Social media is an incredible tool for your NFP and is more often than not, under-utilised. It not only lets you share your successes and your campaigns, but it can also work efficiently to increase the number of donors you receive.

Here are some tips which you can put to use immediately to help you build up your social media following.

Use whatever tools and software you have at your disposal

With the rise of social media, comes the addition of tools and software to make social media that much easier. For starters, look at the analytics on each social media account so you can start to garner ideas about when you should be posting, what types of posts get the most shares and which ones are received in the most positive light. Secondly, automate your postings, so you don’t feel like you are stuck behind your computer 24/7. Software such as Hootsuite is ideal for posting in advance. Thirdly, share your posts amongst all social media accounts. There are ways to connect your Twitter account to your Facebook account to save on the workload. Automate your posts so that as soon as one post goes up, the rest will follow.

Provide compelling content through blogging

Setting yourself up as an expert in your field takes time. Great content and quality information is a definitive way to get attention for all the right reasons. Your posts will gain you a following and entice readers to come back for more. Try posting one post per week and then increase it from there. Each time you write a blog post, share it on your social media pages – that includes Twitter and Facebook and even LinkedIn if relevant. The more you share, the more chance of people reading what you wrote.

Share Engaging Videos of volunteers and staff

NFPs provide an extremely valuable service to our community. Letting viewers see behind the scenes is a wonderful approach to really reach into the hearts and minds of your viewers. Post videos on a regular basis – whether to support a specific campaign or just to show the inside workings of your NFP. Share some success stories. Showing people, rather than telling, is a sure-fire way to gain extra support. And like blogging, once your video is uploaded to YouTube or another avenue, share on your social media.

Always be consistent with your posts

Your viewers will come to count on your notifications, blog posts and videos – so don’t let them down. Make an extra effort to ensure that you post regularly and consistently, always confirming that your message is aligned with your NFP’s mission. Post daily, or even more if possible, to gain the best results.

So what are you waiting for? Start posting, sharing and engaging with your followers today, and you will start to see a real difference.