I am working on the slide deck for Thursday’s webinar Social Media Trends for Nonprofit Communicators in 2024 and thought I would share some of the data I am finding on how people feel about using AI to generate content.

One of the themes I am seeing is that AI use will skyrocket, but that is causing social medias users to be leery. Hootsuite research found that “62% of consumers say they are less likely to engage with and trust content is they know it was created by an AI application.”

Part of this distrust comes from not knowing what it real or fake on the internet. But with all signs pointing to AI use by marketers only increasing in the coming years, how can we utilize this helpful, time-saving tool while retaining our followers’ trust?

7 Ways to Build Trust Even When Using AI

1. Know your audience and how they feel about AI
2. Share authentic moments
3. Focus on how your content makes someone feel or the experience they have when interacting with your brand
4. Let your personality shine to humanize your content
5. Show REAL people from you organization
6. Be transparent if you do use AI for images
7. Create AI policies to ensure regulations are in place to combat things like copyright infringements and bias

How to Find Authentic Moments

• How you keep doing it, even when it’s hard
• Talk about the flubs and frustrations
• What do you love?
• What do you talk about after work with friends and family?
• What are you learning?
• Honest reactions to news and culture
• Occasional memes that reflect how everyone is feeling

Ways to Show Personality

• Writing in first and second person
• Letting us know who is doing the posting
• Expressing an opinion
• Sharing losses as well as wins
• Making us smile
• Telling stories

For more on social media, join us next Thursday, March 21st for Social Media Trends for Nonprofit Communicators in 2024. The information below was taken from the BONUS handout Everything Nonprofits Need to Know About Social Media in 2024. Get a FREE copy of this e-book when you register for Thursday’s webinar.

In order to effectively use social media, you need to know how it’s used and who is using it. Let’s break down some important data about social media and specific channels like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and more.

Social Media Demographics in General

• The typical social media user actively uses an average of 6.7 different social platforms each month and spends an average of more than 2 hours and 23 minutes per day using social media
• Social media user identities have passed the 5 billion mark the equivalent to 62.3 percent of the world’s population
• There are 239.0 million social media users in the United States as of January 2024 (70.1 percent of the total population)
• Almost all nonprofits use social media in some capacity

Facebook

• Number of monthly active users: 3.049 billion
• Number of active users in Northern America: 208.6 million
• Largest age group: 25-34 (29.6%) 
• Gender: 43.2% female, 56.8% male (no data on other genders)
• Time spent per day: 30.8 minutes

Instagram

• Number of monthly active users: 2 billion
• Number of active users in Northern America: 187.2 million
• Largest age group: 18-24 (32%)
• Gender: 49.4% female, 50.6% male (no data on other genders)
• Time spent per day: 33 minutes

TikTok

• Number of monthly active users: 1.562 billion
• TikTok’s advertising reach in Northern America: 127.4 million users aged 18 and above
• Largest age group: 18-24 (38.d%) 
• Gender: 53.4% female, 46.6% male (no data on other genders)
• Time spent per day: 55.8 minutes per day

X (Formerly Twitter)

• Number of monthly active users: 372.9 million (down from 450 million)
• Number of active Twitter users in Northern America: 71.7 million
• Largest age group: 25-34 (38.5%)
• Gender: 35.7% female, 64.3% male (no data on other genders)
• Time spent per day: 31.4 minutes

YouTube

• Number of monthly active users: 2.5 billion
• YouTube’s advertising reach in Northern America: 279.1 million users
• Largest age group: 25-34 (20.7%)
• Gender: 45.6% female, 54.4% male (no data on other genders)
• Time spent per day: 48.7 minutes

LinkedIn

• Number of monthly active users: 900 million
• Largest age group: 25-34 (60%)
• Gender: 43.7% female, 56.3% male (no data on other genders)
• Time spent per session: 7 minutes

Sources:

https://datareportal.com/social-media-users

https://www.mixbloom.com/resources/average-time-spent-on-social-media-2022

https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-united-states-of-america

https://wearesocial.com/us/blog/2024/01/digital-2024-5-billion-social-media-users/

https://backlinko.com/youtube-users#user-demographics

The online search landscape is changing. A November 2023 study by HubSpot highlighted a shift towards social media over search engines for information, especially among younger audiences like Gen Z and Millennials. They go on to share that their Trends report shows 31% of consumers now use social platforms for finding information.

