Facebook has become an essential tool for nonprofits to build awareness, fundraise, and engage with supporters. With over 2.9 billion monthly active users worldwide, Facebook offers nonprofits an unprecedented opportunity to reach a large audience.
Many nonprofits create Facebook Pages to establish an online presence and connect with current and potential supporters. Facebook Pages allow organizations to share their mission, post updates, photos, videos, and more. Fans can follow Pages to receive updates in their News Feeds and interact through likes, shares, and comments.
In addition to organic reach from Posts, nonprofits can use Facebook ads to get their message in front of targeted audiences. Advertising on Facebook is relatively affordable, with options to customize budgets and targeting parameters.
Nonprofits employ a variety of tactics on Facebook to drive real-world impact. Here are some of the top ways nonprofits are leveraging Facebook:
Building Awareness & Community
One of the most basic but important uses of Facebook for nonprofits is building general awareness of their organization and mission. Nonprofits can share stories, announcements, events, and multimedia content to give followers an inside look at their work. Maintaining an active presence keeps the nonprofit top of mind for supporters.
Many nonprofits foster an online community on their Facebook Page. Supporters can engage with the content and each other through likes, shares, and comments. The page becomes a centralized hub for the nonprofit’s broader community to come together.
Posting a variety of content types keeps followers engaged. This includes:
– Informational and educational posts explaining issues related to their cause
– Photos from programs, events, the office, volunteers, and beneficiaries
– Videos telling stories in a vivid way or sharing footage from the field
– Live videos for announcing urgent needs, sharing breaking news, and facilitating transparency
– Stories showcasing individual beneficiaries and program results
– Quotes and graphics conveying their mission and values
– Links to blog posts, news articles, and other relevant content
– Highlights of organizational milestones, awards, and achievements
Nonprofits can also go live on Facebook to interact with supporters in real time. Broadcasts allow organizations to provide behind-the-scenes looks at their daily operations. The option for viewers to comment and ask questions makes for an interactive experience.
Many nonprofits create Facebook Groups in addition to their Page. Groups cultivate an intimate setting for smaller subsets of supporters to regularly connect. They foster deeper levels of participation and relationship-building.
Fundraising
Facebook provides a direct channel for nonprofits to fundraise from individual supporters. Posts can include calls to action to donate or share links to specific donation pages.
Nonprofits hold Facebook fundraisers which empower individuals to collect money from their network. Fundraisers can be set up for birthdays, memorials, or general causes. Facebook does not charge any platform fees for donations, so 100% of the money raised goes to the nonprofit.
The recent addition of direct giving tools on Facebook includes nonprofit donation sticker packs and personalized fundraisers. Donation stickers are social reactions supporters can use to comment on posts fromPages they follow. Personal fundraisers are integrated directly in the News Feed so users can easily start fundraising for causes they care about.
Facebook hosts the #GivingTuesday initiative every year. #GivingTuesday kicks off the holiday giving season, encouraging people to donate to charitable causes following Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Nonprofits can participate by creating a Facebook Fundraiser and sharing it leading up to and on #GivingTuesday.
Facebook provides useful analytics for nonprofit Pages to track the performance of fundraisers and donation posts. Key metrics include amount raised, number of donors, shares, comments, and more. Nonprofits can also integrate Facebook pixel tracking to optimize future fundraising initiatives.
Event Promotion
Promoting upcoming events is another key use of Facebook for nonprofits. Organizations can create Facebook events and invite supporters to register as “Going” or “Interested.”
Facebook events provide details like date, time, location, description, and attached photos or videos. Nonprofits can share event posts leading up to the date to drive interest. Supporters can easily share the events with their own friends to expand reach.
Organizations can also go live at events or post photos/videos after the fact to thank attendees and continue engagement. Utilizing Facebook events maximizes real-world event turnout and allows broader audiences to participate remotely.
Volunteer Recruitment
Nonprofits heavily rely on volunteers to support their operations and programs. Facebook presents a unique opportunity to recruit new volunteers on a broad scale.
Posting volunteer needs, upcoming projects, and testimonials from current volunteers provides visibility to these opportunities. Interested supporters can be directed to sign up or learn more on the nonprofit’s website or third-party volunteer management platforms.
