You\u2019re using all your resources, from staff time to a limited (and ever-dwindling) marketing budget to keep everything from your email marketing to direct mail \u201con point.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thankfully, social media has emerged as a nonprofit marketer\u2019s best friend over the past few years.<\/p>\n
As you know, social media allows us to connect with followers on a level we weren\u2019t so easily able to before. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram give our supporters a chance to see what our organization is really about. It\u2019s a \u201cbackstage look,\u201d so to speak.<\/p>\n
Through social media, we\u2019re engaging supporters with thoughtful, inspirational, educational and motivating content, including stories, images, and videos. We\u2019re receiving messages and feedback in real-time, and responding quicker than we were ever able to before. We\u2019re encouraging dialogue and thus, change about issues that matter.<\/p>\n
Plus, social media is allowing our supporters to share our message with their friends and families, a major benefit of social fundraising<\/a>!<\/p>\n Simply, put, social media has been good for nonprofits<\/a>.<\/p>\n But, as with all things, social media is ever-changing and we\u2019re constantly being forced to adapt. Platforms such as Facebook and Instagram were built to establish and grow personal relationships. As such, newsfeed algorithms<\/a> have changed so that you, as a nonprofit, are less visible to your social media audience than your donor\u2019s Great Aunt Millie.<\/p>\n All this means that your posts aren\u2019t showing up as often as they used to in your supporters\u2019 newsfeeds. Unless, of course, your supporters are linking and sharing your posts!<\/p>\n And that\u2019s the reason we\u2019ve compiled this guide featuring everything you need to know about Facebook and Instagram ads. By using the advertising features on these two social media powerhouse platforms, you\u2019ll guarantee exposure to the right audience, at the right time, and with the right fuel to encourage action.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Facebook has featured ads, formerly called \u201csponsored posts\u201d, since 2009. Since then, the available options and features have rapidly changed to accommodate the Facebook Newsfeed<\/a> algorithm updates implemented over the years.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to be a corporation or a business to use Facebook ads. In fact, just about anyone from nonprofits and small businesses to political causes can advertise using Facebook.<\/p>\n And, you can target just about any segment of Facebook\u2019s 1 billion + users with Facebook ads, from your current followers and friends of followers to \u201cmales, aged 20-29, owning luxury cars, and living in Milwaukee.\u201d<\/p>\n Regular Facebook ads are viewable on desktop computers, while promoted and boosted posts can be seen on mobile devices and desktops.<\/p>\n To start advertising with Facebook, it\u2019s best to have a Facebook business page. If you haven\u2019t yet set one up, start here<\/a>. It\u2019s important to note that nonprofits choosing not to create a Facebook page have limited advertising options (more about this below).<\/p>\n Facebook has two primary advertising options and a ton of secondary advertising options for nonprofits. Promoted posts are labeled as \u201cSponsored\u201d and sit directly in the Facebook Newsfeed or in the right-hand column of a Facebook page. They can be used to drive people to your website, promote a campaign, or sell merchandise for your cause.<\/p>\n To set up a promoted post, you must have a Facebook business page.<\/p>\n Promoted posts within the Facebook Newsfeed are virtually identical to a normal Facebook post aside from 2 distinguishing features:<\/p>\n Boosted posts are similar to promoted posts, except that you wouldn\u2019t use the Ads Manager program to create and track the marketing campaign. You are required to have a Facebook Business page to boost your post.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re interested in increasing your reach for a particular post (especially since the algorithm change), this is the quickest and easiest way to do that. Prompt to \u201cBoost Post\u201d on a normal Facebook business page post Instagram\u2019s popularity is continuing to grow and as of mid-2016, this visual, image-based social media platform reported over 500 million users<\/a>. Demographics of Instagram users differ from that of Facebook. In fact, the average Instagram user is female and between 18-29 years old.<\/p>\n While attracting millennials is a good idea for any nonprofit, that\u2019s not the only reason why advertising on Instagram<\/a> is a good idea. One of the best things about Instagram is it\u2019s ability to help you tell your nonprofit story by means of an image, video, or slideshow.<\/p>\n When you use Instagram ads, you\u2019ll be able to:<\/p>\n Just as with Facebook ads, you can target your Instagram ads to reach your desired audience, from the young millennial women we just talked about to other, more varied audiences.<\/p>\n Remember that while Instagram posts can be viewed on a desktop, this site is more frequently accessed on mobile device. Therefore, it\u2019s best that you choose media with the right resolutions (more on this below).<\/p>\n To begin creating Instagram ads, you\u2019ll need a Facebook business page and a Facebook ad account. If you\u2019re already using Facebook ads, then you have these. If not, start creating your page by following the instructions in this link<\/a>.<\/p>\n Note that you do not need an Instagram account to create Instagram ads. However, we recommend creating an account if you haven\u2019t already so you can easily respond to audience engagement.<\/p>\n All Instagram ads are placed within the Instagram Newsfeed and are distinguishable by the word \u201cSponsored\u201d and a call to action button. In the screenshot below, you can see \u201cSponsored\u201d in the top right corner, while the call to action \u201cLearn More\u201d is located under the image .<\/p>\n You do, however, have 3 format options. Single photos can be formatted to be situated as a square or landscape.<\/p>\n When choosing to use a single photo, consider the message you want to get across. Ideally, the photo should be easily digestible, such as a fact, statistic, or a photograph that speaks for itself.