30 Jan 2012 No Comments
Make your online fundraising social
As an organization, you want to empower your supporters. With a slew of free online tools at your disposal, there are many you can choose from. Here are just a few to help implement an online social media fundraising strategy.
Direct supporters to your social media communities
Make sure your organization has its own unique social media presence. This helps develop the brand and brings all the conversation surrounding your event and nonprofit together nicely. It makes promoting fundraising events easier when everything is localized to one online destination. See how Humane Society of Tampa Bay leverages this strategy and have successfully aggregated conversation around their nonprofit on social media.
Create official mobile check-in locations
Many popular mobile applications like Facebook and Foursquare have “check-in” features to help organizations capitalize on the power of mobile technology. “Checking-in” is an opportunity for individuals to let their social networks become aware of their physical actions, attendance, and location. Any fundraising event has the potential to leverage this technology.
Before the physical event, be sure to have a listed, official location that your supporters can “check-in” to. Once an individual “checks-in” to your event, his/her perspective social network will be made aware of the actions. This is extra promotion and awareness the day of the event.
However, be sure to incentivize them to “check-in.” How does a free t-shirt for the first 5 “check-ins” sound? With your supporters’ news feeds promoting their attendance, this promotional push will come in handy when you ask for post event donations. With a bunch of popular “check-in” options, here are just a few of the more popular platforms.
If you’re new to this topic or just looking for a little more information download our Location Based Marketing webinar.
Use organized Twitter #hashtags
Twitter is a powerful tool for engaging supporters and raising awareness for your cause. If you haven’t created a Twitter account already, we recommend you do. Need a little convincing? Understandable. Read our Twitter white paper to learn more.
Help organize Twitter conversation around your nonprofit by letting your supporters know of an “official” Twitter hashtag. An “official” hashtag is simply a previously agreed upon tag that everyone uses to discuss an event. There should a new hashtag for each unique event.
As a theoretical example, let’s say your organization is hosting a “Bake-Off” for your favorite foster care organization. During the event’s promotion you would promote #NPOBakeOff and tweet something like…
Met our half way goal for our foster care “Bake-Off.” Help the cause! fundraisingpage.com #NPOBakeOff
Now all conversation revolving around this specific event can be cataloged by the #NPOBakeOff hashtag.
There are tons of online tools for your nonprofit to take advantage of. As another free tool, check out our “Donate Now” button. This application not only helps create a sense of community but also let’s you take donations right from your Facebook Page. See how the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship takes advantage of it and receives donations right on their Facebook page.
Photo courtesy of Siomuzzz 2008
