Marketing and social media can be overwhelming – extremely overwhelming. And as the landscape is constantly changing, NFPs are struggling to keep up. NFPs seem to be focused on specific campaigns rather than focusing on engaging supporters every day of the year.

Here are some tips to help you struggle with the digital distress that is happening within non-profits on how to create a direct content strategy that works.

1. Sum it up in one sentence

Having a clear understanding of your goals is easier once you 100% understand what needs to be done to get there. Being able to sum it up in one sentence will help your cause. Think about these questions. What are your goals? What is stopping you from achieving those goals? How can you overcome any challenges? How can you track your successes? Then use the answers to come up with a clear social media strategy. Some of your goals make including engaging the community, retaining donors while acquiring new donors and generating brand awareness.

2. Integrate your social media

One thing you need to know is that social media is not a standalone event. It must be integrated with your website and your blogs to increase engagement and help donor retention. Any information you create will ultimately tie back to your overall digital strategy plan. Make sure you have your blog, website and relevant social media accounts (Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, etc.) set up before you begin. Choose the ones where you will have the most effect. As a guide, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube tend to be the most popular for NFPs.

3. Identify your target audience

Knowing who you are writing to is half the battle. While you probably think you are aiming toward the general public, you need to be a little more specific with your ideas. Take the time to come up with representations of your demographic audience to help direct your content more successfully.

4. Map out your content

So what are you going to post to your social media accounts? It’s a good question, and also a very necessary one. Don’t be afraid to ask what your followers want to see either through your social media accounts directly or through an email survey. Some ideas include volunteer spotlights, how-tos, inspirational stories, client focus stories and fundraising opportunities. Add pictures, videos, text and graphics where applicable.

5. Use a content calendar

You cannot be organised or carry out a newsworthy social media strategy without following a plan. Creating a content calendar is the easiest way to ensure you stick to your goals and communicate your information. Detail whose responsibility it is to post on where and what they should be posting about, including imagery and any necessary content. A calendar is also useful to track the success of each post. This will make sure that your content is as streamlined as possible. Be clear on any social media cross promotion as well.

Remember that engagement is your priority, as, without it, your posts will fail to connect with your supporters. It should always remain your priority. Therefore, don’t just post and ignore. Respond to any comments and questions, shares and tags and seek out relevant hashtags to follow. By keeping up with the conversation, you ensure that your NFP continues to be the subject of discussion.