Social media is one of your greatest tools when it comes to running a successful fundraiser. You can create a social media post anywhere at any time—all you need is a phone, computer, or tablet. GoFundMe’s research shows that fundraisers shared more than six times within the first few days are three times as likely to raise more donations. Make your online fundraiser a hit with these fundraising ideas for social media, all while inspiring your online audience to donate.
Using social media for fundraising: 7 ideas
Deciding to fundraise as an individual or to launch a nonprofit fundraising campaign might seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be.
Follow these social media fundraiser ideas below, and see how easy it is to spread awareness about your fundraising campaign and get people to hit that donate button online—all while having fun in the process.
1. Share your fundraiser on different social media platforms
Getting more people to see your fundraiser can increase the chances of you getting to your goal, so make sure to build a social media plan into your fundraising strategy.
We recommend sharing your fundraiser within the first 10 hours of creating it, and then frequently sharing your donation page on new social media channels such as TikTok, Instagram, Nextdoor, and messaging platforms like WhatsApp after that. You can create a hashtag so your fundraiser is easy to find, too.
Additionally, consider asking a friend or colleague who’s active online to share your fundraiser in a social media post that their followers will see, whether it’s in an Instagram story or a LinkedIn update. Remember that your donors also care about your success, so you can invite them to share your fundraiser across their own social media channels, too.
2. Tag friends on social media
Tagging friends, family, and teammates in social media posts makes it easier for them to re-share your donation link and reach more people. This is a great way to share any call to action you or a nonprofit organization may have as part of a social media campaign, or to share important information about a fundraising event.
Make sure they tag you in any of their posts, too, to amplify the message further. When someone shares your fundraiser and tags you in their post, it can encourage more people to visit your donation page and make a donation. This kind of online peer-to-peer fundraising can prove a powerful tool for reaching potential new donors online.
3. Show up on video
It’s no secret that a fundraising video is a powerful fundraising tool that can help increase donations. Videos make it easy for potential donors to quickly connect to you and your cause, increasing the chance that they will donate.
Most major social media platforms—like Facebook and Instagram—support short-form video content, making it easier than ever to talk directly with your donors. Update people about your fundraiser on Instagram and Facebook stories, and consider using the livestream feature to have a real-time, in-person conversation with your audience about your fundraising efforts.
4. Collect photo and video submissions
Your social media fundraising strategy can also include fun outreach tools like asking people to submit photos or videos demonstrating how they are supporting your fundraiser. Think about how powerful a tool this this was when the ice bucket challenge took over social media, and how engaging the content was.
You may not be trying to reach influencers and celebrities as part of your fundraising strategy, but collecting and sharing photos and videos is a great tip for growing your follower base online. To persuade others to donate to your fundraiser, you can ask supporters to include a blurb about why it’s important to give back.
And be sure to respond to social media campaigns your followers have as well to show your gratitude for their support.
5. Choose a theme for your profile
If your organization or nonprofit’s social media campaign needs to stand out from the crowd, try a unique fundraising idea like creating a theme for your organization’s social media profiles.
This strategy can work on any social media platform, though it performs best on Instagram. Whether you post pictures with an overlay of your brand’s color or cute pictures shelter animals, social media themes will help keep your content brand-aligned and recognizable.
Keep each photo that you share relevant to your fundraiser, and remember to always link back to your donation page in your bio. Optimize your website by making sure the theme is clearly visible on your landing page, too.
6. Reach out personally
There’s no substitute for reaching out and connecting with any type of donor individually, whether that’s friends, relatives, members of your local community, your work colleagues or a local hobby group.
You can even use fundraising email templates as inspiration for sending direct messages to people on social media to help them engage with your chosen cause. This can be an effective way to keep your followers up to date about your progress with your fundraiser, or a way to reach out when you need more help.
7. Thank your supporters in a social media post
It’s crucial to thank your donors for helping you with your fundraising efforts, especially if they’ve helped you reach milestones. You can easily do this by creating a social media post expressing your gratitude for their support.
People often like to be recognized and thanked publicly, and your message might inspire others to give, too.
Use social media to drive donations
Now that you have a few social media fundraising ideas to jumpstart your crowdfunding efforts, you’re on your way to hosting a successful fundraiser. Check out our top social media fundraising tips for even more ways to reach your fundraising goals. For other ways to share your fundraiser without using social media, read our blog on online fundraising without social media. Start your fundraiser today.