Giving Tuesday Social Post Guides Examples - Sample Ideas and Templates for Social Media Posts

Embracing a spirit of philanthropy in stark contrast to the consumer-driven frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday works as a global movement for radical generosity. Launched in 2012 in New York, this nonprofit movement is dedicated to propelling positive change through extraordinary acts of giving and humanity.

Falling on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving in the United States, Giving Tuesday marks the commencement of a pivotal period for nonprofits – the year-end giving season. As organizations ramp up their year-end giving campaigns, the profound influence of Giving Tuesday becomes evident, and its rapid ascent to prominence is intricately linked to the strategic utilization of social media.

This all gives us a clear understanding of just how powerful the role of social media plays in your current nonprofit’s success. Using social media opens your charity up to a global world with millions of potential donors and supporters. Plus the ability to personally engage with them through chats and public commenting you're building actual relationships even though it's all happening virtually.

But to harness all of this power, you need to be smart when it comes to your approach to social media. It isn’t productive or helpful to just post something for the sake of posting. You need to be strategic and use tested marketing strategies to come up with emotionally engaging content that turns on your supporters and garners new individuals to want to become involved and contribute to your cause.

By starting early and strategically planning your Giving Tuesday social media campaign, you can gain a leg up over all the other nonprofits looking to do the same things as you are. Deciding which platforms you'll be using, how you’ll tell your own unique story, and what are a few of the best ways to measure the success of your campaign are all things we’ll be going over in this article. So grab a pen and paper and take some notes. And feel free to use our Giving Tuesday templates and ideas to craft your own powerful social media posts and bring your fundraising to the next level.

Planning Your Giving Tuesday Social Media Post Strategy

Planning a Giving Tuesday social media strategy for your nonprofit is a great way to maximize your fundraising efforts and engage with your audience. And with over 3.1 billion dollars up for grabs, this is the one time when practically everyone that would potentially support a nonprofit will be on social media looking to make a difference. So planning as best you can for this is super important.

It’s best to start planning your campaigns as early as possible. Smaller nonprofits might start a few weeks before, but we recommend at least 2 months even for the small charities. If you run a large nonprofit, we suggest going back as long as six months, or even incorporating your planning right at the start of the new year. With the latest figures showing a drop as much as 10% in donor participation last year, everyone is going to need to work smarter to capture the ever decreasing donor base available.

It’s best practice to begin with a clear objective and goal for your day. If at all possible, look back at last year’s donor numbers and amounts so you have a realistic base line. These numbers should be the minimum to shoot for, and depending on the growth of your charity, you can adjust these expected numbers accordingly. The same goes for the amount of donations you received last year. Or you can include things like a certain number of new followers, or increased website traffic. You want to grow, so make goals that are realistic, yet push you to strive for more.

Don’t forget, it’s best to use Giving Tuesday as a kick off to the entire year end giving phenomenon. It should be a start of something larger, not a one off day, which is why we suggest taking as much time as you can to create a complete strategy.

You want to start engaging your audience before the day, so when it comes they are already familiar and involved in your mission and cause. If you’re going to hold a gala or virtual event, start building up anticipation for the event a few weeks before. Possibly show off your Chinese Auction baskets to get people excited. Or if you’re planning a winter fundraiser like a charity auction, you can begin leaking out pics of some of the prizes. The idea is to get people excited to be involved in your particular activity or fundraising event.

Crafting Effective Social Media Posts for Giving Tuesday

One of the most effective ways to garner new donors and keep past donors engaged is to tell heart felt stories. These stories can be anything from how one of your volunteers slept in a barn to help deliver a litter of puppies in the middle of winter, to how your charity helped Sam learn to read and write as an adult.

The idea is to connect with your audience in a way that builds compassion, trust, a real personal bond with your cause. You want your stories to be emotionally charged, but not so sappy that they end up sounding like Hallmark commercials, although they too can be pretty powerful.

Then you have images and videos to really add some significance. Like the saying goes, a single picture is worth a thousand words, and a thousand feelings. For example, if you’re an animal shelter and you add a story of how your charity was able to go into a home and save a dog and her litter of pups from starving, if you can add a few pictures that show the devastation they went through your post will be that much more powerful.

