Your mission is important, and you want to let people know about it.
Whether you’re placing foster children in good homes or helping people afford their first house, your worthy cause deserves more attention on social media, where you can access the tools to spread the word.
The problem: Everything else is craving attention there too, including other nonprofits but also ads for t-shirts and personal styling, consumer products, fun but distracting groups to join, and so so so much more.
But: You can cut through the noise.
Here are five proven tactics to help you stand out and speak up.
#1: Listen more, talk less!
In a venue where everyone’s talking, be more of a listener. Adopt this mindset: “But enough about me — what about you?” As long as you’re in the right “room,” so to speak, with the right people, you’re more likely to spark interest if you’re responding to comments and messages across platforms. Your involvement shows that your organization values community input. It’s like dating: You show more interest, and then they show more interest in you.
#2: Be a helper!
Mr. Rogers always told us to look for the helpers. You’re already a helper in what your nonprofit does in its mission — being a helper in spotlighting community stories makes you a helper who’s also a connector. In addition to sharing important information and engaging stories generated by others that will be of interest to your followers, you’re now more of a connector — and therefore even more valuable.
#3: Be original!
We know that your nonprofit sprang from a vision. You identified a real problem that you want to solve. The best way to solve almost every problem is by getting more people involved — and that means storytelling.
So don’t just share content.
Make sure you’re creating original content that positions your nonprofit as a thought leader. Tell your origin story, share why your mission moves you, dig into the problem, explain how you’re solving it, and do your best to back it up with grabby heartfelt writing and eye-catching graphics. Just sharing somebody else’s posts will never get you anywhere, but standing tall and speaking out in your own original way? That turns you into Washington standing up in the row boat and crossing the Delaware.
#4: Turn skeptics into advocates!
One minute after the Internet launched, trolls started clambering out from under bridges. Sure, some of them are a pain in the neck — but you know what they say about cynics: They’re just wounded romantics desperate to love again. The same applies here; some of these doubters just need to be convinced. Viewed that way, they present an opportunity. If you consistently demonstrate your impact (ideally with actual, real, hard numbers reflecting quantifiable results) what will the doubters be left to say except, “I was wrong, you were right.” An added benefit: this approach also helps turn passive followers into active supporters.
#5: Don’t know it all!
If all you’re putting out every day is everything you know, you run the risk of sounding like a know-it-all. Or, worse, like a lecturer. (And we’ve seen how well that performs with some politicians, right?) Instead, ask questions. Posing engaging questions in your posts prompts people to respond. Here’s something we all learned from all those episodes of “Law and Order”: For most people, it’s first nature to answer questions. We humans just can’t help ourselves. So, if you set out to spark conversations online by asking questions, you’re far more likely to increase engagement.
Our advice overall? Be a communicator.
Your nonprofit exists for a reason — tell people that reason. Tell them what you’re doing to make your community, your neighborhood, even the world, a better place. Also, tell them how you’re doing it, show them the results, and ask for their questions, their input, their ideas, and certainly their involvement.
Remember, social media starts with “social.”
If you want to talk about this, we’re here.