Facebook Groups specifically for organization volunteers foster community and retention. Volunteers can connect with fellow volunteers and get updates about how they’re making an impact.
Volunteer recognition posts highlighting star volunteers and the effect they enable also helps attract more support. Followers can nominate friends who may be interested in similar opportunities.
Advocacy & Activism
Nonprofits leverage their Facebook audience for advocacy and activism initiatives related to their cause.
They can raise awareness of important issues, bills, and legislation coming up for vote. Posts explain the impact and provide clear calls to action for supporters to contact their elected representatives.
For time-sensitive advocacy issues, nonprofits use Facebook ads to rapidly mobilize their base. Ads can target by location and demographics to reach constituents of specific legislators.
Nonprofits participate in issue-based rallies, marches, and protests. Facebook serves as a powerful tool to promote the action, share preparations, and provide on-the-ground coverage.
Similarly, supporters use their own Facebook accounts to spread information about causes. Nonprofits provide shareable content and guidance for individuals to educate and activate their personal networks effectively.
Brand Partnerships
Corporate partnerships provide fundraising and awareness opportunities for nonprofits on Facebook. Co-branded cause marketing campaigns engage a brand’s audience with the nonprofit mission.
Partnerships work best when there is a natural alignment between the brand’s target consumers and the nonprofit’s supporters. For example, outdoor brands partnering with environmental nonprofits.
Campaigns often involve limited edition products with proceeds benefiting the nonprofit. Contests and sweepstakes incentivize the brand’s audience to take action and learn more. Storytelling content highlights the shared values between the partners.
Nonprofit Pages can share partner collateral while encouraging followers to engage. Brand partners also promote on their channels and at retail. Facebook facilitates large-scale activation at lower costs than traditional media.
Crisis Response
Facebook enables nonprofits to provide rapid response during societal crises like natural disasters, civil unrest, and public health emergencies.
Pages quickly become centralized hubs for real-time updates, safety precautions, resources, and ways to help. Check-in features confirm safety of nonprofit personnel.
Supporters can donate directly to relief efforts via Facebook Fundraisers. Calls to action requesting supplies or volunteers are spread virally through shares.
Live video addresses followers instantly with urgent information as things unfold. Comments foster community support and resilience.
Rapid paid advertising boosts critical response content. Geo-targeted ads deploy help to affected regions. Hashtags organize topic-specific conversations.
Facebook consolidates updates from multiple response nonprofits and public agencies for efficient dissemination.
Market Research
Facebook Analytics provides rich data to guide nonprofits’ strategies. Page Insights offer metrics on followers and content performance.
Nonprofits can survey followers with Facebook Polls to gain quick feedback and insights. Polls help test ideas and learn about preferences.
Comments on posts provide qualitative data directly from target audiences. Nonprofits can engage to understand feelings and needs relevant to their mission.
Facebook advertising includes robust audience segmentation options. Testing different targeting parameters reveals which groups are most responsive at optimal cost.
Ongoing analysis of highest-converting content, engagement patterns by time/day, and demographic data enables nonprofits to fine-tune their Facebook presence.
Supporter Retention
Nonprofits must steward existing supporters while also attracting new ones. Facebook facilitates ongoing nurturing relationships with stakeholders.
Tagging and thanking supporters by name acknowledges them and deepens bonds. Supporters can be recognized on milestone birthdays or anniversaries of joining.
Content reinforcing the impact created together reminds supporters of their integral role in the mission. Updates on how donations are used maintains transparency and trust.
Messages are personalized based on interests and history with the organization. Segmenting supporter groups based on their preferences and tendencies enables tailored outreach.
Direct messaging maintains open channels for individual supporters to share feedback and have questions answered.
Prioritizing replies and social listening shows the nonprofit cares. Supporters feel valued rather than just transactional.
Occasional in-real-life events for top supporters creates opportunity for face-to-face interactions with staff and leadership.
