4. ◼Who is your audience?
◼What platforms best suit the
organization?
◼Focus on 2-3 primary platforms
◼(Make sure website is in top shape before
starting any social media)
◼How do you do much in little time?
◼What voice/vibe/energy suits the non-
profit you are branding?

5. 1. Know your audience & add value
2. Be responsive, authentic & open
3. Build trust -- do what you say you’ll do
4. Build relationships & community (online & in
person)
5. Be professional & transparent (work vs.
personal)
6. Be a safe risk-taker
7. Best social media is done live & in real time.

6. • Reach a new audience
• Engage with donors & those you serve
• Improve visibility, image, reach more people in
less time
• Do more with limited resources
• Improve website traffic & engagement
• Improve communication, trust/credibility
• Encourage sharing (photos, video, links, stories)
• Build (a supportive) community
• Raise awareness

7. ◼Take time to build relationships
◼Reward your followers (with good,
valuable content, and occasional perks or
giveaways)
◼Invest time in social media every day
◼Are strategic & thoughtful
*Tip: Use email newsletter to promote
social media channels and your blog!

12. TIPS:
◼ Encourage Facebook
reviews!
◼ Encourage volunteers,
members, clients, etc.,
to post photos.
◼ Ask questions
◼ Use Facebook Events
for greater reach
◼ Save hashtags for
Twitter or Instagram

13. ◼ Fill out page info (website, address, hours, etc.)
◼ Include a photo or video on every post, even those with links.
All post photos should be square or horizontal. See
http://bit.ly/FbookCheatSheet for more details
◼ Space posts 4+ hours apart, but post 1+ per day if possible
◼ Tag organizations using “@”
◼ Use @ & “reply” button to reply individually on comment
thread
◼ Use a “Facebook Team” if you have multiple stories,
departments, or capable volunteers
◼ Check your “Insights” or analytics & adjust strategy
◼ Preschedule posts when needed, send link for review
More: http://bit.ly/BestFbook

14. Bit.ly for Shortening, Sharing and Tracking

15. • Connect with like-minded organizations
• Connect with individual reporters
• Engage in the conversation
• Always Include LINKS & IMAGES!
• Ideal Twitter is image is 525 x 262 pixels.
For Twitter: Use Hashtags to follow threads of
interest, ie. : #RVA #VA #FXBG #NOVA
Topics, ie. #Playoutdoors #Garden #ECE #Kids
#Autism #RVAart
More best practices: http://bit.ly/TwitterBESt
Look at your Twitter Analytics:
analytics.twitter.com
Image: http://pinoytutorial.com/techtorial/facebook-search-engine-rumor-against-google-details/
Twitter

17. ◼Video or still
photos
◼Live in real time
◼Contests to
increase
engagement
◼User Generated
content &reposts
◼Hashtags to
increase viewing
& connect with
the right
audience

19. Review What’s Working

21. Tools: Canva

23. Using Our Power for Good

24. Use Instagram Contests for Multiple Objectives
◼Build Relationships
◼Encourage Engagement
◼Create Buzz
◼User-Generated Content
◼Opportunity for Collaboration
◼Reward Fans
◼Because It’s Fun

25. It’s not about the Winner …

26. A Snapshot of Dominion GardenFest of Lights via Fans
Tool: PicMonkey

27. Contests: A Few Ideas
◼ Partner with other nonprofits for prizes, tag them &
cross-promote on social media.
◼ Choose a short & memorable hashtag; vet it.
◼ Make sure you have a “rules” page with a
disclaimer allowing use of images for promotional
purposes.
◼Use onsite signage to promote contest with
Instagram logo & hashtag .
◼Search for relevant photos that might be good
entries & tell them about the contest. Despite all the
signs, and promotion, some don’t know about it.

30. Pinterest
◼Rule No. 1: Add Value
◼Rule No. 2: Drive Traffic (to your own
webpage & to other reputable pages)
◼Don’t pin any photo without checking it
out
◼Create new content on your blog (for the
purpose of pinning)
◼Highly visual (photos & infographics)

31. Pinterest Analytics
Pinterest Analytics

40. http://www.shoutmeloud.com/5-reasons-why-readers-unsubscribe-from-blogs-rss-feed.html
Blogs are
alive!
• Use Wordpress
• Link to partners & like-
minded organizations
• Build ambassadors for
your brand
• Support your
Nonprofit’s mission
• Use tagging to help SEO
• Recycle & Cross-post
Content
• Use categories to make
a microblog

41. • Allow people to subscribe via email
• Tell your story
• Create “Pinable” content that drives traffic to your website
• Share blog posts on other social media -- recycle content
• Share your legacy (acts as a history of your nonprofit)
• Content re-appears is reusable (unlike Facebook)
Your Blog

42. How Do You Create Compelling Blog Content?
◼Write to your Best Friend
◼Tie into Current Events & Hot Topics
◼Image or Infographic Heavy. Light Text.
◼Ask your Readers What They Want to Know
◼Ask your Front-line Staff What Questions They Get
◼Q&A or Take 5 (New staff, Board Members, Volunteers, Etc.)
◼Do a “Top10” Post
*Recapping your best posts
*Featuring the best blogs or posts in your industry
◼Guest Bloggers (Clients, Volunteers, Constituents, Donors)
◼Be an Expert!
◼Recap (Year in Review, Community Kitchen Garden Recap)
◼Tell Your Personal Story
◼Share the <3

43. Wordpress Stats

44. You must check in on social media at least
every 24 hours, more is better
Guidelines:
*At least 1-3 Tweets a day
*At least 1 Facebook post a day (if more space by 4
hours)
*At least 2 blog posts a week
*Regular attention to any platform you are on
*Responsive & active engagement with those who
comment & interact on your page

45. ◼Social Media is not a direct ask tool for
fundraising

46. ▪ Set Guidelines (ie transparency)
▪ Identify social media team
▪ Go over policy with employees in person, answer
questions. Provide written copy & have them sign
when they read/accept it. Post on web, handbook, &
on social platforms
▪ Focus on what staff can do…… not what they can’t
do.
▪ Consider legal issues. Chris Fortier & PRSARVA
have a great presentation on this:
http://www.prsarichmond.org/attachments/files/396/Legalities_of_Social_Media.pdf
▪ * email me if you’d like a copy of the Garden’s 1-page
social media policy.
▪ Great resource: http://www.nptechforgood.com/

47. Questions?