<\/p>\n Use videos to introduce powerful images, complete with sound and motion. Videos can be up to 60-seconds (previously, the limit was 15).<\/p>\n Social media users are watching more and more short videos online, so this is a good route to go to get your audience\u2019s attention, especially if you can convey a short client story or otherwise emotionally connect your viewer to your mission.<\/p>\n Carousel is a swipeable image feature.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking to tell a story through a photo sequence, such as detailing a volunteer service project or your latest client-focused programming option, carousel is your best tool. Here are some of the most important and useful features of Facebook and Instagram ads.<\/p>\n With Facebook and Instagram ads, you can narrow down your desired audience based on the following criteria:<\/p>\n You\u2019ll choose an \u201cobjective\u201d for your ad campaign depending on what you hope to gain from the ad. The call to action that appears on that ad will match your objective.<\/p>\n Facebook ad objectives that nonprofits use include:<\/p>\n Facebook ad calls to action include:<\/p>\n Choose between 2 programs create your ad and review your analytics<\/p>\n For most nonprofits, this is the easier, preferred option for creating and tracking your ads. Ads Manager<\/a> is user-friendly and contains a number of features that nonprofits can use to create quality ads such as relevant objectives and standard media options. Power Editor<\/a> is used by businesses and nonprofits that produce a large number of Facebook ads. This ad management tool offers more advanced features, such as the use of special characters and intricate slideshows. You must use Google Chrome to access Power Editor. Now that you know the structure and purpose of Facebook and Instagram Ads, let\u2019s discuss some of the best practices you should know as you create your own ads.<\/p>\n Keep the following tips in mind moving forward:<\/p>\n Use Your Call To Action Wisely<\/span><\/p>\n Do you want to get people to your nonprofit\u2019s website or encourage them to donate? Think about the purpose of your ad before choosing a call to action button.<\/p>\n Likewise, reiterate what you want your ad audience to do within the ad\u2019s caption if appropriate. Below, you can see that The Home Depot uses actionable language with the word \u201cbrowse\u201d, setting the audience up to follow the call to action button \u201cShop Now.\u201d Figure out who you\u2019re trying to reach well before you create your first social media ad.<\/p>\n To start, look at statistics on your average donor from your donor database (or CRM program) or through a service like Google Analytics. The same goes for any other group you\u2019re trying to reach, such as potential volunteers or prospective peer-to-peer fundraisers<\/a>.<\/p>\n Focus on some or all of the following attributes:<\/p>\n Then, brainstorm text and call to action that will appeal to that particular demographic.<\/p>\n Remember Your Brand<\/span><\/p>\n As in all nonprofit marketing, include your logo, nonprofit name, symbol, hashtag, or other brand-specific detail that sets you apart from others and encourages your audience to remember your organization down the road.<\/p>\n Keep It Short<\/span><\/p>\n You\u2019ll be shocked at how quickly your ad will be will seen and processed by your audience, so you must get your audience\u2019s attention in a matter of seconds (or even fractions of a second). Therefore, keep both your headline and ad text short.<\/p>\n Marketing experts suggest<\/a> using no more than 5 words in your headline and keeping your text content direct.<\/p>\n Again, think through the ad\u2019s purpose before selecting an image or video for your ad. For example, if you\u2019re encouraging donations<\/a> than you may want to feature a picture of a person who has been helped by your organization.<\/p>\n Also, check your image and video specifications before finalizing your ad. You can find these on the right column in Ads Manager after you select \u201cCreate Your Ad.\u201d When you promote or boost a post within the Facebook Newsfeed, you\u2019re able to respond to and\/or \u201cLike\u201d audience comments. We encourage you to communicate with those who take time to engage with your posts. Recognize and adapt to any limitations your nonprofit may have. For example, if you know your nonprofit\u2019s website isn\u2019t optimized for mobile, don\u2019t use mobile ads that direct people to your website.<\/p>\n By putting yourself in the shoes of your intended audience as you begin creating your ads, you\u2019ll be able to catch intricacies such as these before your audience does. Before you jump into creating a Facebook ad, determine your main goal. Like we mentioned earlier, most nonprofits have 3 primary goals:<\/p>\n You\u2019ll base your Facebook ad campaign objective on your campaign goal, which will likely be related to one of the 3 listed above.<\/p>\n For this step-by-step guide, we\u2019ll use the objective of brand awareness which, in the case of a nonprofit, would help to increase awareness of the cause\/brand.<\/p>\n Before you begin, be aware that Facebook has specific guidelines regarding ad content. Review this page<\/a> before creating your ads to avoid having your ad rejected.<\/p>\n Here are the steps to create a Facebook Ad in Ads Manager.<\/p>\n Choose between \u201cAutomatic Placements\u201d or \u201cEdit Placements\u201d and select any of the following ad placement locations:<\/p>\n Create your own post with the following options:<\/p>\n When creating a new post, select the type of media you want to post and upload. Note the recommended specs in the right column.<\/p>\n 10.. Ad is reviewed by Facebook per the advertising policies<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Nonprofits are getting comfortable using Facebook and Instagram ads, and there are hundreds of thousands of rockstar examples out there. Here\u2019s a few to help get your creative juices flowing.<\/p>\n Advertising using Facebook and Instagram is a great idea for nonprofits.