Using Social Media to Promote Your Community Organization

Social media can be a great resource for promoting a community organization. It’s often free or low in cost, depending on the platform. It can help you create awareness, build community, and publicize events. If you are a nonprofit, you might even be able to accept donations through the platform.

If you aren’t very familiar with the different social media channels or tools to make it easier to utilize them, we have a few tips you might find useful.

Understanding Social Media Platforms

• Facebook: This is probably the one people are most familiar with. It attracts followers of all ages. You can set up your own page, complete with events, photo albums, and an About Us section. You or any supporter can also set up Facebook fundraisers and have the money you raise transferred to your bank or sent to you via check. Your Facebook page can also be set up to accept donations or payments from people who attend your events. To help you determine if your organization qualifies to fundraise on Facebook, read Eligibility Requirements for Facebook’s Fundraising Tools.
• X (formally Twitter): While X's constant changes can make it more challenging to navigate sometimes, there is still  value in using it. You can tweet out updates or links to special events and help drive more traffic to your website or blog. It seems people often look to X for more in-the-moment types of news, so consider updates like that!
• Instagram: This channel is a popular one, but content creators really need to be comfortable creating and posting informal videos. While they don’t have to be professional or overly complicated, videos do rank better in Instagram algorithms. It’s a shift the platform made in an effort to compete with TikTok and attract a younger audience.
• YouTube: While political organizations have made some people skeptical of YouTube, it’s still a great option for community organizations. You can video and share exercise classes and workshops that take place at your community center and allow people free access to them. It’s another good way to attract attention and draw people to your center.

There’s no doubt social media offers many benefits. One drawback is that it can be very time-consuming. But there are a variety of tools that might make it a little easier.

Helpful Social Media Tools

If you are looking for a few tools to support your social media program, here are a few of the most popular:

• WeCreate: Get access to downloadable images, graphics, and photography that is already created with your needs in mind with this library of content curated specifically for use by organizations like yours. There are thousands of professionally designed digital assets just waiting for you to make them your own for all of your social media needs!
• Buffer: This software application can be accessed via a mobile device or on your computer. It does everything from schedule social media posts to suggest best times to post and provide reports. You can use the free version or choose from several plans that offer more features at very reasonable monthly fees.
• Social Champ: This social media management tool lets you automate many tasks, including the time-consuming job of scheduling. It also integrates with other essentials, including Canva, WordPress, Dropbox, VistaCreate, Flickr, and Bitly.

One additional article on our blog that may help you improve your social presence is Utilizing Different Types of Social Media Posts. It discusses how to incorporate Facebook and YouTube into your marketing strategy.

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If you are a director or a team member of a community organization, you might find the LPi Community Blog to be helpful. We share articles throughout the month on topics ranging from where to find free digital photos to why you might need an e-newsletter. Subscribe today to have these updates delivered right to your inbox!

Updated on 03-25-2024