The Next Wave: Emerging Trends in Nonprofit Social Media Marketing

TWEET WITH US: @JULIACSOCIAL @BLOOMERANGTECH

ABOUT ME
Mom of 2
Author, Storytelling in the Digital Age: A Guide for
Nonprofits and How to Build and Mobilize a Social
Media Community for Your Nonprofit in 90 Days
Former Development and Marketing Director at
small shops
To get my free Nonprofit Digital Storytelling
Workbook, text WORKBOOK to 33777.
Or: https://jcsocialmarketing.com/workbook

WHAT WE WILL
COVER TODAY:
The top social media marketing trends entering 2021
that nonprofits need to understand;
A framework and a system to evaluate and choose
the best platforms for your unique organization (or,
how to combat shiny object syndrome!);
Ideas for creating great social media content your
audience will love no matter the platform;
A peek inside Julia’s battle-tested digital toolbox of
tools and apps to help you with social media and
digital marketing.

THE DIGITAL
LANDSCAPE
My trusted sources:
Pew Internet
M+R Benchmarks
The Global Trends in Giving Report 2020
eMarketer’s US Social Media Usage Report
2020

COVID-19 CHANGED HOW, WHY AND HOW
MUCH WE ARE ONLINE

WHAT WE KNOW
ABOUT COVID-19
DONORS
The top three preferred methods of
giving are:
Online (80.5%)
Bank/wire transfer (18.6%)
Direct mail/post (14.4%)

DOES SOCIAL MEDIA MATTER FOR
NONPROFITS?
YES, 94% of NGOs worldwide agree that social media is
effective for creating online brand awareness
YES, 30% of nonprofit website traffic currently comes
from social media
YES, 36% of social media users say that they have
used social media sites like Facebook and Twitter
in the past month to show support for a cause
Source: Global NGO Technology Report
Tweet with us: @JuliaCSocial @BloomerangTech

DATA INSIGHTS
CHANGING BEHAVIOR
% who say the following are main reasons for using social media
Because my friends
are on them
To stay in touch
with my friends
To network for
work
To follow celebrities
or celebrity news
To research/find
products to buy
2015: 37%
2018: 31%
Trend: -16%
2015: 44%
2018: 40%
Trend: -9%
2015: 22%
2018: 24%
Trend:+9%
2015: 15%
2018: 19%
Trend:+27%
2015: 23%
2018: 30%
Trend:+30%
Source: Pew Research Center

PEW INTERNET FINDINGS
OCTOBER 2020
Roughly a quarter (23%) of
adult social media users in the
United States – and 17% of
adults overall – say they have
changed their views about a
political or social issue because
of something they saw on social
media in the past year.
Pew Internet

SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCES CONSUMER
BEHAVIOR (AND THUS, DONOR BEHAVIOR)
Consumers who are influenced by social media are four
times more likely to spend more on purchases.
Social media and online shopping shortened the customer
journey.
Social media amplified the impact of social proof or
word-of-mouth.
Social media influencer marketing remains one of the
most effective ways to reach your audience.
Source:
https://www.searchenginewatch.com/2020/11/20/how-
social-media-influence-71-consumer-buying-decisions/

DIGITAL
MARKETING
TRENDS THAT WILL
SHAPE NONPROFIT
COMMS IN 2021

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND CHATBOTS
ARE HERE, AND NONPROFITS NEED TO
GET ON BOARD.
What is a chatbot and how
does it work?
“A chatbot is a service,
powered by rules and
sometimes artificial intelligence,
that you interact with via a chat
interface. The service could be
any number of things, ranging
from functional to fun, and it
could live in any major chat
product (Facebook Messenger,
Slack, Telegram, Text Messages,
etc.).”
Source: The Complete
Beginner’s Guide To Chatbots

WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT CHATBOTS?
“A quarter of all downloaded apps are abandoned after a single use. Only instant
messaging bucks the trend.
Over 2.5 billion people have at least one messaging app installed. Within a couple
of years, that will reach 3.6 billion, about half of humanity.
The market’s leading duo, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, which is also owned
by Facebook, are nearing one billion monthly users each.
Many teenagers now spend more time on smartphones sending instant messages than
perusing social networks.
WhatsApp users average nearly 200 minutes each week using the service.”
The Economist – Bots, the next frontier

RESOURCES TO
LEARN MORE
ABOUT
CHATBOTS:
Pinterest board (free to access): AI and Chatbots for
Nonprofits
Beth Kanter wrote an illuminating op-ed for The
Chronicle of Philanthropy on the age of automation
and it implications for fundraisers.
Kanter also compiled a great list of chatbots that
nonprofits can study, research, and use for ideas and
inspiration.

BOTS FOR CHARITY
Direct Relief & Mind Heros created the free service Bots
for Charity specifically to help nonprofits leverage this
technology.
Check them out here: https://botsforcharity.com/
Susan G. Komen Florida implemented a chatbot, using
ManyChat, as a way to provide ease of access to
resources and information.
During their annual Race for the Cure, Komen Florida’s
chatbot answered important FAQs for race participants.

“ALEXA, TELL ME ABOUT THE
INTERNET OF THINGS.”
The Internet of Things, or IoT,
refers to the billions of
physical devices around the
world that are now
connected to the internet, all
collecting and sharing data.
These include the helpful
virtual assistants we have on
our phones, in our watches,
and inside our homes.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-ND

ALEXA AMAZON SKILLS
The National Audubon Society – Audobon Bird Songs
The NRDC and the Ad Council – Save The Food
Mayo Clinic – Mayo Clinic First Aid
The American Heart Association – American Heart
You can create your own Alexa skill for free at:
https://developer.amazon.com/alexa-skills-kit/tutorials

LIVESTREAM FUNDRAISING VIA GAMING
PLATFORMS LIKE TWITCH ARE FORCES TO RECKON
WITH.

HAVE YOU
HEARD OF
TWITCH?
Have you heard of Twitch? No?
It’s the most popular livestreaming platform in the world.
Launched in 2011 by Justin Kan and Emmett Shear, the
online video platform is comparable to sites like YouTube
or Vimeo, except that it focuses exclusively on live video.
15 million users tune in to watch an average of 1.5 hours of
Twitch live streams each day.

LIVESTREAM
FUNDRAISING
During Suicide Prevention Awareness
Month, the Seize the
Awkward campaign ran a three-day
Twitch event to raise funds for their
mental health work.
More info: Going Live: How
Nonprofits Are Reaching Younger
Donors by Streamig Games Online

INTERACTIVE
EXPERIENCES
THROUGH AR AND
VR.
Rhodri Davis of the Charities Aid Foundation calls VR and
AR for nonprofits “empathy machines” and Mark
Zuckerberg calls these technologies “the holy grail of
social experiences”.

AR AND VR.
Augmented reality experiences like 360 degree photos are exploding in popularity,
especially on Facebook.
This is where you can place yourself at the center of the experience and use “360
Photo” through the Facebook app to take a full 360 degree panorama.
https://facebook360.fb.com/360-photos/

NONPROFIT
EXAMPLES:
Visit Philly – 360-degree virtual tour:
https://www.youvisit.com/tour/visitphi
lly
Four Walls –
https://www.rescue.org/four-walls
Beginning –
https://youtu.be/SelvUz8Zr3k

EPHEMERAL
(DISAPPEARING)
CONTENT.
Ephemeral content is content –
videos and photos – that disappear
after 24 hours.
Think Snapchat and Instagram
Stories.

EPHEMERAL (DISAPPEARING)
CONTENT.
Stories are incredibly popular and run in
chronological order – no algorithm here!
Stories put a more human face on your nonprofit
and make it more accessible.
Share real-time updates about news,
announcements, campaigns, events, and more.

