You don’t need me to tell you that Thanksgiving is almost upon us. While we prepare to stuff ourselves with all kinds of culinary goodness, it’s also the time to think about being thankful for what we have and sharing some of our good fortune with those who aren’t as fortunate. The season of giving is here. This week, we invited Camber Clemence from GiveWP to talk about what the season of giving means for nonprofits, and how they can leverage it to promote their cause. Here’s a summary of our chat.
Guest: Camber Clemence
Topic: Twitter for nonprofits
Format: Eight questions directed at the guest. Everyone’s welcome to share.
The giving season is marked by the season of kindness and gift-giving. It rolls around in October and lasts through December. It’s a significant time for nonprofits because most of them receive a majority of their donations during these months, the biggest day is Giving Tuesday. It’s observed the day after Cyber Monday. In recognition of our immense spending behavior leading up to Christmas, Giving Tuesday is a day of paying it forward and donating to others who might not have the same privilege as the rest of us.
A1.1: Giving Season is the last quarter of the year and it features one very big day of giving – #GivingTuesday.
More than half of all charitable and nonprofit groups receive over 50% of their total annual donations in Q4. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/DyRm3NX2E6
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
This is also the time when nonprofits should be on their best behavior. To attract donors and encourage people to share their love, these nonprofits need to spread their message to a wide range of audiences.
A1.2: In order to attract donors, it is mission-critical for organizations to attract donors by delivering a message that engages and inspires them to take action.
One way of doing this is to leverage available communication channels, like Twitter. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/DyRm3NX2E6
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
However, it’s important to remember, as Madalyn noted, giving doesn’t necessarily mean donating money. Nonprofits need money, sure, but they also need help with other things like volunteering time to clean up or attending to an IT issue, or sorting the mail. Every little helps in some way or the other.
A1: The giving season is a time where others are inspired to give back to their favorite causes and organizations. It doesn’t always have to be a monetary donation, as we can also offer our time to help others. #GivingTuesday #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/5eXKyP2OCd
— Madalyn Sklar Digital Marketing Since 1996 (@MadalynSklar) November 4, 2021
Thanks to Twitter’s ubiquity, it’s a great place to bring donors, volunteers, and nonprofit communities together.
A2.1: Twitter is one of the best platforms to create ongoing and genuine conversations between your organization, your donors, potential donors, and your volunteers. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/tL2ph6xp3J
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
So if you’re part of a nonprofit and helping with Twitter strategy, there are a few things to keep in mind, such as who you’re talking to (audience), what you’re saying (your message), and how you’re saying it (tone, accessibility, hashtags).
A2.2: As with all branded tweets, some things to consider when composing a tweet include:
Copy: Brand Voice/Tone, Value, Relevancy, and Emotion
Audience & Demographics
Images & GIFS
Accessibility (ALT, wise emoji usage, and #CamelCase)
Minimal hashtags#TwitterSmarter https://t.co/tL2ph6xp3J— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
Above all, remember that Twitter can be a noisy place. To make your tweets memorable, write as you would a story: Start with a good hook, use imagistic wording, and end with a clear and straightforward call to action.
A2.3: Brevity is especially important for nonprofits on Twitter. Compose every tweet by starting with a great hook, using descriptive words, focusing on conflict/tension, visual elements to support the text, and making a direct ask. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/G6f8py7g44 https://t.co/tL2ph6xp3J
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
Vivian from Nimble made a good point, too. You’re likely not the only nonprofit organization campaigning for your cause. As such, keep in mind that for people fairly new to your cause, what you say and how you say it might be the first time hearing about it. Be careful to make a positive impression so that people will be keen to seek out other organizations who do similar things, and get involved in your cause more broadly.
A2: Non-profits need to consider not only how their tweets will shape people's view of their organization, but also how it affects the cause they represent ~ Vivian #TwitterSmarter
— Nimble (@Nimble) November 4, 2021
The easiest way to boost engagement, of any kind, is to share content that you know your audience needs and will appreciate. Ideally, the most beneficial type of engagement for nonprofits is retweets and quote retweets that’ll widen your reach, so tweet with that in mind. It’s also perfectly viable to ask for a retweet to help amplify your message.
A3.1: Engagement can be many things on Twitter but we encourage nonprofits to focus on sharing content that is likely to be retweeted or quote tweeted, capturing a much wider audience of potential donors. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/byvkWzojna
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
Apart from actively engaging (responding to threads, liking, and retweeting) with your target audience on Twitter, follow standard Twitter etiquette. For example, using clear hashtags without stuffing them in your tweets, using accessibility tools like camel case, alternative text, and closed captions, and ensuring that the images you share are sized appropriately.
A3.2: Nonprofits can encourage engagement by:
Including links
Sharing images that are an appropriate size.
1-2 hashtags (and use #CamelCase).
Interact and engage with your audience’s content as well as participating in relevant Twitter chats and spaces.#TwitterSmarter https://t.co/byvkWzojna— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
Importantly, as Jennifer told us, show your human side. If it works well for for-profit businesses and large corporate brands like Wendy’s, it sure can work for you as well.
