gratitude for the people who contribute.
So choose some of your best supporters and encourage them to share their stories—about why they give, what giving means to them, or why they believe in the work that you do using the #unselfie hashtag.
Here is a Guide from GivingTuesday.org on the #unselfie hashtag:
How do I #Unselfie?
- Take a “selfie” with a caption (or have it on a card in the picture) explaining how or why you and/or your friends are “giving” this year.
- Always use the hashtags #UNselfie and #GivingTuesday.
- Post it to Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and share with friends!
Screenshot of Usher from Twitter acoint: @NalliPotter
Big Names For Big Engagement: Posts From Influencers Or Sponsors
Influencers of every possible type are speaking to large masses of people every day online—from sharing pieces of their life with thousands on Instagram, tweeting out to hundreds of thousands on Twitter, or talking directly to millions on YouTube. And one of them might love what you do. Make sure to mention key influencers in your nonprofit's space to increase engagement and hopefully get a retweet or shout-out that has the potential to reach thousands of donors.
So be on the lookout for some of the biggest supporters of your cause; they may be interested in what your organization does.
And don’t forget any corporate sponsors you’ve engaged with throughout the year. A well-timed post from one of these larger companies can go far.
