Social Media and its Relationship with Online Fundraising

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SOCIAL MEDIA AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO ONLINE FUNDRAISINGPractical ways to connect with supporters, activate donors, and raise money online.

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#npEXPERTS | @franswaa

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04/11/2023 Carie Lewis, HSUSA | #npEXPERTS 2

NPEXPERTS > DOWNLOAD THE FREE EBOOK

Connect with supporters, activate donors, and raise money online.

Nonprofit experts share their extensive knowledge and expertise in:

- Online marketing and fundraising- Email communication- Social media- Mobile engagement

Download the npEXPERTS eBook and register for free webinars at

www.blackbaud.com/npEXPERTS

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TODAY’S NPEXPERT

Carie LewisDeputy Director, Online Communications@cariegrls

[ My name is Carie, and I’m a social media addict. ]

“I just got a keychain and address labels in the mail from you guys. Now that I see you posting on Facebook and know you're

legit, I'll be sending a donation. Thanks for the work you do.”

– Posted to our Facebook Page wall, January 2010

[ Just a Fad? ]

How We’reStructured

Carie LewisDeputy Director, Online Communications

Social media, online advertising, web strategy

Bailey FogartySocial Communications Specialist

Brand monitoring, analytics

Victoria RammCommunity Manager

Posting and engagement

Online Volunteers

Sarah BarnettSenior Manager, Social MediaSocial media channel manager

Katie FeldmanCommunity Specialist

Ancillary page management

VacantSocial Media Intern

Administrative support

Katie CarrusEditorial Director

Web channel manager

Sarah ButlerOnline Ad Coordinator

online advertising channel manager

[ Facebook and Twitter were not created equal. ]

Where our constituents are

For customer service and relationship building but is

also our action-oriented community

People talk about us here

A customer service and relationship building tool

[ Our Social Media Snapshot ]

• 1.7 million Facebook fans• 200,000 Twitter followers• 103% growth rate on Facebook from 2012 to

2013• 93% growth rate on Twitter from 2012 to 2013• $1 million raised on Facebook (lifetime at the

middle of 2013)• $200,000 raised per year on Facebook• 300,000 actions per year taken on Facebook

[ Our Social Media Philosophy ]

Engagement means nothing if it is not working towards your goals.

Say it with me now…

[ Give them what they want! ]

By providing our fans what they want like:

• fun contests• polls asking for their opinion• listening to feedback on posts• answering every question• Show ways to make a difference• other engagement opportunities

We believe they will feel enough of aconnection with the brand to do what we ask such as:

• donating• taking action• filling out a form• Answering a question• RSVPing to an event

[ But Perhaps Most Importantly…]

We don’t measure success by # of fans or followers.

“…that’s so myspace.” –C. Lewis

[ What Matters? ]

The Like or Follow is the beginning of the relationship between you and a fan,

not the end.Ask yourself:• Do those people do what you want them to do? (tie to goals)• How can you get them to do it? (think like a user)• How are you making it a valuable community for both you and

your fans? (be selective and creative)• How will you get them to come back? (engage)

You must be relevant, interesting, concise, responsive, and provide value to your fans.

[ Goals ]

Our goals in using social media are: advocacy, fundraising, providing customer service, and increasing brand sentiment online by

promoting the good work of the organization.

Customer service & engagement Interest & trust

Positive connectionto the brand

Better chance of becoming a member

More likely to share our content

Everything we do online is tied to advocacy and fundraising – social media is no exception.

• # of actions taken• # of donors• Amount of donations*• # of new names to file• Customer service wins• Sentiment %• Growth rate• Most popular content• # mentions• Notable mentions

[ What We Measure ]

*both from Facebook Causes and sourced from our website

[ Don’t Forget About the Intangibles! ]

Our Weekly Social Media Mentions Report showcases notable mentions about our brand in social media.

Includes mentions from: • Supporters/members/fans• Other organizations• Companies• Celebrities

Sent to executives to showcase intangible benefits from social mediaas well as give them an insight of what’s buzzing online that week related to our brand.

[ Tactics to Steal! ]

Get excited!!

[ 15 Tactics to Convert Fans to Constituents ]

#1: Ask explicitly with a solid call to action.

How to do it: – Add “Please RT” or “please share” or “take action now” to your posts. Note: use sparingly or it will not mean as much.

Why it works: People tend to do things if you just ask.


#2: Make every piece of content you already have shareable and ask people to share on every thank you page.

How to do it: – Use a free tool like AddThis to make your emails, webpages, and advo/donation forms shareable on Facebook and Twitter

Why it works: Your existing constituency is more likely to share your content and recruit like-minded friends, and right after they’ve taken action is the peak time for their engagement with you.


#3: Replicate all of your asks inside Facebook.

