6 Tips in Using Twitter in Social Fundraising

There’s more to using social media in virtual fundraising than simply tweeting 140 characters.

Here are a few tips to help you use social media for your nonprofit today.

• Build your followers list.  One of the best ways to do this is to go out and follow people who are related to your cause.  They will follow you, giving you more chances to get your message to their followers.
• Allow Twitter to be a conversation. One of the benefits of Twitter is that you get real time reactions, and you can easily see responses and conversations. The key to being successful on Twitter is engaging in conversation.
• Don’t ask too often. Beyond asking for donations, give your followers interesting content and other things to read that relate to your cause, but aren’t directly related to the fundraising.  People are more likely to give when they don’t feel inundated with requests for money, and when they feel a connection to your cause.  So take the time to educate them in between your requests for money.
• Use Twitter as an informal appreciation tool. Give shout outs to people who donate, and to people who retweet your messages. This will allow followers to feel motivated to do more to support your campaign, and makes the wide world of the internet feel more including and secure.
• Work together by involving causes that are similar to yours. Even tweeting about those causes will prompt others to reciprocate the kind gesture by tweeting about your cause to their followers.
• Keep followers up to date. Donations, number of donators, what’s happening with their donations, etc will help followers feel involved and see the direct impact their contributions have made. Include pictures when you can.  A picture goes much further in spreading your message than words alone.

These tips will get you a little further in your fundraising goals.  And as most fundraisers know, the real trick in raising money is to not give up.  The same goes for Twitter.  As you build followers, and consistently spread your message and helpful news updates about your cause, followers will continue to spread your message as well.