May 2019 – Lauriane Lebrun, Marketing & Communications Coordinator

If you, a) didn’t grow up with a smartphone, and, b) are currently in a nonprofit leadership role, you might be wondering if your organization is using the right social media platforms.  Should you be on Facebook or Twitter?  What’s the difference between Instagram and Pinterest?  Is Snapchat the new YouTube?

Read on to get to know some of the most popular social media sites and learn which of them could be a good fit for your nonprofit.  This month, I’m covering Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.  If these aren’t the platforms you have questions about, stay tuned – I’ll be following up with more Social Media Platforms 101 in June’s e-newsletter.

  • Facebook
    • The Basics: You more than likely already know what Facebook is.  As GCF Global puts it, “having a Facebook account is now an expected part of being online, much like having your own email address.”  Nevertheless, if you are thinking about setting up a Facebook account for your nonprofit, it is important to be aware of the differences between groups, business pages, personal profiles, likes, and friends.  This gets relatively complex, so I’ll include a few links at the end of this article if you want to learn more.  (And I’ll make note to follow up with a separate article on this topic in a future edition of the Lexian e-news, so keep an eye out for that.)
    • The Stats: According to Sprout Social, “over a quarter of the entire world population is accessing their Facebook account at least once a month.”  In other words, a lot of people are using this platform, so your target audience is most likely on Facebook.  The exception?  Facebook is used by only 41% of Americans over the age of 64.  That’s a small percentage compared to the other age groups in America, which all rank at 51% and up.
    • How Nonprofits Can Use It: If set up and managed correctly, a Facebook account can help your nonprofit expand its reach, engage supporters, and appear more legitimate.  A few important items to keep in mind:
      • Don’t use a personal profile to represent your organization.  This goes against Facebook’s guidelines and generally comes across as unprofessional. 
      • Include an image in your posts as often as possible.  According to Medium, posts with images have a 650% higher engagement rate than text-only posts.
      • Take advantage of Facebook’s fundraising tools.  From adding a donate button to your page, to participating in online fundraising events like Giving Tuesday, there are lots of great ways to raise money on Facebook.
  • LinkedIn
    • The Basics: Lifewire’s “What Is LinkedIn and Why Should You Be on It?” article has a great definition of LinkedIn: “It’s like Facebook for your career.”  As on Facebook, LinkedIn users can connect with one another, follow businesses and organizations that they are interested in, join groups, create new content, and interact with other users’ posts.  Unlike Facebook, LinkedIn strongly emphasizes professional connections and content.  It is, for example, a great social network if you’re hiring or looking for a job.
    • The Stats: According to Foundation, out of LinkedIn’s 500 million members, 61 million are senior-level influencers, and 40 million are in decision-making positions.  It is also the most-used social media platform amongst Fortune 500 companies.
    • How Nonprofits Can Use It: Given the user demographics described above, LinkedIn can definitely be utilized by nonprofits looking to connect with corporate sponsors and donors.  Additionally, LinkedIn is filled with individuals looking for professional opportunities – not just paid employment, but also volunteering and nonprofit board membership.
  • Twitter
    • The Basics: According to HubSpot, Twitter’s co-founder wanted to create a “communications platform in which friends could keep tabs on each other by updating statuses.”  These “status updates,” known in the Twitter world as “tweets,” are limited to only 280 characters in length—intentionally short and skimmable for a fast-paced society.  Basically, when it comes to content consumption, Twitter is a fast food drive-through.
    • The Stats: According to Hootsuite, 40% of US adults using Twitter are between the ages of 18 and 29.  The majority of Twitter users have above-average incomes, with 30% of Americans who make $75,000+ using the site.
    • How Nonprofits Can Use It: Given that 71% of Twitter users are there to read minute-by-minute breaking news updates, nonprofits can make good use of the site by live-tweeting events or sharing relevant legislative news alerts.  Twitter Chats—real-time, scheduled conversations on Twitter—can also be utilized to engage with supporters and expand your audience.  In a Twitter Chat, everyone uses a predetermined hashtag to follow along and interact with one another.  Check out this Wired Impact article for tips on how to plan, promote, and run your own Twitter Chat.

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