Another report from DataReportal stated that back in 2022, 75% of internet users used social media to research products, look for reviews, and recommendations. And another 27.9% used social media to find inspiration for things to do and buy. All signs and reports point to that number having increased today.

Social SEO, as a result, is now becoming as popular as traditional SEO once was. Unlike traditional SEO, which optimizes for search engines like Google and Bing, Social SEO focuses on making content visible on social platforms. It’s about making our content easier to find and ensuring it shows up in users’ feeds.

The American Marketing Association named Social SEO as one of the top six 2024 trends for marketers. This highlights how important Social SEO is for nonprofits like ours, especially as social media search and AI chatbots become more common.

So, what does optimizing social media platforms for search look like?

Top Tips for Enhancing Social SEO:

1. Tailoring content for each social platform.
2. Incorporating keywords and phrases relevant to your audience’s search habits.
3. Optimizing your social media profiles for SEO.
4. Using relevant hashtags to improve discoverability.
5. Analyzing and adapting content based on performance insights.
6. Using interactive campaigns to engage and inform.
7. Optimizing posts for visibility and search relevance.
8. Sharing high-quality, shareable content that aligns with your mission.

Now let’s see it in practice for mission-based organizations. Let’s take a look at some examples of Social SEO in action:

Optimizing Profiles for SEO

Example: A homeless shelter nonprofit enhancing its Facebook profile by including keywords such as “homeless support services” and “emergency shelter” in its bio section. They also link directly to their donation page and use a consistent naming convention across platforms to improve their searchability and brand recognition.

Optimizing Posts for Search Relevance

Example: A mental health nonprofit uses Instagram to share content that directly addresses common search queries, such as “how to cope with anxiety.” They include these phrases in their post captions and video content, making their posts more likely to be discovered by users seeking information on these topics.

Tailored Content for Each Platform

Example: A literacy nonprofit can share quick tips on Twitter/X, in-depth articles or long post content on LinkedIn, and visual testimonials on Instagram to connect with different segments of their audience.

Interactive Campaigns

Example: Hosting live Q&A sessions on social platforms to address common queries that come into the organization and encouraging followers to submit questions before, during, and after.

Strategic Hashtag Use

Example: An environmental nonprofit could increase content discoverability and connect with like-minded users by using targeted but somewhat mainstream hashtags such as #PlasticFreeOceans to connect with a targeted audience.

Engaging Visual Content

Example: Sharing compelling stories and images of rescued animals, an animal welfare nonprofit can use Instagram Stories or Facebook Live to boost engagement and visibility.

Community Building Through Engagement

Example: Fostering two-way conversation through comments and shares, to build deeper connections with your audience.

Befriend the Algorithms

The shift towards social media as a primary search tool offers nonprofits an invaluable opportunity to connect with their audience on a deeper level. By leveraging the unique strengths of each social platform and aligning your content strategy with your audience’s search behaviors, your nonprofit can significantly enhance its social SEO. The addition of strategic hashtag use, engaging visual content, and community building through engagement further enriches this approach, ensuring your nonprofit’s message not only reaches but resonates with the right audience.

With every hashtag, every shareable moment, and every community dialogue, we’re not just reaching audiences; we’re inviting them into our story. Stay curious, stay engaged, and let’s make every search a step towards new relationships and achieving your mission.

