Social Media for Nonprofits

Nonprofits understand that engaging in social media is not a choice but a necessity in today’s digital world. The real challenge for nonprofits is charting the right course for success and demonstrating a return on investment.

Know that effective social media engagement benefits nonprofits: 55% of people who engage with causes via social media are inspired to take action, such as donating, volunteering, contacting elected officials, and attending events.

Your nonprofit may have joined the conversation years ago, or it may be diving in for the first time. Whether you are an early adopter or experienced, develop a realistic strategy based on your goals and objectives.

Below are strategies for nonprofits seeking to improve their social media impact.

Define Your Audience       

Creating an effective social media strategy for your nonprofit begins with defining your audience. Who do you want to reach with your message and why? What audiences are likely to interact with your content and organization. Simply put, your social media target audience is a group of people who are most likely to show interest in your cause.

Your organization may have multiple target audiences segmented by shared characteristics, such as demographics, location, or common interests. Ideally, your audiences are already stakeholders of your organization, or they may be first-time engagers. By identifying your target audiences upfront, you can lay the foundation for what strategies, tactics, and messages will inspire action.

Set Your Goals and Objectives

Think carefully about your social media goals and objectives. Possible goals might be to increase awareness about your organization or initiative. Or it may be to inspire action, raise funds, or recruit volunteers. Your social media goals should align with your organization’s mission. Create measurable and realistic objectives that support your goals. Clearly define what you want to achieve and when.

Measurable objectives may be increasing website traffic by 40% in 60 days, raising $20,000 in donations over three months, or attracting 800 attendees at a special event. Track your progress with metrics, maintain a schedule, and stay within your budget. Keep grounded in what you want your followers to do.

Select Your Platforms

Today, more than 5.2 billion internet users worldwide engage in a wide range of social media platforms. Selecting the best channels for your nonprofit’s dissemination is key to meeting your goals and objectives.

When selecting your platforms, it’s best to remain focused on only one or two unless you have an abundance of resources. Align with your target audiences and their preferred channels for engagement.

While there are many social media platforms to choose from, these are among the most popular for nonprofits.

• About 93% of nonprofits use Facebook pages, according to a 2025 Nonprofit Tech for Good survey. Nonprofits post an average of 5.5 times per week to their Facebook Page.

• There are 2.2 million nonprofits on LinkedIn and 22 million nonprofit professionals.

• About 85% of nonprofits worldwide use Instagram.

• Other platforms used, although less frequently, include YouTube, BlueSky, X, TikTok, and Threads.

In selecting your platforms, narrow your focus to those that best reach your audience and are easy to manage, especially for content dissemination.

Create a Content Strategy                                      

Drive social media success by creating an effective content strategy. Think of your social media platforms as hungry birds that need to be feed constantly to grow and flourish. Be consistent and post frequently, multiple times per week, for the best results. Repurpose content that can be shared across multiple platforms. Long-form content can be broken down and reused as social media content.

Ensure that your content has a clear call to action and reflects the vision and goals of your organization and social media strategy. Keep your content short and personable. Apply appropriate hash tags to boost your posts. Use themes and messages likely to resonate with your audiences. Be authentic. And enhance readability and engagement with visuals, such as images, photos, and infographics that engage audiences.

Use social media management tools, such a Sprout Social and Hootsuite, to distribute content simultaneously across platforms. These tools save you time, provide insights, and support measurement efforts as well.

When possible, partner with influencers who have a high profile social media presence. These influencers can expand your message reach. Respond to messages and comments, letting your followers know you are engaged. This encourages two-way communication and sustained engagement.

Align Advertising with Your Budget

Today, according to a Nonprofit Tech for Good Report, about 53% of nonprofits spend on social media advertising. The challenge for nonprofits is finding the right balance between organic and paid advertising. Do your homework on the advertising costs of each platform and the value each yields.

Several advantages to paid advertising are targeted reach, measurable results and real-time insights, as well as direct opportunities for engagement and interaction. Test platforms you advertise on and monitor their cost effectiveness.

Keep in mind it may take time to build a consistent brand presence. But most advertisers find value in paid advertising when it’s combined effectively with your organic content.

Measure Your Success                                                                               

Just important as your content management strategy is how well you monitor social media success. Social media platforms offer multiple data points to track success, including likes, follows, shares, and comments.

Keeping consistent track of your social media engagement will help you identify what works and what needs improving. You may better learn what type of content your audiences are interested in.

Remember social media success is a marathon, not a sprint. Your strategies and tactics should remain agile as you learn more about your audience and as social media evolves. Constantly evaluating what you are doing and implementing fresh data and ideas into your strategy will improve your efforts over time.