Social media has changed the game for—well, just about #everything! From fast fashion, to gig-sharing, to hive mind research, to political activism, social media platforms have become the town criers we look to for knowing what’s up. And with that kind of reach and impact, if you’re thinking about sharing your travel campaign fundraising goals via social, you can really cash in…as long as you make sure that you have a social media fundraising strategy that works for you!
When it comes to social media fundraising, one of the key factors for success is sharing copy that supports your cause and feels like it’s unique to you. No generic copy, no stock photos, no boring or cliché language here! The posts you share need to inspire others to click, to get to know you, and to want to support your cause. So, how do you do it? Well, we’ve got seven tips—and 5 social media fundraising examples—to help you get started. So, let’s go!
7 tips for social media fundraising
1. Decide on the best platform.
If you’re trying to share the power of your cause to a wider audience, exploring social media fundraising ideas is a great place to start to expand your reach!
Just remember that all platforms are not created equally, and some even have prohibitions against asking for money or hidden costs. Some platforms (like YouTube or Vimeo) are great for video, while other platforms (like Twitter and Facebook) make it super easy to repost or share. And some (like FundMyTravel) are geared toward specific causes, like meaningful travel experiences around the world.
2. Make sure you’re maximizing the power of your photos and videos.
Images make all the difference when you’re fundraising through social media. The right photo will inspire curiosity, motivate viewers to click through, and share the unique opportunities that your individual campaign will provide. And while all of that is the goal, you need to make sure that the photos you’re using are your own, safe to post, and don’t include any unintended people, places, or details. With that in mind, do a little research on the power of social media photos and videos with your phone to help support your campaign!
[Related: What is Online Fundraising?]
3. Use written copy that sounds like you.
When you’re exploring ways to use social media fundraising in your campaign, you’re going to need to share your message with your audience. Yes, you want to write copy that converts, but even more importantly, that written messaging needs to sound like you wrote it. The messaging on your social media should sound like an actual conversation with you, not like it came from some kind of generic copy-bot. When in doubt, ask a friend, “Does this sound like me?” and listen to what they tell you. Remember, feedback is a gift!
4. Be certain that the message is clear about how people can help!
If you have just the right photo and perfect written copy, but don’t make it clear how people can help, your social media fundraising strategy has some big gaps! This means make the ask specific, time-bound, actionable, and super-clear! You might think it’s obvious by looking at it, but given that everyone spends so much of their social time connecting online, the difference between a general update and a clear call to action can make all the difference in the world!
5. Allow cross-posting—and invite others to share your posts.
When you share to social, you need to make sure that your posts are easily shareable so that your friends can share with their friends, and inspire others to get your message out there! If your goal is to maximize fundraising through social media, you want to grab that first opportunity to get others to share. And don’t be afraid to look on social media sales, marketing, and advertising sites for tips! The end goal might be different, but the motivations can be the same.
6. Refresh your message periodically, but don’t get spammy.
Be sure to post your message in multiple places, but don’t forget to refresh that content! At the same time, if you’re looking at the best social media fundraising examples, you’ll notice that they seem to have a magic touch about posting, reposting, and helping their message have real staying power. Not to worry if this particular tip gives you some anxiety; there are all kinds of metrics and data points out there about the perfect posting schedule, but the best thing to do is keep it simple, fresh, and relevant—and make your message timely and genuine, just like you!
7. Learn from others about campaigns that really work!
When you do your research and really do the groundwork to prepare for a project, you learn about the mistakes that could be made (and how to avoid them) but you also get to see what works! And even if companies like Starbucks, Spotify, and Gillette aren’t raising funds for specific campaigns, they’ve done a great job at encouraging their followers to be a part of their story. Don’t forget about the power of inclusion in your messaging—it really makes a difference!
[Related: 8 Fundraising Mistakes Made Online (and How to Avoid Them)]
5 social media fundraising examples
1. World Wide Fund for Nature
Why we like it: This powerful campaign uses the exceptional imagery, short but high-impact copy, and a #LastSelfie hashtag that inspires viewers to action (whether that’s to donate or share)! It even includes an easy text option, making this a social media fundraising worth copying!
2. CLASSY
Why we like it: This fundraiser combines the high-octane energy from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu matches with the opportunity to save lives by raising money for cancer research. By creating a simple but effective hashtag (#tapcancerout), and sharing all kinds of real-world action shots, the energy of this campaign is intense and contagious!
3. FundMyTravel
Why we like it: When you consider the energy of the copy in this post, and you look at the ways in which the poster engaged their own social media fundraising strategy, it’s no surprise that this campaign has more than reached its goal! The tone and message is specific, but also genuine—and the copy includes a great balance between passion and action plans.
4. Charity Water
Why we like it: When you combine high-impact prose, your own campaign hashtag, an invitation to engage with a video (meaning the opportunity to see real people), and some striking imagery, you can see why this is one of the featured social media fundraising examples for you to take some inspo from!
5. The Humane Society of the United States
Why we like it: Everyone knows that puppies and kittens are practically irresistible, but people tend to click off (rather than on) animals that appear to be in distress. This social media fundraising campaign makes the discomfort easier to engage while giving voice to the pup in the photo. And there, right in red, is that call to action that makes all the difference to their cause.
Don’t forget to add FundMyTravel to your social media fundraising strategy
Now that you’ve seen all kinds of tips and social media fundraising examples to help you work with your content and campaigns in a more engaging way, what’s next? Well, if you’re considering how best to connect with your audience for getting the funds you need for your next big adventure, be sure to sign up for a free account with FundMyTravel today!
Not only do you want to use all the general platforms, but if your goal is to raise funds for meaningful travel experiences, this targeted platform for sharing travel-related fundraising campaigns includes all kinds of free resources, a blog with useful information, and even a social media wall with active campaigns that will help you see how it’s done.
Fundraising through social media will make your life MUCH easier
It might seem like there are all kinds of rules to follow when developing a social media fundraising strategy, but actually, once you get your structure set up, fundraising through social media will make your life much easier! Just think about how many times you engage Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or SnapChat. Those platforms offer billions of users combined, which means millions of options for sharing your social media fundraising ideas with a wide, global audience!
When you want to expand the reach for your cause, fundraising through social media also brings your campaign to life. You can feature real people, places, and things through video and imagery. You can appeal to your funders and donors using your own voice. You can enhance your written requests with compelling multimedia, and you can make it as easy to give as it is to tap a screen or click a button. When you focus on fundraising through social media, you can increase the opportunities to share your message and reach your goals!
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This article was written by Andi Sciacca. Andi is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she lives with her husband and their four-legged family. She works with inspired professionals who are expert practitioners, experienced educators, and well-known contributors to their field. Andi helps them take ideas and put them into practice. When not working or writing, she loves to experience music, see the world, and learn new things. Andi’s favorite places to travel include anywhere she can eat good food—and swim.