I gave this presentation on June 21, 2016 at Nonprofit U, hosted by the Community Foundation of Huntsville/Madison County, Alabama. This is very current information providing research, best practices, and case studies for understanding your audience, choosing platforms, determining what you should post, and how best to manage your social media without getting overwhelmed.

1. Smart Social Media
for Busy NonProfits
Choosing your Platform • Knowing your Audience
Ellen Didier
President
www.RedSageOnline.com
NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY
Sponsored by the Community Foundation
June 22, 2016

2. First, put Social Media in
Perspective
For every 1,000 email subscribers,
nonprofits have
355
Fans
132
Followers
19
Followers
Source: M+R Benchmarks X + NTEN 2016 Study of Non-profits online

3. There are more than 3 platforms!
How do you choose?

4. What are your
Social Media goals?
Share Information & Build Awareness?
Generate Conversations & Engagement?
Generate Action?
Become a volunteer, donate, sign a petition?
Traditional emails and face to face interactions
are far more effective at driving action.

5. Who are you trying to reach?

6. What type of organization are you?
Source: M+R Benchmarks X + NTEN 2016 Study of Non-profits online

7. What are you most
comfortable doing?
Hint: Don’t blog if you hate writing

8. The top platform for best
overall reach

10. Source: M+R Benchmarks X + NTEN 2016 Study of Non-profits online

11. According to Hubspot, use
the 3 A’s for your posts
1/3
Appreciation
Recognize donors,
supporters,
volunteers,
employees
1/3 Advocacy
Engage and share
content of other
groups relative to
your area of service
1/3 Appeals
Solicit donations or help.

12. Appreciation

14. Advocacy

15. Appeals

16. Always include photos or videos
Articles with images get
94%
more
more views than articles without.
https://blog.kissmetrics.com/visual-content-you-need-to-use-in-your-marketing-
campaign/

17. Create your own branded graphics at Canva.com
Check out Facebook/FocusOnTheFamily

18. Generate conversations

19. Ask questions

20. Top Platforms for Breaking
News & Live Events

21. Source: M+R Benchmarks X + NTEN 2016 Study of Non-profits online

22. Twitter & Instagram are most
powerful when it is immediate
Events
(Twitter) Crisis
communication
Breaking news General content

23. What to post on Twitter
30%
conversation
& responses
60% retweeting
& sharing other
content
10% announcements and events

24. Include photos and links.
Shorten links with bit.ly

25. Use RiteTag.com or hashtagifyme.com
to find most popular hashtags
(don’t use more than 2 in your posts)

26. …and influencers, and usage patterns.
Free and low cost plans.

27. Display a live Tweetwall at your Event
VisibleTweets.com and others: http://iag.me/socialmedia/guides/tools-to-display-tweets-at-an-
event/

28. Tweet at public events
related to your area

29. Pinterest Success Story

30. Pinterest Success Story

31. Instagram for photo content
HIGH QUALITY photos

32. Instagram for photo content
Shareable Inspiration and Facts

33. Why use social donation tools?
Impulse buying works – particularly with Millennials

34. Collect Donations through
Social Media
Most effective when triggered by event or specific project

37. Facebook Donate Now Button
Links to your website or online giving app.

38. Facebook Donate Now Button
Links to your website or online giving app.

39. Facebook will is working on tools to donate
direct through Facebook and even set up
specific fundraising pages.
Source: https://donations.fb.com/

40. Charitweet.com
Fee: 5.9% + $0.50

41. Text to
Donate
promotion

43. How do you find the time?

44. It is ALL about building
processes to make it happen!

45. Research and create a list of
nonprofit channels you love
Google search: top nonprofit facebook pages 2016 etc.

46. Use a Calendar: Start with the Year View
Download an Excel calendar from WinCalendar.com
Fill in your annual events and holidays first fill in when you will post on each
platform before and after the event.

47. Consider Establishing
Monthly Themes
Jan: Web Design Feb: Tradeshows
Mar: Facebook Apr: Online Advertising
May: Branding Jun: Logo Design
This makes it easier to plan posts and keep the
content fresh. While not every single post will
conform to the them, the major ones will.
Fill in each month’s theme on your monthly calendars.

48. List the types of ongoing posts you
want to make and how often you think
you can pull these off reliably.
• Monthly:
o Share a newsletter once
o Find two to four news articles or blogs about your service area to share
o One testimonial video
• Weekly (unless an event is happening)
o Post one profile of a volunteer, board member, someone you helped,
teacher appreciation, etc.
o Post one inspirational quote graphic with your logo
Record these on each month of your annual calendar – not what you are
posting, just the type of post (FB-Profile, T/FB-Share Enews, etc.). Back off
the posts around events, holidays, or vacations – you will be too busy. Just
get the schedule mapped out.

49. Put a 1 – 3 hour Marketing Planning
Meeting early each month of your calendar!
• Keep this meeting sacred!
• Look at your list of inspiration nonprofit channels
• Write your posts for the next month, sticking to the
theme, if applicable
• Identify content from other organizations to share,
gather links, and write accompanying post
• Identify inspirational quotes and design your
graphics
• Plan who you will profile, plan or request photos,
and write profile text

50. Put a 1-hour Weekly marketing
meeting on your calendar
• Review and finalize your posts
• Adapt depending on what is going on that is
exciting or newsworthy
• Schedule your posts for the following week

51. Daily
• Take a few minutes to review and respond to
posts at least twice per day.

52. Make posting easier – reuse content
•
•
One newsletter could
potentially generate 4
Facebook posts and
up to 8 Twitter posts

53. How to find great articles to share

54. My Favorite Scheduling tool
50% off these rates for non-profits!

55. Download this presentation at
www.slideshare.net/ellendid4
Please connect with me!
www.RedSageOnline.com
twitter.com/ellendidier
twitter.com/RedSageAL
facebook.com/redsage linkedin.com/in/ellendidie
r