A3: Be human! The same behaviors people are attracted to on Twitter for individual and for-profit accounts holds true for nonprofits. Be informational, educational, and somewhat entertaining. #TwitterSmarter
— ? Jennifer Navarrete (@epodcaster) November 4, 2021
Budget. It’s a challenge for marketing teams of all kinds, but especially for nonprofits who are often also short on other resources like people and technical know-how across a brand range of business nuances. The more a nonprofit spends on marketing, the less they have for their own cause.
A4.1: Many of the challenges that plague nonprofits are due to a lack of resources.
Every $ spent on marketing is a $ that doesn’t go to their cause. Marketing and community-building tools, like Twitter, may take a backseat to other programs or initiatives. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/WaMeQtoJRR
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
A good way to alleviate some of the financial stress is to find skilled volunteers—people who have experience and the skills to deal with technicalities, such as IT, legal, operations, accounting and finance, and project management.
A4.2: Skills-based volunteering can help close the gap.
If you want to volunteer your skills or services with a nonprofit, you can use resources like @catchafire and @taprootfound to connect with organizations and take on projects. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/WaMeQtoJRR
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
If you volunteer/work for a nonprofit, online tools are your friends. Use social media scheduling tools, online design tools, video makers, and other DIY apps to help you run your social media handles. As always, though, don’t ever automate your responses—that’s still got to be all human.
A4.3:Utilizing tools (such as Tweet Deck or @Agorapulse) for scheduling and social listening can help small nonprofits stay on top of their Twitter presence and community engagement. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/WaMeQtoJRR
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
Fair warning from Jim, though: It’s natural to think that the rest of the world’s as enthusiastic about your cause as you are, but that may not always be the case. Before you go full-on, make sure you know your audience and what they want to avoid coming across as spammy.
A4 Nonprofits new to Twitter might think they need to make a big splash, using hashtags as if they were on Instagram. Good intentions quickly become spammy. #TwitterSmarter
— Jim Katzaman – Get Debt-Free One Family at a Time (@JKatzaman) November 4, 2021
Rule 1: Share good content.
Rule 1.1: Reciprocate. Engage with your community just the way you want them to engage with your content.
A5.1: It is crucial to provide compelling, valuable, relevant, and timely content that resonates with your audience!
Don't forget – community is a two-way street. Nonprofits should also interact and engage with the content being shared by their community #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/QdggXHy5hX
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
The greatest thing about being a nonprofit on social media is that you’re not competing against other organizations to see who’s better. Take advantage of the fact that you’re all campaigning for the same cause (or similar ones) and bring your audience together. Chances are someone who’s invested in your community might also be interested in investing in another cause. When communities connect, messages spread wider, and the spotlight grows bigger.
A5.2: Lean into the nonprofit space on Twitter! Connect with other organizations, leaders, and philanthropic resources to create community beyond who your donors are.
Participate and share resources amongst one another. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/QdggXHy5hX
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
Use Twitter’s inherent features to your benefit. Create private lists of donors you want to engage with, create public lists of similar causes that your audience can subscribe to, and participate in Twitter chats and spaces to reach more people.
A5.3: Use the tools… like Lists to curate individual communities built around your donors, resources, and other nonprofit organizations.
Spaces and Chats to engage in real-time conversation about relevant topics. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/QdggXHy5hX
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
As Madalyn emphasized, it’s crucial to be around for your audience. Communities form when there are actively engaging conversations. Create those scenarios often. Show up and keep showing up. Assure your audience that you’ll be there for them.
A5: If you want to build a community, show up often! Join Twitter chats to make new connections. Host and participate in Twitter Spaces to speak about your cause/mission. You can even create a branded hashtag for your account and others to use. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/vxQmf3ZSTz
— Madalyn Sklar Digital Marketing Since 1996 (@MadalynSklar) November 4, 2021
Consider the setting. If you’re about to respond to a tweet or an existing conversation, consider whether your message is relevant for that conversation. Just because people like to support a nonprofit cause doesn’t mean they’ll appreciate you jutting into a discussion where your message isn’t appropriate.
A6.1: Twitter’s slogan may be “Join the Conversation” but there is a time/place for everything.
It’s critical for nonprofits to consider timeliness – don’t insert or center your nonprofit in conversations where your input isn’t unnecessary. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/8JuTOar6sA
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
Think about your audience and your calls to action (CTAs). As a nonprofit, your purpose on Twitter would be to attract new donors to support your cause and engage with existing donors. With that in mind, remember to send them to reliable links with clear action texts/buttons so that they’re reassured that you’ll never mislead them.
A6.2: Two goals for nonprofits on Twitter are to 1) acquire new donors and 2) keep past donors engaged.
It’s crucial that sending your Twitter audience to your website does not dissuade them from giving. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/8JuTOar6sA
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
Another important piece of your donation campaign should be easy-to-navigate systems. Don’t make it hard for your potential donors to sign up. Ensure that any forms, surveys, payment gateways, and fundraiser pages are all easy to access, clear, and straightforward.
