Use content for fundraising.
Discover how to make LinkedIn posts part of your fundraising strategy.
Why use LinkedIn as part of your fundraising content strategy?
LinkedIn for Nonprofits survey data shows that LinkedIn members are more likely than the average internet user to donate to nonprofits — and when they donate, they donate more. What’s more, 64% of surveyed nonprofit professionals agree that the people they want to connect with to raise money for their organization are on LinkedIn.
Source: The Impact Insight: Nonprofit Fundraising and Donor Generosity, 2023
Focus on posting content that resonates with your donor base.
Think about who you’re trying to reach and the types of content they prefer. For example, some donors may be more motivated by numbers while other supporters may be motivated by videos that show your organization’s impact.
Experiment to find out what works for your target audiences by using the “Analytics” tab on your LinkedIn Page to see which posts have the highest click-through rate (CTR). Don’t be afraid to repackage content in different ways (ex: turning a text post into a simple infographic) to reach certain audience types.
Post content for specific, targeted audiences.
If you are looking to post content that only reaches a specific portion of your nonprofit’s following (ex: followers only in a certain geographic location leading up to an in-person event), consider using targeted LinkedIn Page posts. Admins and super admins can leverage this feature to publish content tailored to distinct audiences based on their profile data, including organization size, industry, function, seniority, geography, and language preference.
These targeted posts will only appear in the feeds of members who fit your target criteria. You can use this targeting to try fundraising messages that are much more specific than any you’d like your entire following to see.
You can also use targeted posts to learn more about particular segments of your fundraising audiences. Try experimenting with a variety of different targeted posts for your audience to see what resonates with whom.
Be mindful of your posting cadence.
Aim to post consistently, without overburdening your audience, to keep your nonprofit top of mind for potential donors.
Use the 2-2-1 model.
For every five posts you create, only include one post with a call to action (CTA), like asking people to donate. This provides a healthy mix of content and can keep your audience from feeling bombarded. Learn more about the 2-2-1 model.
Avoid using multiple CTAs in your posts.
Asking your audience to do multiple things can be confusing and may make them less likely to take action at all.
Show appreciation for existing donors and sponsors.
Showing appreciation for your current supporters is a great way to strengthen relationships and encourage continued and future giving.
This effort can be especially welcome from corporate donors, who often find it useful in reinforcing or building their public and employer brands.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
• Ensure that your donor is comfortable with you sharing your sincere appreciation post on LinkedIn.
• Be sure to tag your donor in the post. This increases the likelihood that they’ll share it.
• Share specific details about the impact their gift has had to inspire good feelings, repeat giving, and donations from others.
Tie your content reposts back to your fundraising goals.
Reposting content is an excellent way to build community and catch the eye of potential donors. Plus, it’s generally recommended to repost around three pieces of content for every piece of original content you publish to the platform.
This could be news articles, updates, and other timely LinkedIn posts that are relevant to your nonprofit’s audience and support your organization’s mission. Posts by employees, volunteers, or donors about your organization are excellent types of content to consider.
Once you’ve found a piece of content to repost from your nonprofit’s Page, click the “Repost” button on the bottom of the post. Then, select “Repost with your thoughts” to write additional post copy, tying the content you’re sharing back to your fundraising or impact goals while tagging relevant people and Pages.
Start conversations on your posts.
Every one of your LinkedIn posts can be an opportunity to start a dialogue with supporters and potential donors. Facilitate these conversations by using your Page posts to prompt responses in the comments.
You could design a poll for your followers to participate in, offer an open-ended question via a text post, or ask them to share their opinions on the organizational news or thought leadership content you just shared. When you get a comment, be sure to respond to it quickly to keep the discussion going.
Follow up with interested donors when appropriate.
When a prospective donor consistently interacts with your posts, consider having a nonprofit leader reach out with a brief, friendly message from their personal profile. They can introduce themselves, share valuable resources related to your cause, and suggest next steps, like setting up a meeting or exploring volunteer opportunities, to build the relationship naturally.
For more information on how to reach out to potential prospects, check out our full guide.
Create fundraising videos.
Video posts on LinkedIn see 1.4x more engagement than any other type. They’re also well suited for fundraising.
Creating video posts is a great way to emphasize the urgent, emotional necessity of supporting your cause to your audience. You can have one of your thought leaders passionately express why your supporter’s contributions are impactful or directly demonstrate how you’re using those contributions to make a difference.
As you create your fundraising videos, keep these best practices in mind:
• Keep it short
Aim for less than 60 seconds.
• Get to the point
Make the first three seconds of your video compelling enough that your audience will want to keep watching.
• Include captions
Videos will appear on mute in your viewer’s feeds by default.
• Include a strong CTA
Give your viewers clear direction on what they can do next.
Here are a few resources to help you get started posting videos on LinkedIn:
Host LinkedIn Live fundraising events.
You can use LinkedIn Live to broadcast live video content on your LinkedIn Page. Your followers will see these live streams appear on their feeds as posts, where they can tune in live. They’ll even have a chance to post comments you can see in real time.
LinkedIn Live events get up to 6x more reactions and 23x more comments than native video posts. These streams offer a powerful way to appeal to your viewers for donations in a direct and timely fashion.
Examples of Live fundraising events you could try include:
A timed fundraising marathon
Have your thought leaders host a live “telethon” event with planned talking points and activities to prompt viewers to keep donating.
A live Q&A
Have your experts respond to your viewer’s questions in the comments section in real time
A live roundtable discussion
Gather a group of experts to discuss your cause and your nonprofit’s contributions to it
A live in-person event recording
If you’re hosting a gala or similar fundraising event, include a live stream so followers at home can participate
Create fundraising content to coincide with key moments.
Every nonprofit cause has important events or occasions on the calendar. These moments can provide a prime opportunity to boost your fundraising efforts with an online campaign.For example, many nonprofits plan their fundraising initiatives around Giving Tuesday.
Whenever a key moment related to your cause is approaching, use your LinkedIn presence to promote it. Explain why this moment matters, what your organization is doing to celebrate it, and how your supporters can help.
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