“What should I post on social media?” is one of the top questions nonprofit marketers ask. To help answer that question and to see if it lines up with best practices, we asked nonprofit communicators to tell us how often you share different types of content on social media. Here are the results found in our 2024 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report:

2024 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report

Highlights:

• 46% of survey takers said they share news or upcoming events most of the time with the same percentage saying they market their programs most of the time.
• Very few nonprofits want to make waves on social media, however, with almost 90% saying they seldom or never try to evoke controversy and 66% saying they seldom or never take a stand or share strong opinions.
• Only 6% of nonprofits say they share funny content most of the time with almost 60% saying they seldom or never share humorous posts.
• Using social media for fundraising was fairly split with 52% saying they seldom or never ask for money on social media and 48% saying they ask for money sometimes or most of the time.

Does this content align with what social media users want?

We know from research we’ve done for social media webinars that what social media managers post does not always match with what people want to see. And unfortunately we see a lot of the same issues in this data.

According to Hootsuite’s Social Media Trends for 2024, over one-third of social media audiences say that too much self-promotion negatively affects how they view a brand. And yet, according to our survey, almost 90% of nonprofits are marketing programs either most of the time or sometimes as well as sharing news or upcoming events and showing how they help. All of these things could be considered self-promotion depending on what exactly you are posting.

And despite memes, how-to content, and opinion pieces doing well on social media, over half of nonprofits say they seldom or never post that type of content.

Let’s break this down further and look at how nonprofit social media content aligns with what people are doing on different platforms.

Our previous Trends Reports show that Facebook is used most frequently by nonprofits followed by Instagram.

If we take data from consumer research company GWI and look at how Facebook users want to interact with others on the platform, over 58% say they are looking to “keep up to date with news and current events.” Since, as we said before, most nonprofits share news and upcoming events, Facebook is a good place to do that. LinkedIn and X (Twitter) should also be considered as users listed “Keep up to date with new and current events” as their top reason for being on both of those platforms.

BUT you need to consider what you consider “news” and what users consider “news” may be two different things. Hiring a new ED is news for you, but the average social media users – even your followers – will not consider that a “newsworthy” event in their lives. When they say they use social media to keep up to date with news and current events, they don’t mean they log in to find out if you got that grant.

Do you have to be funny?

When we did our webinar on conveying your personality on social media, many people asked if they had to be funny to get attention. You probably won’t like the answer as almost 55% of Facebook users and over 64% of Instagram users are on those platforms for funny or entertaining content.

And another survey from Oracle Fusion Cloud Customer Experience (CX) and Gretchen Rubin says 91% of people prefer brands to be funny. That same survey said if a brand uses humor, people are more likely to buy from the brand again (80%), recommend the brand to family and friends (80%), choose the brand over the competition (72%), and spend more with a brand (63%).

As mentioned above 60% of nonprofits say they seldom or never share humorous posts. So you may want to lighten up a little bit to get more attention and stand apart from other organizations.

Like “newsworthy,” the phrase “entertaining content” can mean a lot of different things though. Dramas are still entertaining – look what usually wins Best Picture awards!

If you just can’t do the funny stuff, keep leaning into storytelling. Eighty percent of nonprofits say they post inspiring stories either most of the time or sometimes so it’s something most of you are already doing!

If you are one of the many nonprofits who just aren’t seeing the results they want from social media, it may be time to change your approach.

For more on social media and how nonprofits should be approaching it, download our 2024 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report and register for our webinar Social Media Trends for Nonprofit Communicators in 2024.

In last year’s 2023 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report, we saw that Twitter (now X) was the social media platform nonprofits most said they would drop if they could.

Nonprofits are leaving Twitter for a long list of reasons.

This year, when we release the 2024 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report next week, you’ll see that for many of those nonprofits, this wish has been granted.

Only 25% of nonprofits surveyed said they used X either the same amount or more in 2023 than in 2022. 

The rest? They are leaving Twitter in one way or another.

• Twenty-six percent (26%) say they use the platform less than previously.
• Twenty-five percent (25%) said they have stopped posting but maintain the account.
• Eight percent (8%) report deleting the account entirely.
• Fifteen percent (15%) said they rarely used it previously and still don’t.