How to do it: Use Facebook Causes fundraising projects or your CMS’ API technology to bring forms onto a custom Facebook tab

Why it works: People on Facebook want to stay on Facebook, and will convert at higher rates if you keep them there.


#4: Answer and thank everyone.

How to do it: Answer everyone that asks a question in a comment string or writes on your wall. On Twitter, set up keyword monitoring for anyone that shares their donation.

Why it works: When someone gets a response, it builds trust and loyalty. Donors want to feel that you appreciate them and that they’re not just another donor. They will be more likely to donate again or recruit others (modern-day donor cultivation!)


#5: Get serious about social monitoring.

How to do it: Use Tweetdeck and Google Alerts (free) or purchase a social CRM like SmallAct, Spredfast

Why it works: When someone is talking about you, you can respond and give them the info they need, like help with their donation or clear up misinformation.


#6: Give them multiple ways to donate - whatever is comfortable for them.

How to do it: Give options to donate on Facebook, on your website, via mobile, via a custom tab, etc. AND PUSH PEOPLE TO THEM.

Why it works: Some people still aren’t comfortable with donating on Facebook, and some don’t want to leave. Give them all possible options.


#7: Use Facebook ads (yes, I said it.)

How to do it: Even $100 will produce results via Facebook’s robust ad targeting system.

Why it works: You can target ads to your fans via a promoted post, linking to a certain post. Use this for donation and action campaigns. This is a great way to ensure fans see your posts, and convert them.


#8: Make it a safe plans for fans.

How to do it: Have a commenting policy on your page and enforce it.

Why it works: Your fans don’t necessarily know everything about you, so when they come to your page you don’t want a bunch of spam, misinformation, etc. on your page. It could deter them. Be there! (And don’t disable posting or commenting by fans!)


#9: Close the loop.

How to do it: When you ask fans to do something, let them know what happens as a result.

Why it works: People want to see how their time and money is making a difference. Show them by following up and closing the loop, and they’ll be more inclined to do it again when you ask.


#10: Make sure you’re tracking.

How to do it: Use Google Analytics or your CMS’ trackable link system to uniquely source all different promotion types.

Why it works: How will you know if you’re converting fans to constituents if you’re not tracking it? Test different ad text, images, post types, etc. to see what resonates best with your audience.


#11: Make real world events social by replicating events on Facebook.

How to do it: Create a Facebook event for all of your events, even online (like webinars). Add Twitter handle to your registration fields, and create a Twitter hashtag. Add RSVP on Facebook on the registration thank you page.

Why it works: People on Facebook like to stay on Facebook, and show the world all the fun things they’re doing. They might even suggest to friends. This gets people online, offline.


#12: Don’t dismiss custom tabs yet.

How to do it: Create custom tabs to show people how they can become a member / donate / take action

Why it works: Timeline may have gotten rid of landing tabs, but you can still push people to tabs. Pushing people to our member tab to get our magazine was the most successful donation method last year.


#13: Make it about THEM.

How to do it: Instead of saying “sign our disaster preparedness pledge” say “you wouldn’t leave your pet behind in a disaster, would you? Then sign the pledge!”

Why it Works: People ask “what’s in it for me?” Make it about them and they’ll be more likely to do what you want. (This was the most successful post on 2012)


#14: Post a variety of types of content.

How to do it: Ask for opinions, post actions, post funny photos or videos.

Why it works: People like variety. Switch it up. Don’t beat people over the head with asks, but don’t just post fluff all the time. That way when you do ask for something, they’ll know you mean it / need it.


#15: Make your content as relevant as possible to your fans.

How to do it: Localize your posts so that they are geographically relevant.

Why it works: When something is more relevant to you, you’re more likely to pay attention and do something about it.

[ That All Being Said… ]

You need to take the time to build a substantial, loyal base before you ask for anything. Do this by listening

and responding to their feedback!

[ Final Thought ]

#SMWES // @cariegrls

“Social media is free….

free like a puppy.”

[ Thank you! ]

[email protected]@cariegrls

linkedin.com/in/carielewis

Also check out my Prezi: “Why I Don’t Like You: Strategies and Tactics for

Continued Social Engagement”http://prezi.com/6402qygr7iys/why-i-dont-like-you/

http://prezi.com/6402qygr7iys/why-i-dont-like-you/

http://prezi.com/6402qygr7iys/why-i-dont-like-you/


NPEXPERTS > DOWNLOAD THE FREE EBOOK

Connect with supporters, activate donors, and raise money online.

Nonprofit experts share their extensive knowledge and expertise in:

- Online marketing and fundraising- Email communication- Social media- Mobile engagement

Download the npEXPERTS eBook and register for free webinars at




Luminate™ Online helps you understand your online supporters and improve online fundraising performance. You'll have everything you need to acquire more constituents, build online fundraising campaigns and nurture sustainable donor relationships.

http://bit.ly/LuminateOnline





Social Media and its Relationship with Online Fundraising

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