Key Metrics to Track
To optimize their Facebook strategy, nonprofits should consistently analyze key performance indicators and trends. Some metrics to track include:
Follower Growth
– Overall follower count over time, goal is steady increase
– Follower acquisition by source (organic, paid, etc)
– Unfollow rate – aim to keep low through engagement
Engagement
– Likes, shares, comments on posts
– Clicks, reactions, on-post video views
– Live video views and participation
– Event responses and attendance
– Overall engagement rate
Reach & Impressions
– Total reach and impressions
– Organic vs. paid reach
– Audience location, age, gender
Traffic
– Link clicks to website or donation pages
– Website referral traffic from Facebook
– Bounce rate of traffic referred from Facebook
Conversions
– Donations and donations raised from fundraisers
– Event signups and attendance
– Volunteer signups
– Email list signups
– Success at driving advocacy actions
Ad Performance
– Ad recall lift and brand awareness lift studies
– CPM, CPC, CTR benchmarking
– ROI and customer acquisition costs
Regularly monitoring and analyzing these metrics informs optimal use of Facebook to engage supporters and fulfill nonprofits’ missions.
Common Challenges
While offering significant opportunity, Facebook also presents challenges for nonprofits to be aware of. Some of the top issues to keep in mind include:
Time Investment
Managing a Facebook presence requires daily monitoring and posting to see success. Lack of time and staffing limits that ability for smaller nonprofits.
Creating high-quality content and responding to supporters also takes significant time. Overloaded staff may spread themselves too thin.
Brand Control
Once content is shared to Facebook, nonprofits cede some control over how it spreads. Supporters may cite stats or reuse visuals out of context.
Negative comments about causes and organizations can spread virally. Nonprofits must proactively monitor brand perception.
Algorithm Changes
Frequent Facebook algorithm changes mean follower engagement and organic reach fluctuate over time. Relying too heavily on one channel leaves nonprofits vulnerable.
Measurement Challenges
While Facebook provides extensive analytics, attributing real-world impact to social media remains difficult. Proving return on investment is not always possible.
Isolating Facebook’s role separate from other channels in ultimately driving donations, volunteers, or other goals is tricky. Most successes involve multiple touchpoints across channels and time.
Donor Fatigue
When every nonprofit fundraises on Facebook, donor fatigue can set in. Differentiating and keeping supporters engaged long-term becomes more challenging.
Data Privacy
Recent data privacy changes like Apple’s App Tracking Transparency requirements restrict Facebook pixel and conversion tracking. This impacts nonprofit measurement and advertising targeting capabilities.
Toxicity & Misinformation
Facebook’s open nature means nonprofits may face harassment, bullying, or the spread misinformation regarding their cause. Proactively moderating comments and reporting abusive behaviors is important.
Best Practices
The following tips constitute best practices for nonprofits using Facebook:
Optimize Your Facebook Page
Fill out all sections with detailed organization information. Select a profile and cover photo representing your mission. Organize and pin key posts like donation links, events, contact info, and calls to action.
Post Consistently
Post at least 1-2 times per day to stay top of mind. Use a social media content calendar to plan and schedule posts in advance.
Diversify Content Formats
Share photos, videos, stories, live videos, graphics, and more. Text-only posts see much lower engagement. Create native content optimized for how users consume on Facebook.
Engage With Followers
Reply to comments, answer questions, and thank supporters for engaging. This fosters community and relationships with stakeholders. Enable messaging if supporters commonly need 1:1 channels.
Utilize Insights
Analyze Facebook Page Insights to understand your audience and learn what content resonates. Use the data to guide decisions and strategy.
Advertise Strategically
Leverage Facebook Ads Manager to promote content, events, donation pages, and more to targeted demographics and interests. Test different objectives, creatives, and audiences.
Integrate With Other Channels
Share content from blogs, email newsletters, Instagram, etc. to Facebook followers. Cross-promote Facebook content on website and other channels.
Partner With Influencers
Work with social media influencers to expand reach and access new audiences. Align with influencers authentically interested in your cause vs. just any follower count.
Conclusion
Facebook provides tremendous opportunities for nonprofits to advance their mission and increase real-world impact. Organizations can reach broad audiences to build awareness, fundraise, recruit volunteers, advocate for issues, respond during crises, and more.
Success requires investing time into creating quality content, engaging supporters, optimizing pages, advertising strategically, and analyzing performance. Balancing promotion with authentic relationship building and community fostering also keeps supporters invested long-term.
Nonprofits must also heed common challenges like requiring extensive time investment and losing some brand control. With careful strategy and best practice implementation, nonprofits can leverage Facebook to change lives and drive transformative social impact.