Those who still find value in Twitter/X say it’s because it’s the best way to reach very select, targeted audiences including media professionals and politicians. Some advocacy groups still use it because the specific issues they work on still have robust or influential communities there. They can’t imagine leaving Twitter until those communications needs are met elsewhere.

But they are a minority now within the nonprofit sector.

Where is the time, effort, and money that was previously spent on Twitter/X going now? Without question, Meta is the winner. Nonprofits report reinvesting those resources primarily into Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, followed by LinkedIn.

Download the Trends Report for the full briefing.

Despite being a visual platform, Instagram captions are very important to your overall strategy on the platform. Captions help you better tell your story, show up in keyword searches, and increase engagement.

If you need help with your Instagram content strategy, join us Tuesday, September 19th for a our 60-minute webinar – Stepping Up Your Instagram Content Strategy.

For those of you new to Instagram, a caption is a chunk of text that can help explain or give context to a photo. In your Instagram feed, captions appear beneath the photos. For Reels, they appear over the bottom of the video. It is here that you can practice your storytelling or keep it a simple description. You can also include emojis, hashtags, and mentions to boost your post.

According to the 2023 Instagram Engagement Report, including a caption on your feed posts, Stories and Reels gives you a boost in engagement although not as much as we have seen in previous years. This is most likely due to the rise of video content that doesn’t require you to provide as much text since you are presumably speaking your point.

Source: 2023 Instagram Engagement Report

And according to the report, for English-speaking users, 21-50 characters is ideal sweet spot.

Tips for Creating Instagram Captions:

1. Always include a caption
2. Start with your most compelling content as longer posts get truncated
3. Use a tone and style consistent with your organization’s, but keep it casual if you can
4. Tell a story in your caption that helps drive home the content itself
5. Break up longer content
6. An emoji can increase engagement. North American users seem to tolerate up to 10 emojis. 
7. Posts that used over 11 hashtags actually have the highest engagement rates followed by those that used 4
8. Use hashtags that are community and interest based as opposed to more generic hashtags
9. Go short or go long. As you can see from the chart above, globally, captions with 1-50 characters and captions over 2000 characters see the most engagement. 
10. Don’t forget a call to action

Interested in some Instagram Story Ideas too? Check out 14 Instagram Story Ideas for Nonprofits

Another potential Twitter-killer has entered the ring, but this one already has some pretty big social media guns backing it. Threads is a new app from Meta that is already connected to your Instagram account. Should your nonprofit try Threads? Maybe…

What Is Threads?

According to Meta:

And Instagram shared these takeaways:

• Threads is a new app, built by the Instagram team, for sharing text updates and joining public conversations.
• You log in using your Instagram account and posts can be up to 500 characters long and include links, photos, and videos up to 5 minutes in length.
• We’re working on Threads soon being compatible with the open, interoperable social networks that we believe can shape the future of the internet.

So Threads is Instagram, but text only? Yes, that’s just Twitter.

But considering the once super popular Twitter is projected to lose 32 million users worldwide by 2024, it’s not surprising that Meta would try to capitalize on the turmoil at Twitter. And Meta has a history of poaching top features of other apps like creating Stories based on Snapchat’s model.

Should your nonprofit join Threads?

You have to have an Instagram account to join Threads. So if you have an Instagram account,  I honestly don’t see any harm in your nonprofit trying out Threads. You can import all of your account information from Instagram (including who you follow) to the Threads app making it very easy to set up.

Also, if you left Twitter due to the everything that has happened surrounding the Elon Musk-takeover and have been looking for a replacement, then I think you should give Threads a try. Because this is backed by Meta and already has a potential built-in audience that other contenders like Mastodon didn’t have, Threads could have the best shot at working for you.

The features are pretty much the same as Twitter – you can like, repost and quote. So there is not much of a learning curve involved. Just post the same type of content you were posting to Twitter.  (Although, Threads does not appear to use hashtags at this time.)

If you just can. not. add. another. thing. to. your. plate and have not been looking for a Twitter replacement, then no worries. Just wait this one out.