And what’s helpful with stories like these is you can then share images on the recouperation process and demonstrate real influence that your nonprofit is creating, and in real-time! Obviously don’t make the victims your main objective, but do include what’s going on in the real world so people can see how giving to your charity can make a real difference.

You can do the same thing with videos. If an image pacts a thousand words, videos can contain millions. Again, make clips of everything. Your daily grind at your organization. How you’re volunteers are always helping out. Demonstrate the problems your mission is focused on and how you’re helping change things around you.

One tip here is to not only offer clips or reels, but when something is completed, say our dog and puppy illustration from above, then create an entire ‘movie’ from start to finish. How you initially saved them, what it took to get them back into peak physical condition, and how you were able to find them all great homes in the end, hopefully. Then you can end the video with an ask, something like, ‘without our donors our work wouldn’t be possible. Please support what we’re doing today. Any amount helps.’ Yes, not the best ask, but it works.

Since we’re on the topic of Giving Tuesday, come up with a unique and memorable hash-tag for your Giving Tuesday campaign. Encourage your audience to use it when sharing your posts, their own posts or when making a donation. This demonstrates social proof and goes a long way for a new potential donor to feel comfortable enough to make an actual donation.

10 More Ideas, Templates and Examples

There really are many impact ways to write posts that can motivate your audience to give on Giving Tuesday. We’ve included a few more ideas below which you can freely use as templates for your own posts, or to spark ideas on coming up with your own ones. Here are ten examples of Giving Tuesday posts for a nonprofit:

1. Compelling Storytelling Post: "Meet Maria, a single mother whose life was transformed by our programs. Your donations on #GivingTuesday can help more families like hers. Every dollar counts. Join us in making a difference."
2. Matching Challenge Post: "Exciting news! A generous donor has pledged to match all donations made on #GivingTuesday, doubling the impact of your contribution. Help us reach our goal and make a lasting impact together!"
3. Impact Infographic Post: Share a visually appealing infographic showcasing the measurable impact of your organization. Include key statistics and success stories to demonstrate how donations directly contribute to positive change.
4. Behind-the-Scenes Video Post: "Curious about what happens behind the scenes at [Your Organization]? Join us for an exclusive look into our daily operations. Your support on #GivingTuesday helps us keep the mission alive. Donate now!"
5. Gratitude Post: "To our incredible supporters, thank you for being the heart of our mission. Your generosity has fueled our impact, and on #GivingTuesday, we invite you to continue making a difference. Together, we can achieve even more."
6. Interactive Challenge Post: "How well do you know [Your Cause]? Take our #GivingTuesday challenge and test your knowledge. For each participant, a generous donor will contribute $1. Share your results and challenge your friends to join in supporting our cause!"
7. Live Q&A Session Announcement: "Exciting news! We'll be going live on #GivingTuesday to answer your questions and share updates on our initiatives. Tune in, ask us anything, and consider making a donation to support our ongoing work."
8. Urgency Post: "Time is ticking! #GivingTuesday is here, and your contribution can make an immediate impact. Help us reach our goal before midnight and be a part of the change. Every donation counts!"
9. Exclusive Preview Post: "Get an exclusive sneak peek at our upcoming project! Your #GivingTuesday donations will bring this initiative to life, creating positive change in our community. Join us on this exciting journey."
10. Personal Pledge Post: "This #GivingTuesday, I'm pledging [your personal commitment]. Will you join me in supporting [Your Cause]? Together, we can make a difference. Donate now and let's make a brighter future for all."

Feel free to adapt these examples to suit your nonprofit's specific mission and goals.

Leveraging Different Social Media Platforms for Giving Tuesday

There is no doubt that Facebook is the behemoth of the social media platforms, but they’re not the only game in town. Don’t forget there are other platforms and which you choose to use really depends on where your specific audience is. At first it might be best to stick with one before moving onto others as social media can easily become a full time job. Here are some popular social media platforms to check out for your nonprofit, along with considerations for each:

Choosing the right social media platforms for your nonprofit during Giving Tuesday depends on your target audience and the nature of your cause.

