By: Dina Younis
Between program management, administrative duties, fundraising, and day-to-day issues, many small nonprofit organizations often times lack both the capacity and resources to keep up with online communication efforts. Here are six simple and effective social media communication strategies to consider:
1. Schedule social media posts. Sites like Hootsuite allow you to manage all of your social media profiles in one place and include the feature to schedule posts days or weeks in advance.
2. Consider adding social media icons and a very brief statement about an upcoming event or milestone to your email signature. 28 percent of our workweek is spent managing our emails, so adding social media icons to your signature will not only remind your recipients to visit your social media pages but also cuts back on search time (because we all know we need those extra few minutes to get back to managing our inbox). If you have an upcoming event or milestone worthy of sharing, adding a statement not exceeding 140 characters to your email signature with a link to more information could potentially generate a lot of buzz; it’s direct and triggers your recipients to dig a little deeper.
3. Embrace the power of hashtags. Now that you’ve scheduled your social media posts so you can get back to your big projects, don’t forget to add a relevant hashtag or two. Hashtags add incredible value to your social media posts due to their ability to connect you with a global audience. In order for your them to be effective, be mindful of the ones you chose. Here’s a great resource for using effective hashtags.
4. Make it about 'us'. One of the most common grumbles I hear from bloggers and communication managers from small organizations is that the conversation is always one-sided on their social media sites. Try asking your fans a question to increase dialogue.
5. Sign up for Google alerts. Coming up with interesting content to share can be tough in this noisy world. Sign up for Google alerts to receive local and national updates on issues or topics relevant to your programs and mission. This will add variety to the information you share with your audience while staying true to your own voice.
6. Boost a post with Facebook. The new algorithm on Facebook poses visibility challenges for businesses and organizations. In other words, your posts just aren’t showing up in feeds. Boosting your posts means more people will see your information based on a daily budget that you set; the more you spend the more people you will reach. I was a little uncertain about this feature, assuming it was a waste of resources, but the results showed increased interaction and visits to the website I tested. Have an upcoming fundraiser or event? Consider boosting a post for increased visibility.