Or if you left Facebook because of privacy concerns, etc., then you won’t want to join Threads either.

Right now, the vibe there seems laid back and fun, but we’ll see how that changes as more people join.

We created an account, but would much rather throw our time and energy into our Private Community that is part of a Free Membership to our Learning Center.

Did your nonprofit join Threads? Let us know!

What Are Instagram Stories?

Instagram Stories (also used on Facebook) are photos and videos that disappear from your profile after 24 hours unless you add them to your story highlights. They basically stole the idea from Snapchat, but way more people use Instagram Stories.

Right now, you can only post Stories via the app or using a social media manager like Hootsuite or Buffer.

They appear in vertical format and are a quick and easy way to share moments and experiences. They are also a great way for you to experiment with different content since they will disappear.

You can add stickers, emojis, and filters to it, draw on it, add text to it, share links, and more. You can also mention people or engage your followers through polls and quizzes.

Interested in overall Instagram strategies? Read Where to Start on Improving Instagram Engagement.

Some Story Stats:

• There are over 500 million active daily Instagram Stories users.
• 70% of Instagram users watch stories daily.
• 86.6% of Instagram users post Stories.
• Instagram Stories are used by 36% of businesses to promote their products.

14 Instagram Story Ideas for Nonprofits

1. List of superlatives (Best or Worst of…)
2. Make the case for action
3. Before the meeting / After the meeting
4. Ask for their reaction to news or ideas
5. Test their knowledge (Poll or Quiz Sticker)
6. Let’s go see what’s happening today with [staff person, ED, volunteer, etc]
7. Tell a story with a middle, beginning or end
8. Give them something to use like wallpaper or a quote/card to share
9. Describe your own creative process
10. Myths vs facts
11. Show teamwork and friendships at work
12. Themed round-up of news
13. Show learning or new skills building
14. Anything funny or quirky in your office – individual staff, members, teams, happenings

Want to learn more about Instagram? Become an All-Access Pass Holder and you can attend our live webinar Stepping Up Your Instagram Content Strategy in the fall as well as download our What Nonprofits Need to Know About Social Media in 2023 E-book and our Instagram Content Strategy Workbook.

When I first drafted this blog article, it was intended to share why one of the nonprofits I work with had all intentions of  staying on the controversial platform, Twitter, despite something of a platform exodus – because it met their needs. I was hoping to use the scenario to emphasize the importance of following marketing strategies that make the most sense for your nonprofit and the people you serve, regardless of what others are doing.

However, when the new CEO of Twitter engaged in some serious misbehavior online, we had no choice but to change our mind. In solidarity with the population we serve – that he had just offended – we had to question our presence on the platform. Our integrity, values, and commitment to the people we serve come first, and we believe that the same should be the case for all nonprofit marketers.

The moral of the story is that we believe you should pick your social media platforms and marketing strategies based on what works best for your nonprofit and the people you serve and not just what everyone else is doing – BUT it must also align with your values and beliefs.

To Tweet or Not to Tweet?

Elon Musk acquired Twitter in October 2022 and implemented changes that led many users to seek alternative social media platforms. Musk’s reinstatement of previously blocked accounts and introduction of controversial policies sparked criticism and left many users uneasy about their future experience.

“Many brands, including some nonprofit organizations, shared this sentiment.

Twitter also recently laid off approximately 1,000 employees as part of a larger restructuring effort that left many Twitter users feeling uncertain about the future of the platform, its functionality, and its ability to continue to innovate and deliver value to its users. Not to mention, Musk was also recently caught making offensive comments to a former employee living with a disability – on his very own platform.

As a result of these changes and behaviors, both individual users and organizations have opted to shift their focus to other social media platforms that better align with their values and priorities. While Twitter remains a popular platform for many users, the recent changes have highlighted the importance of accountability in social media and the need for users to carefully consider the platforms they choose to engage with.

Although Twitter continues to boast great user engagement stats (around 40% according to eMarketer), it is the only social media platform whose user growth declined in 2022.