1. Facebook:
2. Audience: Broad global user base, spanning various demographics.
3. Features: Live video streaming for events, Facebook Fundraisers, and easy sharing options.
4. Considerations: Ideal for storytelling, sharing visuals, and engaging with a diverse audience.
5. Instagram:
6. Audience: Skews younger, visually oriented.
7. Features: Visual content (photos, stories, reels), IGTV for longer-form videos.
8. Considerations: Great for showcasing impact through visuals and connecting with a younger demographic.
9. Twitter:
10. Audience: News-centric and political, diverse audience.
11. Features: Live updates, hash-tags for trends, easy retweeting.
12. Considerations: Effective for quick updates, engaging in conversations, and using popular hashtags.
13. LinkedIn:
14. Audience: Professional and business-oriented.
15. Features: Ideal for B2B connections, sharing professional achievements, and engaging with corporate donors.
16. Considerations: Useful for building partnerships, networking, and attracting corporate support.
17. YouTube:
18. Audience: Second-largest search engine; diverse age groups.
19. Features: Host videos, share impactful stories, and set up a channel for your organization.
20. Considerations: Effective for in-depth storytelling, sharing success stories, and showcasing your organization's work.
21. TikTok:
22. Audience: Predominantly younger, highly engaged.
23. Features: Short-form videos, challenges, trending sounds.
24. Considerations: Ideal for creative and engaging content, reaching a younger demographic, and participating in challenges.
25. Pinterest:
26. Audience: Primarily female, DIY, and lifestyle-oriented.
27. Features: Pin boards, visually curated content.
28. Considerations: Effective for visual storytelling, DIY projects related to your cause, and attracting a creative audience.
29. Snapchat:
30. Audience: Younger demographic.
31. Features: Short-lived content (stories, snaps).
32. Considerations: Useful for real-time updates, behind-the-scenes content, and engaging a younger audience.

Don’t forget, platforms host their own suit of tools to help you promote your posts and reach your target audience. Tools like Instagram Stories, Facebook Live, or Twitter polls to can be used to increase engagement and even donations.

Engaging with Your Audience on Giving Tuesday

Although asking for donations on Facebook isn’t the same as asking in person, engaging your audience in real time is the next best thing. And the best part of all of the different platforms and technologies, there are a myriad of ways to do just that completely live, even from your smartphone. Just think of your social media campaigns as a type of crowdsourcing, using the platform’s members to grow and guide your own audience.

For example, you can go live on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube to provide real-time updates, share your success stories, and offer behind-the-scenes glimpses of your organization. You even able to take advantage of live Q&A sessions to interact directly with your audience and address any of their their questions or concerns.

Or you can experiment with hosting Twitter chats using a dedicated and informative hash-tag to to get conversations going. Pose thought-provoking questions to encourage followers to share their thoughts and experiences related to your cause. Keep the conversation flowing throughout the day.

Then leverage Instagram Stories to share short, engaging updates and showcase progress toward your fundraising goals or mission goals. Just create entertaining and informative Reels to capture your donor’s attention and demonstrate what it means to be a part or supporter of your organization. People love behind the scenes type clips, even when it comes to a charity.

You can even take everything up a notch and ask your supporters to create Facebook Fundraisers on your behalf. This is called peer-to-peer fundraising and it works extremely well as the person creating the fundraiser already knows the people their inviting even though they may not be familiar with your charity. And don’t forget to Acknowledge and express gratitude to those who initiate fundraisers in real-time, a little recognition goes a long way when it comes to your donors!

If you have the ability to incorporate things like interactive polls and quizzes that can be found on places like Instagram or Twitter can be very engaging to some people. And there is a lot you can do with these types of features from gathering opinions on specific topics related to your cause to conducting surveys to collect valuable feedback and insights from your supporters.

Again, you’re including your supporters in real ways that effect every aspect of your charity. And allowing your donors to be actively inclusive creates a stronger bond with your donor and broadens your relationships. Which can lead them to start sharing their own stories about the problems your cause is looking to solve, or how they’ve participated in your cause’s behalf.