<\/p>\n Chances are, the majority of your intended audience is already using Facebook to connect with friends, family, businesses, and causes they relate to. When you choose to use Facebook Ads (depending on your primary objective), you\u2019re potentially getting in front of an even larger prospective donor base and encouraging engagement and action from your current supporters.<\/p>\n In addition, the process of creating and tracking Instagram Ads is almost identical to that of Facebook Ads. Thus, if you\u2019re attempting to broaden your audience and appeal to younger supporters, Instagram is a good platform to use.<\/p>\n Consider a donor\u2019s lifetime worth when choosing to run a Facebook and\/or Instagram ad campaign. A page \u201cLike\u201d, a share, or a click to your website may not seem like substantial milestones at present, but they can be the start of a long-term relationship.<\/p>\n Every interaction with donors is important, but you must get \u201cin front\u201d of them before you can develop that bond. Capture their attention first, and then hook them with your amazing nonprofit story, your genuine fundraising appeal, and your impact-driven results.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This is your complete guide on how to use nonprofit Facebook ads to promote your nonprofit’s mission, acquire new donors, and raise more online.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":50105,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Nonprofit-Facebook-Posts-600x400.jpg","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Nonprofit-Facebook-Posts-600x533.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Gia Chow","author_link":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/author\/gia\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16204"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16204\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50105"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Guide Outline<\/h2>\n
\n
How Do Nonprofit Facebook Ads Work?
![\"Facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.43.55-PM.png\")
<\/h2>\nThe Basics<\/h3>\n
Facebook Ad Options<\/h3>\n
![\"facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.44.07-PM.png\")
<\/p>\nPromoted Posts<\/h4>\n
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![\"Facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.44.32-PM.png\")
![\"Facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.45.49-PM.png\")
Boosted Posts<\/h4>\n
![\"Facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.46.08-PM.png\")
<\/p>\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\nHow Do Nonprofit Instagram Ads Work?<\/h2>\n
The Basics<\/h3>\n
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Instagram Ad Options<\/h3>\n
![\"Facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.46.51-PM.png\")
![\"Facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.47.04-PM.png\")
<\/p>\nSingle Photo Ads<\/h4>\n
Videos Ads<\/h4>\n
Carousel Ads<\/h4>\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\nFacebook & Instagram Ad Elements<\/h2>\n
Targeted Audience<\/h3>\n
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Objective-Based \u201cCall to Action\u201d<\/h3>\n
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Nonprofits often use the following objectives with Instagram ads:<\/h3>\n
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Creation & Data Collection Options<\/h3>\n
Ads Manager<\/h4>\n
![\"Facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.47.47-PM.png\")
<\/p>\nPower Editor<\/h4>\n
![\"Facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.48.06-PM.png\")
\n<\/a><\/p>\nFacebook & Instagram Ad Best Practices<\/h2>\n
![\"Facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.48.21-PM.png\")
Know Your Audience<\/span><\/p>\n\n
![\"facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.48.41-PM.png\")
Choose Meaningful Images & Video That Meet Ideal Ad Specifications<\/span><\/p>\n![\"Facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.48.57-PM.png\")
<\/p>\nEngage With Your Audience<\/h3>\n
![\"Facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.49.08-PM.png\")
<\/p>\nKnow Your Limitations<\/h3>\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\nCreating A Facebook Ad & Instagram Ad<\/h2>\n
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Adding Your Accounts To Business Manager<\/h3>\n
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![\"Facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.49.39-PM.png\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.49.52-PM.png\")
![\"facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.50.22-PM.png\")
![\"Facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.50.37-PM.png\")
Creating Your Ads<\/h3>\n
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![\"facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.50.56-PM.png\")
![\"facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.51.12-PM.png\")
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![\"facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.51.29-PM.png\")
![\"facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.51.46-PM.png\")
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![\"Facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.52.02-PM.png\")
![\"facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.52.19-PM.png\")
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![\"facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.52.30-PM.png\")
![\"facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.52.40-PM.png\")
![\"facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.52.56-PM.png\")
<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n
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![\"facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.53.06-PM.png\")
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![\"facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.53.14-PM.png\")
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![\"facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.53.27-PM.png\")
![\"facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.53.38-PM.png\")
![\"facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.53.51-PM.png\")
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![\"facebook](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-26-at-1.54.04-PM.png\")
Facebook & Instagram Ad Examples<\/h2>\n
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The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n