EPHEMERAL
(DISAPPEARING)
CONTENT.
This creates a sense of urgency and relevancy
by sharing photos and video snippets as they
happen – your followers don’t want to miss a
thing.
The benefit – we want to be connected to the
causes and people we follow every day!

THE TIKTOK REVOLUTION
TikTok was the second most-downloaded app last
year, with 1.5 billion downloads.
What works best on the app:
TikTok is built for music
Humor
Entertainment
Surprise
Relatability

THE TIKTOK
REVOLUTION
What sets it apart and why people
love it:
Low-fi video focused on transitions,
video effects, and sound, more than it
is on filters that change your body.
Audience generosity and engagement
Easy-to-do creative concepts

INSTAGRAM REELS
VS. TIKTOK
If you’re looking to reach a Gen
Z audience, TikTok may be the
place to be.
If you’re looking to buffer up
your Instagram strategy and
grow your following, Instagram
Reels is a great place to start.

INSTAGRAM REELS VS. TIKTOK
On TikTok, users can record videos up to 60 seconds,
and on Instagram Reels, users can record videos up to
30 seconds.
Currently, on Reels, many business profiles are unable
to access Instagram’s music feature.
Another major difference between the platform’s
video tools is TikTok’s Duet, Reaction, and Stitch
features.
The TikTok “For You” Page (FYP) (the algorithm) is very
customized to your interests, whereas the Instagram
Reels Explore Page is a “melting pot” of content.

PEER-TO-PEER (P2P)
FUNDRAISING ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook Fundraising – Facebook Fundraisers, birthday
fundraisers, donate button
Instagram Fundraising – Instagram Stories donation
sticker, donate button on profiles, personal fundraisers
YouTube Fundraising – donation cards, link overlay on
videos
Sign up for these tools even if you don’t think you will use
them!
https://www.facebook.com/help/1640008462980459
https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9457362?hl
=en

IMPORTANT CHANGES TO
DATA PRIVACY
Last year, Apple announced that it will start asking
iOS 17 users - everyone with an iPhone! - to check a
box that says they opt-in to being tracked online.
With this update, 80-90% of your saved target
audience for ads could just disappear into thin air.
This means that social media ads will get a lot more
expensive, as the algorithm will have to work harder
to find you the right people to target.
TWEET WITH US: @JULIACSOCIAL@BLOOMERANGTECH
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

MY RECOMMENDATIONS TO FUTURE-PROOF YOUR
NONPROFIT
1) Meet your donors where they are, not where you want them to be. Make every
interaction as frictionless as possible.
Always consider the DONOR POV first when revamping your website, writing that email
welcome series, and sharing content on social media.
2) Focus on building your email list. Create a strategic plan to move your social media fans
and followers to your email list.
3) Don’t freak out. The only constant in online marketing is that it’s constantly changing.
Platforms come and go.
Focus on building a real community that will follow you no matter where you set up shop.

A FRAMEWORK AND A
SYSTEM TO EVALUATE AND
CHOOSE THE BEST
PLATFORMS FOR YOUR
UNIQUE NONPROFIT (OR,
HOW TO COMBAT SHINY
OBJECT SYNDROME!)

IMPORTANT
REMINDERS!
Don’t ever do anything that
you don’t enjoy other
nonprofits doing.
You are the expert on your
nonprofit.
Always check in with your
intuition.

DO NOT START
WITH THE TOOLS
“Getting on Facebook”
“Start tweeting”
“Get 5,000 fans”
THERE ARE NOT GOALS – they
are tactics to get to your goals

KNOW WHO YOU
WANT TO REACH.

TWO MAIN AUDIENCE SEGMENTS:
TWEET WITH US: @JULIACSOCIAL@BLOOMERANGTECH
The people
who are
already with
you and have
an interest in
what you do.
The people you
need to reach
and to engage
in order to
accomplish
your goals.

KNOW YOUR
CURRENT
AUDIENCE.
What do your supporters really value?
What do they want to know more about as related to
our nonprofit and our work?
What motivates them?
What drives them to participate?

