Social media for non-profits is an essential means of engaging with your supporters and raising awareness about your cause. But with so many platforms available, determining where to focus your attention can be tricky. Different platforms cater to different audiences, making it crucial to align your social media strategy with your goals and target demographic.
You can (and should) be using multiple platforms. However, you don’t have the time or resources to integrate every social media for non-profits into your strategy. As such, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons of each platform so you can identify a few channels that best align with your mission and vision.
In this blog, we’ll cover:
- Powerful stats on how nonprofit organizations are using social media
- Strengths and drawbacks of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Tiktok, and X
- Tips for choosing the right platforms to build a social marketing strategy that works for your nonprofit
Here’s an overview of the five biggest platforms to help you make an informed choice.
Social Media for Nonprofit Organizations by the Numbers
According to Statista, the usage share of social media for non-profits breaks down as follows:
- Facebook: 99%
- X: 95%
- Instagram: 95%
- LinkedIn: 82%
- TikTok: 30%
These figures are from 2022, and they offer a good idea of the distribution of social media for non-profits. However, the data only reveal what percentage of nonprofits “use” these social media platforms — that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re active on those channels.
More recent data from 2024 suggests that 96% of nonprofits have active Facebook accounts. Researchers report that about three out of four nonprofits are active on Instagram, suggesting that 20% or more of nonprofits don’t regularly post on their IG pages.
The more recent report also shows that 90% of nonprofits active on X have been experimenting with Threads as a possible alternative, a possible clue that the popularity of X as a social media for non-profits is declining.
Now that we’ve unpacked the numbers, let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of each social media for non-profits.
Facebook for Nonprofits
Facebook has consistently ranked as the top performer when it comes to social media for non-profits. Here are a few reasons why your organization may want to consider using Facebook:
- Broad Audience Reach: You can easily connect with millions of prospective donors and volunteers
- Fundraising Tools: The platform has built-in fundraising tools to help you garner support and funds for your cause
- Community Engagement: Facebook Groups provide a space to engage directly with supporters and share updates
- Event Promotion: You can promote upcoming events using both paid ads and organic content
That said, no social media for non-profits is perfect. Some potential drawbacks associated with Facebook include:
- Declining Organic Reach: Algorithm changes can make it tougher to reach your target audience
- Younger Audience Migration: Many younger users gravitate toward other platforms like Instagram and TikTok
Facebook definitely deserves a place in your social media strategy. However, other platforms may take precedence, especially if you’re primarily targeting younger audiences or business clients.
Instagram for Nonprofits
Using Instagram for your nonprofit can be convenient. This is particularly true if your organization is active on Facebook. You can automatically share many posts and other types of content across both platforms, saving time and increasing your visibility.
Here are some of the benefits of using Instagram for nonprofits:
- Visual Storytelling: Instagram’s photo and video-based format is ideal for storytelling
- High Engagement Rates: You can connect with audiences using multiple publishing tools, including Reels and Stories
- Donation Features: Like Facebook, Instagram has built-in donation tools
- Collaboration Opportunities: You can boost your reach by collaborating with influencers whose audiences align with your target demographic
Instagram is a visual-first platform that makes creating and publishing dynamic content simple. However, there are some drawbacks you need to be aware of, such as:
- Limited Link Sharing: Instagram doesn’t support clickable links on standard photo posts, though you can place links elsewhere
- Priority on Paid Content: Instagram boosts paid content, which means you may need to invest in paid ad campaigns to hit your engagement goals
If your nonprofit is using Facebook, you may want to consider implementing Instagram as well. However, IG may not be the best option to build your entire social media strategy around — it will likely be more effective when treated as a complementary platform.
LinkedIn for Nonprofits
If business donors and professional supporters represent a large portion of your target audience, LinkedIn needs to be part of your social media strategy. Promoting your nonprofit on LinkedIn can be beneficial for:
- Professional Networking: LinkedIn is best for nonprofit organizations that want to connect with professionals and corporate sponsors
- Thought Leadership: Establish credibility by sharing research, articles, and other unique insights
- Fundraising From Corporations: LinkedIn gives you access to business professionals and corporate sponsors
- Job and Volunteer Recruitment: You can post volunteer opportunities and job openings directly on the platform
Despite these advantages, LinkedIn isn’t a one-stop shop for all of your nonprofit’s social media needs. Some major drawbacks include:
- Less Engagement for Fundraising: LinkedIn isn’t typically used for direct fundraising efforts like Facebook or IG
- Minimal Youth Engagement: Since LinkedIn is more professionally oriented, it isn’t the best place to reach younger supporters
Should you use LinkedIn for your nonprofit? That largely depends on your target demographic and whether your cause would appeal to corporations.
TikTok for Nonprofits
TikTok is the go-to choice for publishing short, snappy video clips and connecting with younger audiences. By integrating it into your social media strategy, your nonprofit stands to accomplish the following:
- Engage Younger Audiences: Use TikTok to connect with younger millennials and Gen Z
- Go Viral: A single viral clip could reach millions of people
- Create Short-Form Videos: Short-form storytelling can engage and educate users about your advocacy efforts
- Drive Support With Hashtags: Participate in hashtag challenges to increase engagement and raise awareness
TikTok is a versatile platform that’s currently enjoying incredible popularity. Even so, it presents some potential disadvantages, such as:
- Time-Intensive Content Creation: Building a strong TikTok following requires creativity and consistency, which can be time-consuming
- Limited Fundraising Tools: TikTok doesn’t have built-in fundraising tools, meaning you’ll need to redirect donors to a third-party platform
Don’t let these concerns turn you away from TikTok. Just make sure you understand what it takes to succeed on the platform so you can make an informed decision as to whether it’s right for your business.
X for Nonprofits
The platform formerly known as Twitter has been mired in controversy since eccentric billionaire Elon Musk took it over. It’s also experienced a decline in user activity, which can be partly attributed to competition from apps like Threads.
Nonetheless, your nonprofit may find value in using X. Some of its core strengths include:
- Real-Time Updates: X is ideal for breaking news and providing real-time updates to your followers
- Consistent Engagement: If you have the time, you can consistently engage with journalists, influencers, and followers to amplify your message
- Hashtag Campaigns: Participating in trending hashtag campaigns can boost the visibility of your posts
However, these perks could be offset by the following disadvantages:
- Declining User Engagement: Many users and advertisers have shifted away from X
- Short Lifespan of Posts: Posts on X have a very short shelf life
All in all, X probably isn’t the best social media for non-profits. But if your organization is already using the platform and has a strong following, you could leverage it to drive traffic to your other social pages.
Choosing the Right Social Media for Nonprofits
When evaluating social media for non-profits, ask the following questions to identify the best platform for your organization:
- Who do I want to reach?
- What donor and volunteer demographics are most likely to support my cause?
- Which platforms provide built-in tools to support fundraising?
- What type of content do I value most (e.g., video, images, text)?
- What channels are similar nonprofits in my niche using?
Think about what you want to achieve with social media and focus your resources on a couple of channels that are conducive to your goals. Don’t stretch yourself too thin by using every social media channel you can think of.
Building a Winning Nonprofit Social Media Strategy
The best social media strategies for nonprofits are focused and have clear goals in mind. Consider the pros and cons of each platform and choose two to three that are a good fit for your organization. One should be your foundational medium; the other one or two should be employed as complementary tools for maximizing engagement.
Choosing the right mix of social media platforms will empower your nonprofit to build meaningful connections and extend its reach in meaningful ways.
Frontier Marketing can help you revolutionize your outreach efforts. Contact us today to learn more about our social media marketing services.