The Elusive Blue Checkmark

Despite the negative changes, Twitter has been rolling out several new features as of early 2023, including adding long-form notes, amplifying a Clubhouse-like audio community referred to as “spaces,” developing a new subscription-based model to provide users with access to exclusive content and features, integrating e-commerce into its platform to allow users to purchase products directly from tweets, and investing in new technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence.

They have also made some changes to their famous blue checkmark verification process.  Twitter’s blue verification badge, which was originally meant to authenticate a user’s identity and voice, has undergone some significant changes. While Twitter’s verification process was initially open to anyone who could prove their identity and noteworthiness, under Musk’s leadership you must now be a participant in Twitter Blue, the company’s paid subscription service. They also recently announced that they are removing verification from users who were verified through their legacy verification program so that only Twitter Blue accounts will be verified going forward.

Whether or not it’s worth it to pay for Twitter Blue or to be verified on the platform is a hot topic of debate – especially for nonprofits. And to add to the decision process, other social media platforms are entering the mix with their own subscriptions services with exclusive features for individuals and businesses.  Meta announcement their own subscription service, Meta Verified, which offers a verified badge on Instagram. Ultimately, the decision to pay for that coveted blue check mark on any platform is up to you and your marketing objectives.

Should I Stay or Should I Go Now?

Considering both the good and the bad, a number of nonprofit organizations still have no plans to leave Twitter …for now. This is because despite the platform’s changing features and leadership, many of their most important stakeholders remain as active users.

It’s important to remember that the purpose of social media outlets is to engage with your audiences, foster community, provide customer service, and achieve marketing/business goals. You must consider all of these factors when evaluating whether a departure from the platform is necessary or recommended for your organization.

If your organization has reasons to prioritize communication and engagement with stakeholders who fall into categories like government officials and policy makers, current and prospective board members, and potential private funding partners including large and small corporate brands, etc., then Twitter may still be a good option. Additionally, many media and entertainment players also remain on the platform. That means if you’re looking for breaking news, some tweet play with the occasional A-B-C list influencer, or another way to engage with reporters, Twitter could still be worth considering… maybe.

The Struggle is Real: Making the Executive Decision

One key question to consider when deciding whether to stay or go on a platform like Twitter is, “if it wasn’t free, would we pay for this?”. This question alone, which encourages the evaluation of ROI, can help you not only prioritize which platforms are most meaningful to you, but also if it’s worth being there at all.

Here are some additional questions to ask yourself. These questions will help assess if your org’s presence continues to make sense as the landscape changes:

• • Can this platform really help me achieve my marketing objectives (whether that’s to drive donations or sales, generate leads, or deepen relationships)?
  • Has the platform been consistent in helping me meet those goals?
  • Are my customers, donors, and other stakeholders here?
  • Does this platform and my presence here add a positive reflection of my brand? Our values?
  • As the platform landscape changes, is their updated technology or approach still viable or desirable for me, my followers, or stakeholders?

You really must ask yourself whether or not the platform and your content on it is resonating with your audiences. Is your audience engaging and responding to you on that platform? And are they converting to meet your nonprofit marketing goals!

Keep It or Kick It?

It’s essential to assess the value and return on investment of your social media presence, and not just stick with a platform because it’s popular or everyone else is using it. By evaluating what works best for your nonprofit organization and the people you serve, you can make informed decisions about which social media platforms to use and which to let go of. Additionally, if we learn only one thing from Elon, let it be that it is crucial to prioritize organizational values and morals when deciding on marketing strategies and platforms.

Remember, social media platforms constantly change, and what works for your organization today may not be the best fit tomorrow. Regularly assessing your social media presence and stop going where or doing what no longer works for you on social and keep doing what does. Just remember, that’s going to be different for everybody.

Figure out what it is for you.

We invite you to go deeper on this topic by reviewing our recent webinar recording from April 13, 2023 Picking the Right Social Platforms for Your Nonprofit Moving Forward. You can get the recording (and attend all of our live webinars for 365 days) with an All-Access Pass.