A6.3: Your donation site should feature a clear CTA and provide a seamless way to give. Our WordPress plugin is a powerful tool that allows nonprofits to integrate donations directly into their WordPress site, allowing orgs to "own their land". #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/8JuTOar6sA
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
Of course, as our guest pointed out when you direct donors to your website and collect your funds directly through your own systems, you’re less likely to lose them due to any malfunctions of third-party systems. GiveWP’s WordPress plugin is a good way to collect funds directly through your WordPress website.
A6.4: As we know from #InternetShutDown or the shuttering of Virgin Mobile Giving, accepting donations on your own site means your organization’s fundraising is never interrupted due to a third-party. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/8JuTOar6sA
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
We all know nonprofits don’t have the same purpose as for-profit businesses. However, as Jeremy pointed out, a nonprofit being pushy (even for good reasons) is pretty much the same as a business being overly salesy. Instead, opt for genuine discussions to spread your message.
A6: DO NOT BE PUSHY!
That is just like "sell, sell, sell" content and no one likes that. #TwitterSmarter
— Jeremy Linaburg (@jeremy_linaburg) November 4, 2021
Step one: Create lists and add your volunteers to those lists. It’s an excellent way to keep everyone together and build a community.
A7.1: I cannot emphasize the importance of using Lists enough to connect with any audience, and that includes your volunteer base.
To keep current volunteers engaged and informed, collect their Twitter handles in your forms and add them to your Volunteers list! #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/2FeHXgBsql
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
Once you start building out an active community, start engaging with them and sharing content that encourages them to engage back with you.
A7.2: The power of community serves orgs well when attracting new volunteers.
Share valuable content related to your mission, volunteers will find you!
Engage in conversation in the regions you serve + make it easy for volunteers to get information. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/2FeHXgBsql
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
Most importantly, include behind-the-scenes content in your regular posts. Show volunteers working, and if you have a physical space, show your local community interacting with your cause. These posts humanize your organization and help people connect with your cause more.
A7.3: And last, but not least, when sharing user-generated or behind-the-scenes content, don’t forget to share volunteering content!
Just as an employee wants to know about workplace culture, so do your volunteers. Show them the impact they can have. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/2FeHXgT3hT
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
We often talk about the value of user-generated content (UGC) for brands. As Theodora put it, for nonprofits, it’s their volunteers. Encourage them to talk about their volunteering experiences on social media. They’re your biggest advocates, so make sure you set up a comfortable environment for them to share and be part of.
A7. Just share the joy of #giving!
Encourage volunteers to talk about their experience with your organization with no fancy speeches.
Make simple, clear rules for people to follow when sharing information about your campaigns and let them express themselves.
— Teodora Ema Pirciu (@EmaPirciu) November 4, 2021
Before you dive headfirst, recognize and acknowledge any lack of resources you may have as a nonprofit. This will help you prioritize and delegate activities effectively.
A8.1: Ensuring efficiency across communication channels is key. Sharing effective messaging on Twitter is important but, as mentioned, lack of resources can often stretch organizers pretty thin.
There are three big things we want to highlight here… #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/JJsBc23vqY
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
If you’re short on time—and let’s face it, everyone is—look for ways to repurpose existing content. This might mean retweeting or quote retweeting old tweets, resharing older/evergreen blog posts and articles, retweeting a thread of information or resources, etc.
A8.2 Many nonprofits may not have the time to consistently create original content.
Repurpose/reuse your content and share content from others. RT’ing tweets, news articles, data points, etc. Just make sure it is relevant to your cause and your community! #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/JJsBc23vqY
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
As we’ve already established, you have to be there for your audience. Consistently. The best and easiest way to ensure you’re consistent is to schedule your posts in advance. Use social media management tools to make life easier.
A8.3 Dedicate time to scheduling content for Twitter.
It becomes easier with time and is ultimately the best way to ensure you’re being consistent on Twitter. You can schedule within Twitter, use Tweet Deck, or another service like @Agorapulse. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/JJsBc23vqY
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
Analyze like you’re crazy. This is important for everyone, and even more so for nonprofits who don’t have the time to waste resources on things that don’t work. Regularly check your statistics to understand which types of content work better and what your audience likes to engage with more. Knowing this can drastically improve efficiency.
A8.3 Dedicate time to scheduling content for Twitter.
It becomes easier with time and is ultimately the best way to ensure you’re being consistent on Twitter. You can schedule within Twitter, use Tweet Deck, or another service like @Agorapulse. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/JJsBc23vqY
— GiveWP (@GiveWP) November 4, 2021
Well, that’s all from me, folks. Thanks for reading through, and for more insights from our chat with Camber from GiveWP, have a look at this Twitter Moment that Joana out together for us. If you think this summary is pretty good, you’ll love the real-time chat. Join us every Thursday at 1pm ET on #TwitterSmarter. Afterward, we also hang out on Twitter Spaces at 5pm ET to continue our chat. Catch you there!
About me, Narmadhaa:
I write all the things—technical and marketing copy to fill the pocket; haiku and short stories to fill the soul. A social media enthusiast, I’m a member of the #TwitterSmarter chat crew, and always happy to take on writing gigs.
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