50 Social Media Content Ideas
Whether you’re brainstorming content for your nonprofit’s Facebook, Twitter, Intstagram, or Snapchat presence, all too often the content creation and brainstorming becomes overwhelming and you hit a writer’s block. With all the noise out there and competition for attention, it leaves nonprofit marketers wondering what they can post or do that will drive engagement or inspire giving.
The thing to keep in mind is that your nonprofit social media presence should not stand alone. Your social media strategy should be one piece of your organization’s larger digital strategy—do not do your job in a silo. Social media should be used to amplify your cause, build supporter relationships, and empower your supporters to speak out on behalf of your mission. It’s not just about posting messages—it’s about connecting, inspiring, and using social media as a channel to have real impact for those you serve.
Good news: bookmark this cheat sheet and you’ll never draw a blank again. Here’s 50 ideas that will keep your nonprofit social media presence alive and healthy all year long.
50 ideas for planning nonprofit social media content:
Mission Moments
Photos of your mission in action
Live video tours of your work on the front-lines
Quotes from service recipient
Your video PSA
Stories of your mission in action (ex: stories of families or individuals your cause has helped)
Spotlights on donor stories (ex: why they give and what giving means to them)
Receiving Service
Online member registration
How to get service (ex. Stop by our south clinic for a flu shot.)
CTAs to remind people you know about your services
FAQs about your organizations’s services
Awareness months for your cause (ex: this month is ALS awareness month: know the signs)
Fundraising
Thank you to specific donors
Thank you to corporate donors
Photos/videos from your most recent fundraiser
Promotions of your next fundraiser
Shout-outs to individual fundraising campaigns
Promo-codes to your next gala/fundraising event
Special event save the date (ex. Next year’s walk or gala)
Links to your online donation forms
Cost of service you fund (ex. $5 to feed a family dinner)
Asks for specific in-kind donations (ex. Books needed for elementary students)
Volunteering
Online volunteer form
Open committee roles
Pictures from past volunteer activities
On-site Facebook Live-streams from volunteer activites
Volunteer social take-over days (ex: offer volunteers the opportunity to run the account during a service project and share from their perspective)
Advocacy
Legislation affecting your cause
Calls to action to contact/tweet your representative
Voter registration information
Real-time responses to major media moments with CTAs to support your cause
Education materials on how your cause is on the front lines and how people can get involved
Social media influencer mentions and RTs
Connecting
Thank-yous for being engaged fans/followers
Online e-newsletter sign ups
Photo and information about your board chair
Photo of and info about your Executive Director
Quote from Executive Director + Board Chair
Link to your other social media profiles + profiles of influencers
Most recent e-newsletter, press release, or news story
Cause-related blog posts
Questions
What does X mean to you? (ex. What does security mean to you?)
Which of our events is your favorite?
Why are you a volunteer with us?
Why do you support our cause?
How would you rate your last giving experience with us?
Surveys to understand what kind of content your audience wants/prefers
Misc
Local weather/news and how it relates to your cause (ex. It’s cold! Help us distribute coats to senior citizens.)
Relevant quotes from historical figure (ex. Gandhi, Winston Churchill, Yogi Berra, whoever)
Happy Holiday Messages
Relevant safety tips (ex. In July “Prevent fires: 7 tips for safe grilling”)
What other social media content ideas would you add to the mix? Share in the comments below!
This post has been updated to reflect the most recent best practices with social media content.
