Social Media

Sample Social Media Posts

Twitter

• Are you ready to be a part of #BowOnPoe? It’s a day to celebrate all the good going on in our communities!
• Mark your calendars for December 1st. It will be a day for everyone to support our campaign at [link to profile page]. #BowOnPoe
• It’s time to show that your UB community is full of generosity! On December 1st, help us celebrate #BowOnPoe!
• We’re getting pumped for #BowOnPoe! Join the conversation by following @@BowOnPoe and liking the #BowOnPoe page on FB!
• Get ready to get up and give for #BowOnPoe on December 1st! Follow @@BowOnPoe to stay updated on the giving movement!
• A little can go a long way when we get together and give together on December 1st for #BowOnPoe! Join the movement!
• “I don't think you ever stop giving. I really don't. I think it's an on-going process.” – Oprah Winfrey. Let’s keep the giving going for #BowOnPoe!
• “My hope is to leave the world a little better for having been there.” – Jim Henson. What will you give to make the world better? #BowOnPoe

Facebook Tips

Looking to get the word out with Facebook? This guide will help you get started and on the road to creating a successful strategy. If you’re new to Facebook, start by creating a Facebook Page for your organization.

Below is a list of ways you can begin engaging your community for #BowOnPoe!

Get started by liking the #BowOnPoe page. This will allow you to get updates, important information and tips for #BowOnPoe. Also link to other participating organizations from your organization’s page.

Promote your Facebook page. Include a link to your Facebook page on your website’s homepage, newsletters, emails...basically everywhere and anywhere. Ask your staff members, board members, volunteers, and donors to like the page and help you promote it.

In your personal account, tag the page and ask your Facebook friends to check it out. Ask employees and board members to do the same.

Talk it up! Post interesting information about your organization and share success stories and photos. Ask your followers questions to engage them in dialogue. Remember to keep posts brief! You don’t want to lose your audience by presenting lengthy updates.

Tell everyone that your organization is participating in #BowOnPoe. Be sure to tell people what it is all about by using some of the suggested messaging above. Let them know how they can donate and ask them to spread the word.

Create a Facebook event. Invite your constituents to be part of #BowOnPoe so that they can be reminded as the day gets closer AND see who else is participating. Also, tell people to invite others. It doesn’t matter whether or not you are hosting an event onsite; the whole day is worth celebration!

Do all of the above and repeat...again and again and again.

Twitter Tips

Want to quickly engage donors and share information about your fundraising efforts? Twitter is instant and efficient! If you’re new to Twitter, they offer a getting started guide for newbies.

Below you will find a few tips to help you have success.

Follow @@BowOnPoe’s Twitter account. Go to www.twitter.com/@BowOnPoe and click the Follow button. Now you can begin receiving and sharing information about #BowOnPoe.

Follow other organizations and people. The organizations you follow should be those that you work with or who inspire you and your constituents. You may also consider following past donors, board members, volunteers and other community leaders.

Tell your followers that you are participating in #BowOnPoe. Tell your followers about your campaign and begin to build a story around the initiatives you’d like to support. Let them know about any incentive prizes you are trying to win and how they can help you do so. Use some of the suggested tweets provided.

Use Hashtags and Handles. Whenever you share information include the @@BowOnPoe handle and #BowOnPoe to further spread your organization’s words. Show that you are a part of #BowOnPoe by using the hashtag in all of your tweets. People who are interested in a particular event, person or business will follow the hashtag to stay up-to-date on any conversations around their topic of interest.

Don’t just follow! Become a part of the conversation. Let people know that you are out there and engaged. Respond to tweets like you are holding a conversation. You never know where this may lead.

Share pictures, videos and interesting content. Twitter is not just about your ‘words’. Pictures and videos draw people in, and sharing interesting articles about what you and others are doing shows that you are part of a community.

More Tips

• 10 Twitter Best Practices for Nonprofits
• 10 Twitter Tips for Nonprofits
• 12 Types of Tweets Your Nonprofit Should be Sharing

Tweet, retweet and tweet again! (Especially on the day of #BowOnPoe)

Instagram Tips

Looking to harness the power of visual communication? Take advantage of the ability to communicate with your potential supporters with impactful images and catchy captions. Never used Instagram? Check out Instagram’s “Getting Started on Instagram” guide to setup your account now!

Here’s your Instagram checklist:

Follow ubaltalumni on Instagram. Head to www.instagram.com/ubaltalumni to “Follow” the activity around #BowOnPoe.

Connect your Instagram and Facebook accounts. Make sure that your Instagram posts are automatically posted on Facebook. Connecting Facebook and Instagram harnesses the power of both social media platforms at once and allows you to reach a wider audience.

Find powerful images. People-centric, positive images will help you draw in new followers. Focus on sharing images that speak to your organization’s mission and your target audience. Canva.com is a great way to take your own photographs or a stock image to the next level. If you want to include important dates, statistics, or quotes, Canva lets you add text right on top of the image as well as providing you with a suite of photo editing tools.

Socialize! Like your supporters’ posts, and consider re-sharing posts that stand out and speak to your cause. Showcasing the stories and individuals that propel your organization’s mission will help you gain more followers, recognition, and traction in advance of the day. Also take this opportunity to cross-promote by liking and re-sharing other organizations’ posts to boost your visibility in your UB community.

Use the #BowOnPoe hashtags, in addition to other creative hashtags. 3-5 hashtags per post is the sweet spot. Start with a branded or specific hashtag--like a tagline or fun phrase. Follow this with the name of your organization, then a broader hashtag tied to your cause (#savinglives, #endinghomelessness, #spreadingthelove). Having a succession of hashtags helps with branding! Don’t forget to include #BowOnPoe

Create a regular schedule for posting. We recommend posting at least 2-3 times per week to stay in your supporters feeds! If you integrate your Instagram posts with Facebook, you’ll want to consider how your Instagram posts will fit in with your other scheduled Facebook posts. Consider making posts that show a chronological history - such as building a playground or rehabbing an animal back to health.

Host an activity. Photo contests are a great way to include your supporters and make your posts more interactive! “Tag a friend” posts, ask your supporters to tag a friend in a post that you’d like to gain more traction in. Offer an incentive to encourage more participation! “Take-Over” Ask a staff member or supporter to take over your Instagram for a week. This allows you to showcase the individuals that make up your unique community, how they embody your mission, and what your organization means to them. “Take-Overs” can help show the impact your organization has on the community!

Have fun! Instagram is a really playful platform, and the perfect opportunity to let the unique personalities, humor and convictions of your organization shine through your photos, captions and hashtags! Instagram is a fantastic opportunity to relate to your supporters, showing them who you are and what you stand for.