Soapbox Engage Blog

Social media is a central part of our culture. Most people are on at least one platform, and Facebook is the most popular social media platform, followed by YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter.

Social media is also transforming the way individuals and nonprofits network and fundraise. Facebook users donated over $2 billion to date, proving that social media platforms are significantly changing fundraising. If done correctly, you can expand your support base and raise significant funds on social media platforms, especially with Facebook.

Here’s the key things you need to know before asking for donations on Facebook.

1) Strengthen your presence on Facebook

If you want to have successful fundraising campaigns on Facebook (or any other social media platform), it’s helpful to have a robust non-fundraising presence. Potential donors are wary of Facebook pages that look like ghost towns with the most recent post dating back ages ago. Here’s how you can boost your Facebook presence.

Make sure your Facebook page is set up right

It’s essential to invest time and energy building a presence and sense of community on your Facebook page. Make sure your organization has a Facebook Page, not a personal profile (Facebook guidelines prohibit organizations from using personal profile pages.)

Also, don’t leave the “About” section of your page blank. This information appears on your main page and should provide new visitors with the necessary information about your organization--including a link to your website. Google and Facebook also use the content for search engine optimization (SEO).

While you’re setting everything up, make sure you turn on the “Similar Page Suggestions” to increase the number of people you reach on Facebook. Also, don’t forget to add “sharing” buttons to your online content so your followers can “Like” and “Share” your content. Finally, you should also add Facebook links to your website and email updates so people can find, like, and follow your Facebook page.

Photos and images matter

The profile picture and cover image are more important than you might think. The profile picture is the primary visual element for your page; it will appear in search results and next to any comments you post. The ideal profile picture size is 180px x 180px.

Your photos and cover images should be high quality, relevant, and consistent with your brand. Choose cover images that tell the story of your organization. What is your vision and mission? Have those stand out in your profile images.

Hiring a graphic designer to create profile pictures and cover art for your social media platforms can be helpful, too. First impressions are critical, and quality graphics stand out. Your cover photo should draw people in. With Facebook as a part of your marketing strategy, it’s essential to put some thought, effort, and resources into the graphics, images, and content.

Of course, you can change your cover and profile photos to match your current campaigns or events. Just make sure you keep everything high quality and consistent with your organization’s brand.

Share non-fundraising content often

One effective way to attract more followers and improve your social media presence is to create and share relevant content frequently. Posting regular content helps you stay connected to your current followers and draw in new ones.

Whether you share relevant content from other sources or you create original content, make a habit of posting to your Facebook page frequently to keep your audience engaged and increase your “relationship” with them. Prioritize photos and graphics over links and long posts. Research shows that images receive more engagement than other types of content.

When you share essential or time-sensitive updates and information, use the “Pin to Top” feature to make sure your followers see and read it. You can even share your email updates to your social media accounts to reach a larger audience and potentially add more email subscribers.

2) Understand the two fundraising options for Facebook

There are two ways to use Facebook for fundraising. You can host a fundraiser through Facebook itself, or you can leverage your Facebook presence to invite people to give online through your donation page. Either way, Facebook can be a handy fundraising tool for nonprofits.

Using Facebook’s fundraising feature does come with its advantages and disadvantages. Nonprofits must have 501c3 status and complete Facebook’s application process before they can host a fundraiser through Facebook. This process can take a while, so you’ll need to be a bit patient when starting.

Perhaps the most significant factor to consider is that if you host your fundraiser through Facebook. You won’t receive your donor’s information unless they agree to share it with you. This makes it difficult to follow up and build a relationship with new supporters. If you choose to use your Facebook presence to promote your fundraising campaign, you have far more control over the information and the process.

3) Write an appealing fundraising post on Facebook

Now that your Facebook page is set up and you are consistently posting relevant content, it’s time to start writing some fundraising appeals. There’s an art to asking for donations on Facebook. You need to be straightforward about what you need, but you can’t just write, “Please give us money.”

An effective donation post must have some (or all) of the following.

• A link to your donation page or website
• Information about how you plan to use the money
• Some kind of visual content (photos, infographics, or videos)

If Facebook requests are part of a more extensive fundraising campaign, it’s also helpful to provide information about the total amount you are trying to raise and how much you’ve raised to that point.

Give clear instructions

Make it very clear what you would like your prospective donor to do. Whether you are asking people to give online or inviting them to attend a fundraising event, make it clear, and keep the process as simple as possible. Provide a link for them to go directly to the donation page. The more steps in the process, the less likely people are to complete your call-to-action.

4) Know how often to ask for donations on Facebook

It might sound crazy, but there is such a thing as asking too often--donor fatigue is a real thing. It’s not so much how often you ask, it’s how often you are interacting with your donors. If the majority of your interaction with supporters includes a request for money, your donors will become tired of reading your posts and emails. It’s critical to balance your interaction by sharing a balance of stories, updates, valuable content, donation requests, and thank-yous.

Business experts recommend following a “70/20/10 rule,” and it applies to nonprofits as well. Seventy percent of your content should be valuable, engaging, and informative content (stories, updates, and content that will be of help or value to your readers). Most of your social media content should add value to your online community.

About 20% of your content should be “shared content.” Whether you share content from your own community or from other organizations and businesses, it’s essential to bring other people’s content into your Facebook community. Some nonprofits ask supporters or recipients of their services to share about their own experiences volunteering or giving. Promote books, blogs, and other content that is relevant to your work. Share relevant news stories or updates on laws and policies.

Finally, only about 10% of your content should specifically promote your own business or organization. As long as your asks for donations only adds up to about 10% of your content, you can ask away!

5) Track the data

We don’t want to sound like a broken record, but it’s essential to gather and track as much data as possible. Facebook provides a surprising amount of data about how many people read each Facebook post, when your followers are online, and which of your posts have the best “reach” (clicks, likes, shares, and comments).

The more you know about how your followers are engaging with your content, the more you can customize your Facebook presence for maximum results.

With these five steps, you’ll be ready to maximize the effectiveness of your fundraising on Facebook. If you want to take your fundraising efforts to the next level, here are three more resources that will get you moving in the right direction.

• Accept Donations Online: 8 Effective Tools for Nonprofits: No matter what kind of fundraising campaign you plan to run, it’s essential for nonprofit organizations to be able to accept donations online. Fortunately, it’s very easy, and there are plenty of tools to get you started!
• 5 Ways To Boost Your Wording When Asking For Donations: Whether you are writing Facebook asks or crafting email or newsletter requests, one of the most essential factors in fundraising is using the right words. Here are some easy ways to improve your asks for donations.
• How To Ask For Donations In An Email: Email and social media are two very cost-effective, convenient, and impactful ways to fundraise and expand your donor base. Here are some practical tips to help you write unique, effective email requests for donations.