When was the last time you assessed your nonprofit's social media strategy? Are you utilizing the most suitable platforms effectively, considering your organization's mission, target audience, and available resources? Do you have safeguards in place to shield your nonprofit from potentially damaging content?
These questions are pivotal, and it's important to revisit them regularly. At the very least, your nonprofit should establish a comprehensive social media policy to set clear guidelines.
The social media landscape evolves rapidly. The platform that dominates today may lose relevance tomorrow. Therefore, conducting an annual review of your online presence is essential to ensure you're allocating resources wisely. While platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn are popular among nonprofits due to their donor presence, platforms like Instagram may better suit visually-oriented organizations, while TikTok may engage a younger demographic.
Frequently updated accounts typically attract more traffic and engagement. Hence, it's prudent not to stretch your organization thin by spreading across multiple platforms with limited staffing. Identify platforms where you can achieve the most impact by soliciting feedback from supporters and analyzing the social media strategies of peer nonprofits.
Social media operates around the clock, and incidents can escalate swiftly. Closely monitor your organization's accounts and online conversations referencing your nonprofit. Utilizing a "social listening" tool to scan the web for mentions of your nonprofit's name can be invaluable.
However, the cornerstone of defense against reputation-damaging incidents is a well-defined social media policy. This policy should outline permissible and impermissible content on both official nonprofit accounts and those of staff members. For instance, it should prohibit the sharing of nonpublic information about the organization on personal accounts. Control access to organizational account passwords and regularly review posts and comments. Viral content from your feeds can spark controversy, so ensure your staff knows when and how to engage with visitors and maintains a strict stance against offensive comments.
Despite rigorous policies, mistakes or intentional damaging posts may occur. Develop a formal crisis response plan to navigate such situations effectively. Assign responsibilities and compile contact details for designated spokespersons, including the executive director and board president. Define triggers and outline a range of potential responses, such as issuing press releases or seeking assistance from crisis management experts. Ensure your plan includes IT staff or consultants.
While no organization wishes to encounter a crisis, it's prudent to evaluate the effectiveness of your response plan post-resolution.
In today's digital age, social media presence is indispensable for nonprofits. However, it's crucial to invest time wisely in the most relevant platforms while safeguarding your accounts against potential threats.
By implementing a social media strategy and adhering to best practices, your nonprofit can leverage social media effectively to advance its mission and engage with supporters. Regular reviews, robust policies, and proactive crisis management are key to maximizing the impact of your nonprofit's social media efforts.
The HoganTaylor Nonprofit team of business advisors and CPAs is comprised of former CFOs, controllers, and industry experts with extensive experience providing the guidance organizations need to lean forward again in their leadership. If you have any questions about this content, or if you would like more information about HoganTaylor’s Nonprofit practice, please contact Jack Murray, CPA, Nonprofit Practice Lead.
INFORMATIONAL PURPOSE ONLY. This content is for informational purposes only. This content does not constitute professional advice and should not be relied upon by you or any third party, including to operate or promote your business, secure financing or capital in any form, obtain any regulatory or governmental approvals, or otherwise be used in connection with procuring services or other benefits from any entity. Before making any decision or taking any action, you should consult with professional advisors.