It’s also important to note that running your organization through a platform like PayBee allows you to host virtual events that can also be streamed through most of these social media platforms, all from one easy to use dashboard. No more needing to log into five different social media platforms and make sure everything is running correctly with each of them individually.

Just use our easy to navigate dashboard and run your entire campaign, plus a whole lot more, from one portal. Just try our demo here to see all the ways we can help your nonprofit grow and make you’re life easier while you’re doing it. It’s free and only takes a minute to sign up, so give it a try right now and make your next Giving Tuesday a much easier day to manage, and more profitable.

Measuring the Success of Your GivingTuesday Social Fundraising Campaign

After all the hard work you and your team have put into your campaign, the one thing you want to know is, was it all worth it? And the easiest way to know that is to track some key metrics to measure how successful each area of your campaign was. This can really help you find trouble spots or single out those aspects that are doing great so that you can either tweak or do more of them for the next event. Do not discount the power of analytical information!

Donation Amount and Number of Donors – The first and probably most immediate metric to track and view is the amount of donations you raised during your fundraiser. It’s also one of the easiest to track, but when coupled with the amount of donors, and the average size of each donation, it becomes a better statistic to get a solid understanding of how large an event needs to be to be profitable and worth the investment.

Engagement Metrics – These metrics track things like shares, likes, retweets and comments your content gets after it's posted. These types of metrics help you understand how engaged your supporters are with your content and can show you clearly what is working well, and what needs to be re-thought. Another metric here can also be your CTR or click-through rate which measures the percentage of people who clicked on your posts and were directed to your donation's button.

Conversion Rate – Another key metric and is an extension of the above engagement metric, your conversion rate is the percentage of the people who did land on your donation button versus who actually made a donation. Low conversion rates are usually a sign there is a problem and can alert you to possible issues with the donation page itself. Perhaps the page is too confusing, or not showing up properly on some wireless devices.

Reach and Impressions – This is an insightful metric, especially if you’re thinking of using ads to help boost the amount of people that see your content. Platforms like Facebook have reduced the reach of many accounts and just because someone is a follower doesn’t guarantee they actually ever saw your content at all. This data can help you decide if you’ll need to pay for ads in order to get a larger reach, but of course you’ll need to be sure that’s a profitable situation in the end. But that will be different for each charity’s situation.

There are a number of other metrics that you can track that can assist you and your team on finding opportunities or perhaps problems that need to be worked on when it comes to your Giving Tuesday fundraising. Things like follower growth, #hashtag performance, email sign-ups, or a host of other variables are all options depending on how detailed you want to be. Practically anything can be tracked, it’s just understanding which metrics are useful for your own circumstances.

Common FAQs

Is there a specific hashtag or sample I should use for Giving Tuesday?

The official #hashtag is #GivingTuesday. However, you can also use additional hash tags related to your cause, organization, or specific campaigns to increase visibility and awareness of you own fundraising campaigns.

What social platforms should I focus on for my campaigns?

That depends on where your own audience hangs out. Most people are on Facebook and it's is a great place to get started, but incorporating other platforms like Instagram and Twitter can really boost your audience numbers as well as their giving. You’ll need to experiment with each to see which ones your supporters enjoy using the most, hopefully before Giving Tuesday arrives.

How do I handle donations made through social platforms?

Many platforms like Facebook give nonprofits special donation buttons and solutions specifically for nonprofits. Each is a bit different, so you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the donation processing experience in order to understand if it’s right for your organization. You can also redirect them to your own website or platforms like qgiv  or PayBee to make their donations.

What role can volunteers play in our Giving Tuesday campaigns?

Volunteers can help a lot on that Tuesday, especially if you have created a complex givingtuesday social media fundraising campaign. One of the best ways to utilize them is for responding to live messages and inquires so no one needs to wait on an answer. They can also be shooting videos or making posts or tweets. There’s a lot you can use your volunteers for. Just be sure to ask them what tasks they feel they’d be best suited for.