Using Facebook to Fundraise

How Facebook Can Help Your Fundraiser

Social media fundraising is about expanding your donor prospects as wide as possible on the internet. In this article we are going to talk about how to do that with Facebook. First let us get an idea of our potential with Facebook.

• There are an estimated 1 Billion people around the world using Facebook as of May 2013.
• The average Facebook user has 220 friends.
• 74% of online Americans have a Facebook account.

After reading those facts doesn't it make sense to use this resource to raise needed money for your cause?

Facebook is about sharing and we are going to use it to tell people about your cause. Get others to donate to your cause and tell their friends about it. There are two major goals you will have to employ to get the best out of Facebook.  Use it as a funnel and try to reach as many new donors as possible.

First Goal: Your Prep Work

• There are three things you will need to do to use Facebook as a funnel to your important pages or events.
• You will need to setup a donation or giving page. This page will explain your cause or reason for your fundraiser. Where and to whom the money is going to and how they can donate. Make sure you take your time and create the best page. There are many different online sources that can help you setup your donation page.
• You should create a Facebook fan page, that links to your donation page.
• If you’re going to host any type of event as part of your fundraiser, you will need to make sure you post it to your Facebook calendar and invite people to it.

Using Facebook as a funnel to these three things is very important. People need to know where to go to donate and need to know what your cause is.

Second Goal: Making Your Fundraiser Go Viral

This is all about how you interact with your audience on Facebook and use it to reach an even bigger audience than you ever could alone. This should be the overall goal of any fundraiser.  Post, post, post about anything that gives updates and adds online content about your fundraiser.

• Post about changes. If you update one of your pages, let your followers hear about it. If your goal is to raise $5,000, post an update at every $500 milestone.
• Post photos and videos of your event, group activities, and fundraising efforts
• Post thank you notes on your wall about donors.

Remember to include your Donor and Facebook pages in all your posts.

Your Audience

The more people you reach the more people who will likely donate to your cause. Facebook offers a very easy format to use social media to your advantage. Of all the social media options out there Facebook has the highest closing ratio of donors. Every time your online effort is shared by someone else on Facebook it reaches 100 times more people. 

This article was a labor of love for me as I love Facebook and social media. The information given fits in with the type of fundraising options my company promotes. My site can help you setup a donor/giving page and advise you on face to face fundraising or hosting an event. If you have read my earlier posts about how to create the ultimate fundraiser. Then you know that  you'll  need to combine face to face with online fundraising to have the best possible outcome.  

Happy Facebook Fundraising

Dasia