THREE BUCKETS TO PULL FROM:
What is the demographic makeup of your fans? Age, location,
gender? Where do they predominantly reside, in which time zones?
Which topics tend to elicit the most engagement? What spurs the
greatest amount of comments and share? What gets a lot of likes or
reactions?
Which types of content—photo, video, text—generally get the most
engagement? When you post a link to an article, does that resonate
more than a text update? Do people love your video content? Does live
video work better than recorded video?

KNOWLEDGE GAPS
What does your
target audience
already know about
you?
What misconceptions
may they have about
the population you
work with or the work
that you do?

https://www.facebook.com/AmirahInc/videos

IDENTIFY WHO YOU NEED TO ATTRACT.
Why is this target audience important –
specifically, how will they help you accomplish
your goal?
What might they already know about you?
What may drive them to take the action that you
want?
Where do they get their information?
What else is important to them in creating a
meaningful life and how can your nonprofit fit in?

DON’T “CUT THROUGH
THE CLUTTER”.
A better question:
How do we cultivate, nurture,
and inspire a wildly passionate
group of supporters that
actually care about what we
do?

WHAT IS THE
INCENTIVE FOR
YOUR
AUDIENCE?
Attend an event – what’s in
it for them?
Make a donation – what’s in
it for them?
Visit your website – what’s it
in for them?
How can your social media
posts entice and inspire
participation?

REFRAME THE MESSAGE TO BE ABOUT THEM.
“AFEC Meet and Learn”
“The Duo Duo Project Red Envelope Fundraiser”
We need to stop making our communication about our organization and make it
about the audience.
“AFEC Meet and Learn”
“An Evening of Photography and Poetry”
“The Duo Duo Project Red Envelope Fundraiser”
“Join Us for A Fundraiser to Stop Dog Eating Forever!”

CHOOSE YOUR AMPLIFYING
CHANNELS.

HOW TO CHOOSE?
Which online platforms will
help us reach our target
audience and get them to
take the action we desire?
Those are the platforms and
channels that you focus on.
Don’t be afraid to break up
with social media platforms
that aren’t working!

CREATE A LIST OF CONTENT TOPICS.
Stories – staff, donor,
volunteer, client,
community
Stats and data that
shed light on the issue
and show me it’s a
problem worth
solving
Behind-the-scenes Upcoming events
Milestones Cause and awareness
days News stories How-to posts
Inspirational quotes

CREATE A LIST
OF CONTENT
TYPES.
Live video
Pre-recorded video clips
Photos
Graphics
Infographics
GIFs
Articles

ALSO – HAVE FUN!!!!

BATTLE-TESTED TOOLS
Canva –
https://about.canva.com/en_in/canva
-for-nonprofits/
Animoto –
https://animoto.com/business/non-
profit
Lumen5 –
https://lumen5.com/pricing/
WordSwag mobile app –
http://wordswag.co/

BATTLE-TESTED TOOLS
Hootsuite –
https://hootsuite.com/pages/landing
/non-profit-discount-application
Buffer – https://buffer.com/nonprofits
Later –
https://docs.later.com/billing-and-
accounts/does-later-have-nonprofit-
discounts

3 KEYS TO SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING SUCCESS
Confidence – in your voice, in your mission, and in taking risks.
Consistency – showing up regularly and being present (even when
you aren’t asking for anything).
Content – that people like to watch, read, share, comment on.
Follow the 80/20 rule!

BE PROACTIVE –
NOT JUST
REACTIVE.
Now is not the time to let people forget
that your organization exists.
Now is the time to show people how
effectively you stand for your mission and
your community – both when your physical
doors are open and when they are closed.

QUESTIONS?
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliacampbell/
Website:
www.JCSocialMarketing.com
To get my free Nonprofit Digital Storytelling
Workbook, text WORKBOOK to 33777.
Or: https://jcsocialmarketing.com/workbook

The Next Wave: Emerging Trends in Nonprofit Social Media Marketing

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