How to do social media right: 10 tips for charities

Do you feel like a human octopus trying to keep on top of all the latest social media trends and channels?

Don’t worry, you’re not alone! 

For charities with limited resources, social media can be a sink hole. Or, done well, it can be a great way to create awareness for your cause. Remember - the most important thing is not how many channels you’re on, but whether you’re using them effectively.  

Here are 10 tips for making the most of social media: 

1. Identify your audience 

Who are your current supporters, and who are the people who want to reach? Think about age, interests, job roles, or location and build a profile. This will help you pick the right channels and inform the tone and content of your posts.  

Your account analytics can help you see who’s already following and engaging with your content. Have a look - is it who you expected? If not, what can you learn from this? Do you need to explore another channel, make your messaging clearer, or shift your idea of audience?

2. Pick your lane  

You need to be active on the channel/s that your target audience uses the most – and the ones that make sense for your charity in terms of skills and capacity. We’ve written a handy blog that delves into choosing the right platform here. 

3. Decide what story you’re going to tell 

There are plenty of stories out there – are you clear on the ones your charity wants and needs to tell? Whether it’s your key messaging, supporter stories, fundraising campaigns or user experiences, get really clear on the stories you’ll use to show impact or ask for donations.  

4. Create an editorial calendar 

Creating consistently engaging content is easier said than done. A content calendar helps you organise what information you need and when. It’s also a great way to look at the balance of content you’re putting out, and an opportunity to highlight key dates that are important for your cause and campaigns.  

5. Analyse your results 

It’s hard to improve your engagement and reach if you don’t know what works. Before you analyse this, you should decide your markers for success. Are you looking for more followers to increase awareness, or to identify which posts drive your audience to donate?  It doesn’t matter if a post is performing well if it’s not having the desired result.  

6. Embrace social SEO and hashtags 

Grow your audience and make yourself easier to find by using social search optimisation and hashtags. Most social platforms now have keyword search capabilities – a lot of Gen Z search their favourite social platform for information about a topic rather than Google. So make sure your account bios and captions have the right keywords and hashtags to answer the questions they might be asking.  

7. Be responsive 

It's crucial to reply promptly to any messages or comments on social media. If someone is interested enough to reach out, make sure you don’t lose their attention. If you see common questions or comments, consider making a FAQ page or a blog post about the topic. 

8. Create social media policies 

Creating a social media playbook is a good idea. It sets clear expectations for anyone running the accounts. Guidelines could include tips on handling offensive messages, tone of voice, and how to express views on key topics. The more your social media manager or volunteer knows, the better they can respond to and engage with the community. 

9. Make your posts valuable to your audience 

Why should your audience read your posts? What are you offering them? There’s so much content on socials that people no longer tend to follow business or charity accounts unless the posts are either useful (explainers and ‘how to’ videos), consistently inspiring, or funny! So don’t just put out your charity news on your socials – think about how your post will benefit the person who sees it. 

Remember – photos and videos cover the basics, but you can also get creative with different formats: 

• Polls 

• Quizzes 

• Questions 

• Live streaming 

• Personalised memes 

• Ask us anything session 

• Content upload challenges 

10. Get people to opt in further

There’s a reason why charity marketeers love their email lists. A list is made up of people who have actively opted in to hear more about your charity. Remember to use social media to regularly send people to your mailing list sign up.

And an important bonus tip – get nerdy about the channel you choose

What works on LinkedIn isn’t what people on TikTok want to see – make sure you know the difference.  

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Need some help mastering social media for your charity? Get in touch.