During the COVID-19 crisis, people are relying on social media to stay in touch with friends, stay informed with the most up-to-date news, and be entertained. One survey found Whats App, Facebook, and Instagram saw a 40 percent increase among users in the 18-34 demographic in just the first two weeks of the pandemic.
Because it is not possible to have the in-person events and fundraisers, which are a core component of many nonprofits funding acquisition and engagement efforts, organizations are using social media to reach valuable prospects, network connections, and the public.
The good news is that we are more digitally connected than ever before, and with the right strategy, nonprofits can create impactful experiences online. Here’s how your social media channels can engage and be a part of the solution.
Practice Social Listening
it is very important for organizations to listen to their audience during this uncertain time. Social listening is when you monitor your social media channels for customer feedback and mentions of your brand as well as keeping an eye on topics and keywords that are relevant to your work. Doing so can help you gain a deeper insight into discussions surrounding your organization as well as the broader industry and like-minded communities. This will enable you to know when and how to adjust your social media strategy. By keeping a finger on the pulse of the conversation and applying those learnings to the approach, nonprofits and organizations can be a considerate, organic, and valuable contributors to the conversation.
Create Compelling Content
One of the most difficult parts of social media is reaching, building, and maintaining your audience. Use relevant keywords to elevate your SEO and page visibility by finding popular hashtags that fit your industry and audience and incorporate them into each post. Hashtags make it easier for people to find you and help you hop onto industry trends.
Create content your audience can engage with by encouraging them to share their experiences. Examples include creating a poll, posting a video, graphic or meme; or sharing organizational information that encourages followers to tag friends or family members. Visuals receive a lot of engagement on social media; they should be lively and attention grabbing. According to SocialMediaToday, video is the most engaging type of content regardless of the social media platform. By focusing on creating content that will get an emotional response, you will see more engagement on your social media pages.
Stay Connected
Since followers are spending more time on social media, now is a great time to deepen your relationship with your audience and increase brand awareness.
Check-in with your followers and see how there are doing. Show your audience how much you care about them and value their support during this time. Be as human as possible on across social media channels—while keeping your messaging consistent.
Remember: this is new territory for all nonprofits and organizations. Covid-19 is affecting everyone around the world, but in different ways. Think outside of your own situation, have empathy for your followers, and offer compassion. You don’t have to mention COVID-19 explicitly in your content but do take into consideration the tone of your captions and how it could be interpreted by people facing a different reality. We are all in this together and navigating this together on social media.
