Twitter is a great platform for nonprofits to use as a way to engage in conversations with local communities, promote brand awareness and keep tabs on relevant issues and policies. However, it can be a challenge depending on resources, time and content creation. If you are struggling with ways your nonprofit can use Twitter to create brand awareness and engagement, we have 10 nonprofit Twitter ideas for you to stick into your marketing and communications plan for the remainder of the year.
1. Promote blog posts.
As a fast-moving channel with limited character counts, Twitter serves as a great way to spread the word when you’ve published a new article, blog post or video. Do not be afraid to share it multiple times throughout the week/month as a way to ensure people see your post. This channel moves much faster than Facebook and multiple posts around similar content topics are not unusual.
2. Celebrate non-traditional holidays that make sense to your organization.
National Pi Day. Chocolate Lover’s Day. National Volunteer Awareness Week. Holidays like these make it fun to create quippy content and images that showcase your nonprofit’s personality. Use sites like Holiday Insights to see which fun holidays are coming up so you can plan ahead.
3. Host a Twitter chat with a special donor or someone who has benefited from your services.
Twitter chats are a fun way to engage others in conversation and showcase others who support you or to whom you support.
4. Celebrate milestones with imagery.
Create infographics or standard images that showcase thermometers, charts and other visuals that share where you’re at with donations during various times of the year.
5. Create hashtags around campaigns.
As the largest grassroots program combating food insecurity in the state of Minnesota, Minnesota FoodShare uses hashtags like #zerohunger #marchcampaign and #foodforall in the majority of its fundraising and support initiative tweets. Local food shelves and individuals in the community grab on to those same hashtags as a way to be a part of the conversation. Think of how you can start spreading the word using a similar concept for your nonprofit.
6. Share testimonials.
Your donors and recipients of your services have great things to say about you; share those online! Have your graphic designer (or use a free source such as Canva) turn those feel-good testimonials into images that can be shared on Twitter.
7. Promote fundraising calls-to-action.
Your online giving program needs legs and Twitter is just the platform to run with! All puns aside, any fundraising programs, campaigns or online giving initiatives should also be communicated on Twitter. Ask your followers to retweet. Include your online giving link. Provide your text-to-give number. Make it easy for followers to take action from your tweets.
8. Use lists to retweet and share other content.
Twitter is meant to be social. So, while it’s good to share information about your organization, it’s equally important to share the good news and information from others. Create Twitter lists to keep track of key accounts and make it a point to check in daily to see what you can share.
9. Be a resource.
Your followers come to you not only to hear about what you are doing in the community but as a resource for additional information and guidance around your cause or services. Use Twitter as a platform to share information on policy, statistics on the effects of your mission or information on what needs to be done to create change in your state.
10. Sneak peeks and inside scoops.
Take advantage of the #tbt (#throwbackthursday) hashtags and ways to showcase images and the “inside scoop” on what your nonprofit is doing behind the scenes. Your followers appreciate seeing your hard work. Let it shine through images and posts that showcase your personality and love for what you do.
Need more tips on using social media as a nonprofit? Check out some of our recent posts or subscribe to our free fundraising advice.
