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  • 08 Oct 2018
    Keeping your social media feeds fresh can be challenging when you work for a small charity where time and resources are often stretched. However, by following a few other organisations that are nailing social media, you can have a source of ideas and inspiration to apply to your charity. Here are three organisations that are doing social media really well, and worth checking out if you’re struggling to engage with and grow your networks online. The list below consists of a small, medium and large charity from different cause areas, which have all managed to create entertaining, educational and engaging social media presences using methods which can be replicated with little to no budget, by any organisation. Young Women’s Trust Young Women's Trust supports and represents women aged 16-30 struggling to live on low or no pay in England and Wales and who are at risk of being trapped in poverty. The organisation is active on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and is doing great things across all platforms, however their Instagram in particular stands out from the crowd. Through their bright, catchy, branding and informative yet accessible tone-of-voice, it’s clear that the Young Women’s Trust understand their target audience and know how to talk to them through social. On Instagram, they use a number of different ways to engage with their audience through user-generated content.  User-generated content allows you to use images, videos, quotes, etc from beneficiaries, volunteers, staff, and any other brand ambassadors, to showcase the work of your charity, and is a great way to create eye-catching content for free. The Young Women’s Trust use Instagram takeovers and quotes to do just this, and are worth taking a look at for inspiration on how to do this well. The Old Vic The Old Vic is an independent not-for-profit theatre based in London, and a world leader in creativity and entertainment. As an organisation based on creativity, they understand the power of visuals. On Twitter, The Old Vic includes eye-catching media in the form of images, videos or GIFs with every single post. On Twitter, people who view videos are 50% more likely to be aware of a brand or organisation, and videos on Twitter are twice as memorable than videos viewed on other premium platforms. The Old Vic also demonstrates a strong understanding of the fact that 93% of Twitter video views take place on mobile devices, by keeping their videos short and snappy (the optimum length of a Twitter video is 45 seconds). To create video you don’t need any expensive equipment either - capturing video on your phone is a great way to show authenticity and build sentiment towards your organisation. National Trust The National Trust is a conservation charity protecting everything from historic houses, coastline, and gardens through to World Heritage Sites. They use a number of different social media channels to reach and engage with their audience, but in particular their use of Facebook is worth checking out. At the start of the year, Facebook announced they were changing the way we approach social media marketing on the platform. The new algorithm prioritises quality over quantity, to encourage sharing content your audience will find interesting. ‘Edutainment’ (educational + entertaining) content is the optimum way to ensure you’re doing this, by making sure that every post is either educational, entertaining, or ideally, both. The National Trust has really taken onboard the Facebook algorithm and posts a great mix of highly appealing ‘edutainment’ content, including ‘how to’ videos, seasonal advice, and amusing photos. By striking the balance of educating and entertaining they have built a strong and highly active Facebook audience whilst sharing the great work of their organisation. So, with a little forward planning and inspiration you can take a look at what other organisation’s are doing well, and apply their methods to your own organisation’s social media presence. Don’t be afraid to try new things and get creative - social media should be fun, and charities have such compelling stories to share. Hannah is Community Manager at Social Misfits Media, specialising in helping charities and social enterprises better use social media and digital to reach their goals. Follow Hannah and Social Misfits Media @HannahDonald20 and @MisfitsMedia.    
    7184 Posted by Hannah Donald
Tips & guides 15,527 views Jan 12, 2017
3 Top Tips On Creating Great Social Media Content For Charities

Social media is currently the number one reason people use the Internet, according to a study from Pew Research. It dominates online activity, and chances are your charity is already using it.

Compelling social media content comes in many different forms. There is no secret formula to creating great content, it doesn’t need to take up a lot of time, go viral, or be professionally produced in order to be successful. Engagement is the key, and paying more to create content won’t necessarily bring success. What really matters is how the people you want to reach engage with the content you post.

These top tips will help your organisation think about creating content that actively engages the people that matter most to you, whether that’s beneficiaries, volunteers, donors, staff or others, no matter your size or budget.

1. You don’t need a massive budget

Many charities will tell you that they don’t have enough time or resources to accomplish everything that they’d like on social. Think of social media as a platform for storytelling. As a charitable organisation, you are already surrounded by great original content material, from articles on your website, volunteers in action, or the stories of people or communities you have helped. There are many ways you can re-purpose this content for your social media channels. Creating a posting plan can help you get started and feel more in control, but it doesn’t have to be perfect right away. Try things out, take note of what works for your audience, and tweak your content as you go along. For further guidance and examples of good practice on this, check out our free guide What’s Data Got To Do With It’.

2. It’s not all about numbers

When it comes to your content, quality reigns over quantity. Engaging with a handful of relevant, switched-on people will give greater results than simply reaching as many people as possible. It sounds obvious, but be social, connect with and reach out to your closest supporters in a similar way to how you would focus your personal time on close friends. The more you engage with your target audience, the more people will respond to your content, and engage others to do the same. By using material unique to your organisation, such as sharing a short video of someone your charity has helped, you are creating authentic, high quality content that will bring people closer to your cause.

3. Make your content fun

Don’t be afraid to find the light in tough subject matter. Fun and inspiring content can go a long way to engage your audience. Get creative, try out something new, and give any and all ideas a chance. Taco Bell does this really well, and we have previously written about what your charity can learn from them. For successful image and video content, authenticity and storytelling produce the highest engagement. You can easily incorporate this into your social media by telling your audience about something that has happened as a result of your organisation, such as a successful fundraising event, though a photo or video that you have created yourself. A smartphone can provide you with all the tools to create fresh, engaging images and videos for your social media channels. Simply taking a photo of a volunteer in action can be compelling content for the right audience.

For more tips on creating great content for your organisation take a look at our free guide ‘Something To Tweet About’.


Hannah is the Junior Communications and Social Media Advisor at Social Misfits Media, specialising in helping charities, foundations and non-profits better use social media to reach their goals. Follow Hannah and Social Misfits Media @HannahDonald20 and @MisfitsMedia.

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Image: https://www.pexels.com/photo/lg-smartphone-instagram-social-media-35177/