Social Media Planning and Design for Nonprofit Impact
If you’ve spent any time navigating the circus fun-house of social media strategy, you’ve undoubtedly heard the term “content pillars.” You may even have downloaded a guide for what kind of content to post on what days: Monday - Inspiring Quote. Tuesdays - Glimpse Behind the Scenes. Wednesday — Resource or Offer. Thursday …
You get the idea.
The problem is that this one-size-fits-all approach to content strategy doesn't fit most nonprofit organizations. While traditional content pillars work seamlessly for retail or commercial brands, nonprofits require a different playbook. But that doesn’t mean planning has to be hard. In this post, we’ll reimagine content pillars for nonprofits and introduce some key principles for boosting your org’s social media presence.
Retail Pillars vs. Nonprofit Mission
Content pillars for retail brands often revolve around product features, promotions, and sales. For nonprofits, a mission-driven approach goes beyond product-centric messaging. Social media plans need to authentically reflect the organization's values, causes, and impact.
What to Use Instead
Mission-Focused Storytelling. Center your social media strategy around the stories of the people and communities your nonprofit serves and the staff, volunteers, and donors behind your work. Share the specific results of your initiatives, weaving a narrative that resonates with your audience's values.
Influence Attitudes and Shift Narratives. How do you talk about and frame your issue area(s)? How do you want the public to talk about them? Use your social media posts and campaigns to educate your audience (over time) about why their words and perspectives matter.
Customer Interactions vs. Community-Centric Engagement
Retail brands often focus on customer engagement, encouraging interactions around products and the experience of using them. In contrast, nonprofits focus on building a community around shared values and a collective commitment to social change.
What to Use Instead
Collaborative Activism. Encourage your social media community to actively participate in your cause. This could involve sharing your campaign content, participating in virtual events, joining online discussions, signing petitions, writing letters, or attending a live protest.
User-Generated Content. User-generated content is one way nonprofits can effectively use a strategy that commercial brands perfected. As I discussed in this post, inviting your followers to share their experiences, testimonials, or creative expressions diversifies your content and strengthens your extended nonprofit community.
Sales Metrics vs. Impact Measurement
Retail content pillars may measure success through sales metrics. Nonprofits, on the other hand, need to communicate their impact and financial transparency to build trust.
What to Use Instead
Transparent Impact Reporting. Incorporate transparency and impact reporting into your social media strategy. Regularly share updates on how funds are used, the progress of projects, and the tangible outcomes of your initiatives. This builds trust and keeps your audience informed.
Before-and-After or Progress Graphics. Statistics don’t always pack much of a punch, but everyone loves a transformation story. Where did your client/initiative/community/social issue begin, and where are they now due to your organization's work? (Be sure to credit other nonprofits or advocates who may have been involved in the transformation!)
Product and Brand Focus vs. Advocacy and Education
Retail content pillars may include product features and benefits. Nonprofits, however, need to go beyond product information to advocate for their cause and educate the public on relevant issues.
What to Use Instead
Advocacy Campaigns and Educational Initiatives. Integrating advocacy campaigns and educational initiatives could involve sharing informative content, hosting webinars, and actively engaging in conversations that raise awareness about the core issues your nonprofit addresses.
Authority-Boosting Shares. The reality is, everyone likes to look good on social media. Create powerful, sharable posts or reels that reflect well on your audience or boost their authority when they share them. Let them piggyback on your expertise a bit; after all, they are helping bring awareness to your issue!
Affiliations and “Collabs” vs. Partnerships and Networks
Retail brands may focus on brand affiliations and collaborations for mutual promotion. Nonprofits can utilize this same principle, but choose carefully. Collaborations that don’t align well with your org’s mission have the potential to damage its reputation rather than amplify its impact.
What to Use Instead
Mission-Aligned Collaborations. Cultivate collaborations with trusted and vetted organizations, influencers, and brands that align with your nonprofit's mission. These partnerships should contribute to your cause and expand the reach of your social media initiatives.
National Networks and Publications. Does your nonprofit have a fiscal sponsor or belong to an umbrella network? Or is there a journal or publication that focuses on your issue? If so, get to know the communication directors at these organizations. Check in with them quarterly to update them on your work, share new content and resources, and—most importantly—ask how you can support them and their work,
“Collaborations that don’t align well with your org’s mission have the potential to damage its reputation rather than amplify its impact.”
Tailoring Strategies for Nonprofit Impact
To be clear, there is nothing wrong with content pillars as a concept, but there simply isn’t one set of pillars that will work for all nonprofits. However, by understanding the unique value proposition of your nonprofit, knowing what type of content your audience responds to, and designing a social media plan that aligns with your org’s strategic plan, you can create content pillars that will grow your impact and make your planning much easier (plus alleviate the stress of not having a strategy at all, which—spoiler alert—is extremely common at nonprofits!).
Adrienne van der Valk is the co-founder, principal, and editorial director for Square Lightning. Artwork by Russell Estes.
Ready to elevate your nonprofit's social media impact? Visit our Social Media Spark overview page and schedule a free consultation. Let's co-create a strategy that resonates with your audience, builds community, and drives meaningful change.