They say a single image is worth a thousand words. This adage has helped make Instagram popular among retail brands. But what about nonprofits? Can a picture capture the power of a cause? Oh yeah.
From museums to charities, organizations to projects, Instagram is an impactful, strategic medium to market your nonprofit and bring awareness to your cause.
Here are six ways your nonprofit organization can be successful on Instagram.
1. URL linking
Want to drive more traffic to your website? Linking your homepage URL, donation page and or YouTube campaign video within the bio section of the account profile will generate leads and share your message. Organizations like Charity Water, Unicef and the TrevorProject are just a few nonprofits doing just that.
2. Pop culture references
Pop culture is constantly steering the direction of conversation–especially on social media. After the release and success of the film Jurassic World, #PrattKeeping quickly became a trending topic. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History quickly joined in the conversation by posting this clever photo, recreating a key scene from the film. Not only did it spark engagement, but it demonstrated their relevancy within the social space.
3. Inspirational quotes
#MondayMotivation anyone? Post inspiring quotes related to your cause like @ted, @unicef and @red do:
4. Celebrity involvement
Is a celebrity expected to participate at one of your events? Snap a quick photo.
5. Educational facts
People take pleasure in learning new information, especially facts and statistics. Taking the time to provide factual information to the public is a great way to express the need of your efforts and cause. Over the past eight years, Charity Water has been able to fund more than 16,138 water projects around the world–and were sure to post about it.
6. Faraway places
From Ethiopia to Yemen, sharing where your organization has been is great way to encourage support. Followers can see where their donations are going, who they are helping, and they get to travel via their Instagram feed along the way. One of the many leading nonprofits in the space is National Geographic. From striking humanist portraits to environmental landscapes, @natgeo posts remarkable images, inspiring the public to care about the planet and all its inhabitants.
Which nonprofits are you following on Instagram? Sound off in the comments section. And be sure to check out the latest blog in the series – 6 ways retailers can be successful on Instagram.
For more information on how to market your business on Instagram, stay tuned to this blog series. In upcoming posts, we’ll cover industry specific best practices, share a few examples, define different types of posts, and provide steps to launch your brand on Instagram. Meanwhile, take a peek at Brogan’s Instagram account for inspiration.
