Instagram is a massive social media platform, so countless charities have turned to it for raising money. It’s a smart idea: given that over a billion people use the platform and the way it opens communication, it helps nonprofits tell their stories and connect with donors.
Using social media for personal reasons is one thing, though — using it for fundraising or business purposes is another. If you are trying to use Instagram to raise money, how do you maximize the number of people that notice you? How do you convince them to donate when people’s attention spans are so short? You can buy Instagram followers to boost your social proof, but you’ll need to put in work to reach followers capable of donating.
Here are a few tips that you can keep in mind as you create a social media campaign:
Make sure you’re using a business account
First and foremost, make sure that you are using a business account. A business account is more official and allows you to share your contact information.
Like personal accounts, business profiles also allow you to share a link. This is crucial if you are trying to fundraise: you can tell people where to donate money, but people are lazy. Odds are they aren’t going to Google your website and make a contribution. Make the process as easy for them as possible by including a link in your bio to your website, GoFundMe, or other platform where you are collecting funds. Instagram only allows you to share one link unless you are above a certain follower threshold, so use it wisely.
Instagram business accounts also include Instagram Insights. This feature provides you with valuable analytics regarding your campaign, including how far your posts reach, which your most popular posts are, what your audience demographics look like, and more. You don’t want to stumble through Instagram without guidance, so Instagram Insights enable you to make data-driven decisions and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Pay attention to hashtags
Hashtags are an integral part of Instagram and categorize posts. Without them, content would be much harder to find, so it’s imperative to tag your posts with keywords that make you discoverable. While the platform allows you to use as many as 30 hashtags, data suggests that 8-12 is optimal.
Not just any hashtag will work, though. Some tags are so saturated that your posts might be drowned out, and others won’t put your material in front of the right audience. Conduct careful hashtag research (there are tools available for this) to determine which ones are trending and most relevant to you.
Come up with a branded hashtag
In addition, create a branded hashtag. This hashtag is yours and yours alone. Lots of organizations use them to draw attention to their campaigns and make their efforts more searchable. In 2017, for instance, the Worldwide Breast Cancer Organization launched a hashtag campaign called #KnowYourLemons, encouraging people with breasts to check them for cancer more frequently. A catchy, creative, and maybe even informative hashtag can help you go viral, which is invaluable for garnering attention.
Create compelling content
Your content is essential. Your posts and Stories are ultimately what will convince people to donate to your cause. Use photos and videos to communicate what your story is, why this cause matters, who is hurting, what you are doing to address these issues, and what money from donors would go toward.
Interview people. Show success stories. Tug on Instagram users’ heartstrings. You’ll need to understand your audience to know how to appeal to them, so the kind of content charities create varies between them, but it’s not enough to ask for donations. Social media is an excellent opportunity to go into detail about a cause.
Tell a story
Tell a story through your content that encourages people to donate. You can use the posts within your feed, but Instagram Stories is an excellent tool for crafting a coherent narrative. Bring people on a journey that tells them why they should care as much as you do, and then let them know how to contribute. Stories also benefit from hashtags.
Network with influencers and other organisations
You don’t have to do everything alone! Tap into existing audiences by partnering with influencers and other brands who can bring attention to you. You don’t need to pay exorbitant fees to celebrities that have millions of followers — you can get by with “micro-influencers” who have between 1,000 and 100,000 followers. These profiles will be within your budget and arguably have better engagement, so you have more chances to actually connect with users.
Fundraising on social media can be challenging, but there are opportunities to connect with people who are willing to donate to your cause. If you are part of a nonprofit organization, how do you go about raising money on Instagram?