Social Media is a key way to connect with a broad audience and advertise what your NFP is all about, so naturally NFPs who have mastered the game receive the lion’s share of attention and a lot more support than those whose social medial skills are lacking.

So what can you do to ensure the skills in your organisation are up to scratch?

First, consider the different aspects of social media engagement and whether or not you are using it to its full advantage. Social media is a useful, cost effective way to disseminate information about your cause and your programs, as well as information about events. It is not just about individual posts, however. Regular blogs can become popular with people connected to your cause and the comments sections can be a great way to encourage discussions as well as keep people in the loop.

Next, spend some time trying to understand your target market and the other operators vying for the their attention. Different demographics gravitate toward Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Which social media platforms should you focus on? What can you do to compete, or better yet, team up with other organisations who have the same target audience?

Lastly, realise that a little planning goes a long way. Prepare to make consistent posts that are relevant and interesting to your supporters. As well as this, make sure they are informative and delivered at times that align well with your events and campaigns. Check that you are covering all bases: promotion, education and engagement.

Ideally, there will be members of your organisation who can manage all of the above. These people will be creative, flexible, great at multitasking and have knowledge about all aspects of your cause. They also need some HTML knowledge, and possess a good understanding of the impact both written and visual content can have on attracting the support of social media users. Crucially, they need to facilitate a kind of online community building that moves your organisation closer to its has real world goals.

It’s a big job, but one no present day NFP can afford to be without.