In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, hashtags have emerged as powerful tools to amplify campaigns. Nonprofits can use hashtags to reach new audiences, engage their existing followers, and drive meaningful action. This article explores how hashtags can help organizations fundraise and provides tips to create strong nonprofit hashtags that share your story and appeal to your audience.
Hashtags often take social media posts to the next level, no matter what industry you’re in – and this includes nonprofits! Using nonprofit hashtags can improve engagement, boost awareness, and more.
In fact, hashtags can be especially important for smaller organizations and others just starting. According to Search Logistics, posts from accounts with less than 1,000 followers get an average of 29% more interactions when they include at least one hashtag. Posts with 11 or more hashtags see a 79.5% increase for these accounts.
These compelling statistics highlight the importance of this powerful digital fundraising tool. In this guide, we’ll demystify the world of nonprofit hashtags and provide strategies for creating strong hashtags that resonate with your audience and your campaigns.
When used correctly, hashtags can help nonprofit organizations fundraise and grow an online audience. How you create and leverage your hashtag strategy can catapult your content into viral status. Let’s explore why hashtags are important.
Social media marketing is a crucial part of any nonprofit communications strategy. But, with so many organizations competing for the same audience, it’s often difficult to stand out. Thankfully, there are ways to reach an engaged audience when sharing your nonprofit’s story, including hashtags!
There are several reasons why adding hashtags to your nonprofit’s social media marketing is important, including –
Adding relevant and targeted nonprofit hashtags to your social media posts increases your organization’s visibility, especially on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and X. These platforms categorize hashtagged content to reflect specific interests or themes, enabling nonprofits to reach a targeted audience interested in your cause and thus more likely to support your mission.
For example, someone searching for organizations who support climate change on Instagram would only need to click on #climatechange to see a gallery of content dedicated to that theme.
Adding hashtags to your social media posts can also increase brand awareness. Users who see a specific branded hashtag across multiple posts are more likely to remember it and you – and possibly make a gift.
Encourage your audience and any influencers to use your branded hashtags in relevant posts to expand your reach and further boost awareness.
Social media is driven by engagement and conversations. By adding appropriate trending hashtags – the well-known #GivingTuesday comes to mind – you increase the possibility of your post being seen.
You can also join conversations by liking and commenting on posts that use relevant hashtags for your nonprofit. These might be your branded hashtags or those used on a broader scale.
Pro tip: Instagram allows you to follow a select list of hashtags. Check in regularly to see what your ideal audience is sharing, then leverage this information when planning your posts.
Are you ready to include hashtags in this year’s marketing strategy? Here are some tried-and-tested hashtags that just about any organization can use.
Using trending hashtags will not only help you reach more people, it will make it easier for your organization to join and leverage existing conversations.
Here are a few suggestions of the best nonprofit hashtags to get you started:
#GivingTuesday: Giving Tuesday is a well-known global day of giving. Adding the #GivingTuesday hashtag helps your end-of-year campaign reach the top of supporters’ pages and reminds them to give. Don’t forget to research which giving days are unique to your community. For example, St. Louis runs a #GiveSTLDay in May each year!
#Fundraising: Most of your supporters won’t search for the word fundraising, but #Fundraising is a simple way to include a call to action with your post. You can also use this hashtag to launch a peer-to-peer campaign.
#Community: The hashtag #Community can help your audience understand that your post is a way to connect with other local supporters and will help their town. Other ways to connect with these individuals are to use the names of your town, neighborhood, or other recognizable names for your community in your hashtag.
#Charity: The hashtag #Charity is an easy way to show up in searches for those looking for nonprofits to support. It can also give your organization the authority that donors look for.
#Donate: Another good hashtag for your fundraising strategy, #Donate can be used to educate and focus people on what you’re asking them to do. We recommend using this hashtag alongside others geared toward inspiring and educating your audience.
#Volunteer: Most nonprofits rely on volunteers to help run programs or events. Adding a #Volunteer hashtag can connect you with those willing to give back to their community.
Other popular nonprofit hashtags you can use include: #DonateToday, #PayItForward, #GivingBack #Nonprofits #NonprofitOrganizations #VolunteerWithUs
With more than 1.6 million contributors and 2.5 million posts, hashtags like #ChristmasTree are low-hanging engagement fruit during the winter holidays. But all special religious days and holidays provide excellent opportunities to add hashtags to your fundraising campaign and social media posts!
Popular hashtags you can use include: #Christmas, #Hannakah, #Easter, #RamadanMubarak, #Ramadan, #Diwali
Strategically incorporating mission-focused hashtags into your social media content can help to communicate your values, programs, and impact.
For example, mental and physical health awareness should be a top priority for all organizations with missions related to these themes. If your organization is focused on cancer research, heart health, mental health services, or social welfare, there are a host of hashtags you could use to reach a broader audience.
Popular hashtags you can use: #CancerAwareness, #ALSAwareness, #WhateverItTakes, #MentalHealthAwareness
Depending on your mission, it might be a challenge to find the right themed hashtag for your social media post. Thankfully, there are many others that may not be nonprofit or cause-specific but still have the power to deliver great reach while maintaining relevance. For example, the #Weekend hashtag can help you connect with local supporters and excite them about your upcoming event. If you’re struggling to come up with fun ideas on your own, researching relevant awareness days can help!
Other popular hashtags you can use: #WeekendVibes, #CheersToTheWeekend
Social media marketing requires consistent posts. The truth is, there are times when you can’t think of anything to say. Creating a hashtag for every day of the week can help you on these days. They also make it easy to connect your audience with upcoming events and activities that may interest them.
#MotivationMonday: This is a great one to use for behind-the-scenes content or just to commiserate with all your followers on a Monday morning. After all, who doesn’t need a little added motivation at the start of the week? Share a motivational quote or image to bring a little joy to your followers’ feeds!
#TuesdayThoughts: This hashtag can be used to share inspirational quotes or issues your organization is currently dealing with.
#WackyWednesday: Get your staff, board, and volunteers involved by sharing goofy selfies with this hashtag.
#ThrowbackThursday: If you’ve been around for a while, #ThrowbackThursday is a great hashtag to add with pictures and videos from the past.
#FollowUsFriday: Social media only works when you have followers. Add this hashtag to your weekly Friday posts to remind your supporters to connect online.
#SocialImpactSaturday: Use this hashtag to connect and educate people on your organization and how they can help fulfill your mission.
#SundaySelfie: This hashtag is a simple way to engage your supporters. Ask your followers to share selfies of what they’re doing on Sunday or connect these selfies to your organization’s cause.
Regardless of their size, nonprofits must navigate the complex realm of social media to keep up with many of today’s donors. Hashtags can make that process easier and more enjoyable. Embracing relevant and memorable nonprofit hashtags helps organizations amplify their message and connect with the public on a deeper level.
Donorbox is here to help with the tools you need to amplify your social media campaigns! Use Peer-to-Peer to mobilize your followers to create fundraising pages of their own and with Donorbox Crowdfunding, a social media campaign can become a catalytic force that inspires important change.
If you’re looking for more marketing ideas, the Donorbox Nonprofit Blog provides fundraising tips and resources for nonprofits of every size!
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Kristine Ensor is a freelance writer with over a decade of experience working with local and international nonprofits. As a nonprofit professional she has specialized in fundraising, marketing, event planning, volunteer management, and board development.
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Kristine Ensor