In this conversational video, two speakers discuss why nonprofit organizations should adopt social media and how to get started. Speaker B, a veteran nonprofit leader with 35 years of experience, explains that historically nonprofits relied on community‑based outreach, but today social media is essential for reaching new audiences, attracting donors, and demonstrating credibility to funders. Speaker A adds that social media expands exposure across geographic and demographic boundaries and can be leveraged for fundraising through personal milestones like birthdays. They note that funders often assess an organization’s social reach when deciding on partnerships. The discussion then shifts to practical advice: choose a single platform, post at least once a week (ideally twice), and spend about 30 minutes daily engaging with others’ content. They acknowledge the difficulty for solo nonprofit founders who juggle board work, program development, and fundraising, leaving little time for social media. To support nonprofits, they promote a membership club and upcoming workshop series that will dive deeper into platform strategies, content ideas, and branding decisions. The video concludes with an invitation to join the Nonprofit Founders Club for ongoing support.
Chapters
Oh hey, I love your background. You sitting poolside?
Oh my goodness, I had a lot of moving and construction and all kinds of stuff going on. And, and but, but really I changed my background so you can't really see it because it's a mess back there. But I want to change my office to get good feng shui, right? Yeah, I want to change my desk into a powerful position where I can see all the doors and everybody coming in. So That's why I got a little change going on around here.
Okay, excellent, excellent. And then speaking of change, we're talking about something that might be new to a lot of people, especially in the nonprofit, um, um, community, and that is why nonprofits need social media.
And it really is important because I'm gonna have to say for myself, I have been in the nonprofit arena for, you guys know, for 35 years, and when I started, there was no social media. So we were all community-based. We get into the community, we do the work with community, and even when you're starting your organization, you're getting in the community because that's where the people are you're going to serve 9 times out of 10. So you're, you're so busy working that we forget about social media. We know it's there, but it's not a priority as we're building our nonprofits, right?
And social media is kind of important for all businesses and business growth. Because what happens with social media is it allows you audiences that you wouldn't all, you know, necessarily be able to tap. So it crosses countries, it crosses genres and communities, and it gives not only your organization exposure to new communities and new people, but it gives your organization exposure so people will know what you're, what you're doing and how to help. One of my favorite things— uh, well, not a favorite thing, but one of the things that I like that I've seen a lot of people doing on Facebook, and I don't know if they can do it on any other platform, but I've only seen it on Facebook, is they are doing for birthdays or special anniversaries they're saying, hey, make a contribution in my, you know, to my favorite organization. And then people are able to, you know, like, oh, let's make this, um, this charitable donation for in honor of someone's birthday or whatever. And then what happens, it gives me exposure to an organization I didn't know anything about.
And that is so valuable and so important because generally people give to people or they donate to people that they know, like, and trust. So if I know, like, and trust you and you, you recommend an organization, I'm gonna check that organization out and say, oh, okay, and I want to know more about them, right? Right. And the cause that you have, it may be a cause that I like. And so it's really important. And that's only one, just a little drop in the bucket of why they should be on social media. You know, another good reason to be on social media is that we talk about that exposure, is the more exposure you have, the more, um, interesting and the more exciting you are to funders. Because funders, believe it or not, they use organizations— and I use the word lightly— use— they partner with organizations for marketing. So they give us funding and they say, well, how are you going to let Mark give me exposure? What are you going to give me in return? You're like, you know what, I'm I'm gonna put you on my social media. They say, well, how many followers you got? I got 15. 15? Oh, or you say I got 15,000. Oh, 15,000. I'm looking more appealing to you, right? And what platforms are you on? I'm on ABCD. Oh, okay. Do you ever plan on going on EFG? You know, right? Or, you know, uh, it's amazing. And how often do you post? That's another thing to talk about. But right now it is so important for us to be on social media, and it's so challenging and hard because there's so much work to do, especially if you're a solo nonprofitpreneur. And that's a lot. We have new people start up their nonprofits and the last thing that they have time to do is social media.
Yeah, I want to offer a tip on, um, how to get started on social media if you haven't started it already, and that is to pick one platform, just one. Pick one platform, get yourself out there post once or twice a week. You have to post at least once a week, so post once or twice a week. And then, and don't just post, but also spend 30 minutes on that platform checking out other people, replying to them, sharing what they post on your page. So it is a little bit of work. It's not just you know, like, oh, I put something out there and now people will find me. No, you're gonna have to actually, you know, like, engage.
And it is so challenging.
Yeah. So I just want to make sure that, um, you got that. Pick one platform, post once, at least once a week, if not twice. That's ideal. Follow other people, reply to their posts, repost things that they've posted. And then 4, um, just do that every day.
Yeah, yeah, be out there. It's so important to be out there and to grow your following because it's not easy. Um, it's not going to be easy for people to be like, oh, what's this new nonprofit? Because most people, when they're on social media, they're going to be social, and so they really don't look at what your nonprofit is doing. So you— one thing we're going to talk about this month, because this month, uh, we're going to be doing a stream all about social media. And so we're going to talk about different things that you need to post. But what's going to be really good is in our membership club, we're going to go— we're going to be diving deep into social media. You know, we're going to have people, experts on social media, come into the club and really, really hone in and talk about what nonprofits should be doing to be visible. I'm gonna have to be truthful, I'm not the expert on them because that's the last thing I want to do is social media. Because I'm busy as a nonprofit founder. You guys know you got your board of directors, you have your, your programs you have to build, you have fundraising, grant writing, and that goes on and on and on. When do you find time for social media, which now that's one of the important things that you need to do?
Yeah, yeah.
So that's it. So that's one of the things we're gonna make this short and sweet. That's one of the things we want to do is make sure you get on social media. So think about it, think about what platforms you feel comfortable on, think about the platform that you're already on, and some of the things you think about. Do you start a new Um, what's your, your name going to be on social media? And do you post with your name, or do you post with your organization? So there's so many different things that you need to do when it comes to social media. And so we're going to talk about those things. So I hope you guys tune in and watch our series on social media. So we hope you guys have a wonderful day, weekend, life. Go out and live your love. If nonprofit is your love and your thing that you want to do, We invite you to go out and live and live it and love it. And if you want some support in the process, check us out.
Yeah, Nonprofit Founders Club.
That's right, because we nonprofits are rocking the world. Yeah, see you soon.
