What is Facebook?

Facebook is a free-to-use social networking website founded in 2004. What started as a way to connect with friends and colleagues or individuals you might not know personally is now one of the largest social networking platforms in use today with more than two billion users worldwide. It also now serves as more than just a way for individuals to connect—many businesses and nonprofits also create and run an account on Facebook.

Facebook allows users, whether that user be a person or a business or a nonprofit, to share information about themselves with anyone who follows their page or is a friend. (“Friend” here simply means connected through the platform in ways that allow both parties to see each other’s posts and information.) Facebook creates a timeline with the most popular posts of a user’s connections in order for the user to see the posts most liked or commented on.

Creating an account on Facebook allows your nonprofit to begin growing a social media presence, which ultimately raises number of supporters and donors. In fact, many nonprofits have already taken to using Facebook to increase their social media presence and raise awareness for their cause.

How Do Nonprofits Use Facebook?

Below are a few easy ways to begin using social media:

Share your nonprofit’s history so that new supporters will have an idea of who you are
Share behind-the-scenes footage of events and volunteers
Share testimonials from individuals or groups that your nonprofits have helped
Share success stories
Share invitations events you’re hosting
Share posts from similar nonprofits to bring more awareness to your nonprofit as well as others that share similar goals

These few tips allow your nonprofit to begin raising its social media presence, which will ultimately benefit your nonprofit.

One of the most important ways to use social media, however, is not just sharing posts and information, though both are important to keeping your Facebook page alive and keeping traffic on your page: interacting with your supporters through answering comments and asking questions allows you to build a true rapport with your followers and supporters.

Good Examples of How Nonprofits Use Facebook

Post Regularly and Consistently

The Animal Humane Society, one of the leading animal welfare organizations in the US, posts success stories regularly every Saturday with the hashtag #SuccessStorySaturday. Regular posts such as this allow the nonprofit’s followers to find these stories easily and highlights the work that the nonprofit does for its community. These types of posts also allow the nonprofit to demonstrate that the work it does is not in a void—individuals all over benefit from the nonprofit’s actions.

Share Relevant News
Other nonprofits use their Facebook pages to
share relevant news, such as the National
Domestic Violence Hotline, an organization
dedicated to helping survivors and victims of
abuse. This nonprofit’s Facebook page shares
information and news related to the topic of
domestic abuse.

Build a Relationship with the Community

Other ways nonprofits such as Advocates for Children, a nonprofit devoted to ending childhood neglect and abuse, use Facebook is to thank users, which allows supporters to feel validated because everyone enjoys being thanked and appreciated for their efforts.

Promote Events

Lastly, you can use Facebook posts to
promote events your nonprofit is hosting
or is planning to hosts, which allows more
followers and supporters to attend those
events because these posts raise awareness.
Some nonprofits like Families First , which
focuses on bettering child welfare and family
self-sufficiency, promote events months in
advance in order to gain as many attendees
as possible.

A good rule of thumb when using social media such as Facebook or any other platform is to keep a 70/20 ratio of the posts described above to posts asking for donations. Posts such as the ones explained above allow your nonprofit to build relationships with your community.

What Kind of Audience Does Facebook Usually Reach?

Facebook is a broad-reaching social media platform that covers most demographics. According to the Pew Research Center, almost seven-in-ten US adults are on Facebook, and most of the individuals who use Facebook visit the site every single day. More women than men use Facebook, and more college-educated individuals use Facebook more than those with a high school diploma or less. The Pew Research Center also states that more adults than teens use Facebook. For a further breakdown of the demographic disparity of Facebook users, visit the Pew Research Center webpage to determine if Facebook is the right fit for your audience.

How Do You Set Up an Account?

Below are the steps to set up an account on Facebook, or if it’s easier for you, you can download a PDF version HERE.

Create a Facebook Page

Introduction

A Facebook page is different than a Facebook profile. Facebook profiles are for individuals who want to connect with friends, family, or colleagues through the social media platform whereas Facebook pages are for businesses, organizations, and public figures.

A Facebook page allows users from anywhere to follow your nonprofit and begin seeing your posts and images immediately; a Facebook profile requires one user to request a connection and the other to accept before the two users can see each other’s shared posts and images.

Creating a Facebook page requires a few simple, easy-to-follow steps and gives your nonprofit a voice and presence to reach more followers and supporters as well as to connect with more members of your community.

Step One

Navigate to the following webpage: https://www.facebook.com/pages/creation/. You will see the page pictured below:

Step Two

In the Business or Brand box select Get Started, as seen in the first picture below. This will open the second picture.

Step Three

Fill in the Page Name and Category boxes, then select Continue. Note that when you start to fill in the Category box with “nonprofit,” the option to select Nonprofit Organization will pop up.

Step Four

Select Upload a Profile Picture on the next page. This will allow you to search your device for a profile picture for your nonprofit. Keep in mind that your profile picture should make it easy for followers and supporters to identify your nonprofit with ease. This profile picture will be attached to each post you share, so choose one that will allow your followers to recognize your brand.

Step Five

Select Upload a Cover Photo. A cover photo is different than a profile picture: a profile picture is attached to each post, and a cover photo is one of the main images that followers will see when they go to your page. This photo should be one that represents the work that your nonprofit does as well as the community it serves.

Step Six

Select the About tab on the left side of the page.

Step Seven

In the About page, fill in as much information that you can. This allows followers and potential followers to learn as much about you as they can simply by going to your Facebook page.