Social media has changed how people promote and support campaigns and causes thanks to its broad reach to engage millions of users.
So, whether you’re a nonprofit organisation, an individual trying to crowdfund, or a business with a philanthropic goal—harnessing social media can significantly increase your chances of a successful campaign.
But how can you ensure the success of your social media fundraising campaign? And how can you differentiate yourself from the competition and win the hearts and minds of potential donors?
In this article, we’ll go through ten practical tactics and showcase examples of successful social media fundraising campaigns to help you maximise the impact of your campaign on any social media platform.
Fundraising Campaigns 101: Everything You Need to Know
A fundraising campaign is a group effort to generate funds for a specific cause, charities, non-profit organisations, religious groups, or projects.
It entails publicising the cause and persuading people to contribute money or resources to support it within a defined time frame.
Here are some common types of fundraising campaigns:
- Donation-based crowdfunding campaigns.
- Event-based Campaigns.
- Peer-to-Peer Campaigns.
- Year-end Campaigns.
- Major donor Campaign.
Why do you need social media for fundraising?
The internet and social media have transformed how organisations and individuals generate funds for their charitable causes. They have made it simple, inexpensive, and profitable for small businesses to collect funds, communicate, and promote their causes to their donors or supporters.
Here are the top five benefits of using social media for fundraising:
How to post a viral fundraising campaign on Facebook
Statistics from Statista show that in January 2023, Facebook was the most widely used platform globally for fundraising. So, we created sample fundraising Facebook posts you can use to make your campaign successful.
But first, here are some features for a great Facebook post:
- An image/graphic that depicts your cause or fundraiser
- A link to your crowdfunding campaign page
- A hashtag (if applicable)
- An in-depth explanation of why you are asking for donations
Top 3 Successful Fundraiser Campaigns That Took The World by Storm.
From crowdfunding campaigns to interactive charity events, there are many creative ways to leverage social media to reach your target audience and raise money for your cause.
To give you an idea of the potential of fundraising through social media, here are the top 3 successful social media fundraising examples that took the world by storm:
To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA)
TWLOHA is a non-profit organisation that focuses on raising awareness and supporting individuals struggling with mental health issues.
One of their most successful fundraising campaigns involved selling t-shirts with the message “love” written on them.
This simple yet powerful message resonated with people around the world, leading to a significant increase in donations and spreading awareness about mental health.
TWLOHA’s emphasis on empathy, compassion, and community has made them a beacon of hope in the fundraising landscape.
The Ice Bucket Challenge became a global trend in 2014—generating over $115 million for the ALS Association.
People participated in the campaign by pouring ice water over their heads and inviting others to do the same or donate to ALS research.
The viral nature of the challenge, mainly through social media (TikTok), helped raise awareness about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and the urgent need for research funding.
The Ice Bucket Challenge exemplifies social media’s power in amplifying a fundraising campaign’s impact.
Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC)
The Disaster Emergency Committee is an alliance of 15 major UK charities collaborating during humanitarian crises to coordinate fundraising efforts.
When major disasters occur, such as earthquakes, floods, or conflicts, the DEC launches nationwide appeal campaigns to raise funds for emergency relief efforts.
DEC campaigns have raised millions of pounds, providing life-saving assistance, humanitarian aid, and rebuilding support to affected communities worldwide.
The campaigns’ ability to unite multiple charities under one cause and leverage extensive media coverage has resulted in remarkable fundraising success.
The Social Media Fundraising Blueprint: How to Raise Thousands of Dollars Online
By leveraging the power of social media, organisations can create effective fundraising campaigns to reach a broad audience and generate much-needed support.
However, to ensure the success of the campaign, here are 10 tips on how to raise money on social media:
Make a goal-oriented strategy.
Clearly define your fundraising goals by including the destination and the road map. The destination is your goal; it could be the amount you want to raise or your Key Performance Indicators.
While your roadmap is your strategy on how to reach your goal, it should include the timeline for your campaign, the type of posts that will be published, specific and general hashtags, how people will donate, roles and responsibilities of the team, and a budget for paid post distribution.
A plan for regular posting should be outlined to ensure consistency, such as producing a batch of posts and scheduling them to be released at optimal times.
Choose the right platform.
Different social media platforms have specific benefits and audiences. Do your research to determine which platform best suits your fundraising efforts.
Create mobile-friendly content.
Ensure that your content can be accessed easily from mobile devices. It will make your fundraising efforts more accessible to a larger audience.
Share your story.
Use compelling blog posts, videos, and storytelling techniques to engage your audience and create an emotional connection with your cause. It will help potential donors understand the impact of their contributions.
Use of your bio.
Use the bio section of your social media profiles to include a brief and impactful description of your cause and a link to your fundraising page. It ensures visitors can learn more about your campaign and easily access donation links.
Ask for shares
Ask your supporters to share your posts and encourage them to spread the word about your fundraising campaign.
Work with creators and thought leaders.
Collaboration with influencers, content creators, and key opinion leaders (KOLs) who support your cause is crucial to a successful social media fundraising strategy. Their support and promotion can help you spread your message and reach a wider audience.
Show appreciation
Show gratitude to your donors and supporters by publicly thanking them on social media. Share updates on your progress and highlight milestones achieved. It encourages continued support and builds a sense of community around your cause.
Monitor and evaluate performance.
Regularly monitor your social media campaign performance. Ensure you analyse metrics such as engagement, click-through rates, and conversion rates to identify areas of improvement and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Use the proper tools.
Take advantage of social media platforms’ fundraising features and tools—like Facebook Fundraising Suite, TikTok for Good, and YouTube Nonprofit Program—designed exclusively for nonprofit organisations and can provide additional resources and help your social media charity campaigns.
Bottomline
Social media fundraising is a powerful tool for nonprofits and charitable organisations that want to reach a larger and more diverse audience and raise awareness about their cause.
So, as a nonprofit charitable organisation, you should use the ten strategies and ideas described above; these tips can help you develop a successful fundraising campaign that stimulates participation, builds trust, and motivates people to take action.
Remember to be innovative, authentic, and consistent in your approach and to keep your donors informed and engaged throughout the process.
