Committee Social Media Guide

Social Media is a powerful tool that has the potential to promote your committee and your mission to more people. However, what many people get wrong about social media is that while it’s a convenient way to get your message out there, it does still take strategy, planning, and teamwork to make sure your messages are seen by the right people at the right time. One of the easiest ways to make your social media content more powerful is to recruit Social Media Champions who will like, share, and post their own content on behalf of your committee.

When you post something on social media, it is only seen by those who already subscribe to your committee. However, when someone other than your committee interacts with that content, or creates and shares content of their own, your reach can expand exponentially! Your committee members should be passionate about your mission and excited to help you promote Giving Day. Using these tips and sample messages, your committee members can help you have an even greater impact on Giving Day!

Social Media Tips

Tip #1 - Share your story

Share the story of why this committee's work matters to you and why you are passionate about their mission. People respond better to someone’s personal experience than a generic ask. Pull at their heartstrings and show them why this is a cause worth caring about.

Tip #2 - Use money as a motivator

Put your money where your mouth is! If you are already planning on donating to your committee during Give 250 Connecticut, consider setting some of that money aside to motivate your network to take part in the fun. Offer to donate $5 for every share one of your social media posts gets - or for every new donor that makes a donation! Get creative and have fun!

Tip #3 - Like and share

Whenever the committee posts content on their social media page, you can help to make that post go the extra mile by liking it or sharing it with your own friends. It’s a quick and easy way to make sure more people are seeing those messages and learning how they can support their mission.

Tip #4 - Collaborate

Collaborate with other Social Media Champions! Interacting with other committee members or supporters on social media can be a great way to have an organic conversation about your committee's work that also promotes your cause and your participation in #give250ct! Don’t be afraid to use that @mention to promote a little friendly competition either!

Tip #5 - Set small goals

Set a weekly quota for yourself to make sure that you’re staying connected and helping your committee reach their goals. Our team of fundraising experts recommends at least one original post every week as well as several likes and shares to make sure that no one misses a beat during Give 250 Connecticut!

Tip #6 - Use #give250ct

Don’t forget to use #hashtags in your posts! Hashtags are a great way to be a part of the conversation and get your message out there to more people. Whether it’s #hashtags that represent your cause like #animals #literacy or #hunger or #hashtags that promote the event #giving #fundraising #donate or #nonprofits - using hashtags is the perfect way to engage with more people throughout the great social network!

Sample Social Media Posts

Facebook ▼

Instagram ▼

Click one of the social media icons above to see tips, tricks, and sample posts for each of these social media platforms

Facebook Tips

Looking to get the word out with Facebook? This guide will help you get started and on the road to creating a successful strategy. If you’re new to Facebook, start by creating a Facebook Page for your committee.

Below is a list of ways you can begin engaging your community for Give 250 Connecticut!

Get started by liking the America 250 | CT page. This will allow you to get updates, important information and tips for Give 250 Connecticut. Also link to other participating committees from your committee's page.

Promote your Facebook page. Include a link to your Facebook page on your website’s homepage, newsletters, emails...basically everywhere and anywhere. Ask your committee members, related municipal & organization staff, volunteers, and donors to like the page and help you promote it.

In your personal account, tag the page and ask your Facebook friends to check it out. Encourage other committee members to do the same.

Talk it up! Post interesting information about your committee and share success stories and photos. Ask your followers questions to engage them in dialogue. Remember to keep posts brief! You don’t want to lose your audience by presenting lengthy updates.

Tell everyone that your municipality is participating in Give 250 Connecticut. Be sure to tell people what it is all about by using some of the suggested messaging above. Let them know how they can donate and ask them to spread the word.

Create a Facebook event. Invite your constituents to be part of Give 250 Connecticut so that they can be reminded as the day gets closer AND see who else is participating. Also, tell people to invite others. It doesn’t matter whether or not you are hosting an event onsite; the whole day is worth celebration!

*Do not give individual donor shoutouts without the donor’s consent.*

Provide a quick thank you message on social media immediately after Give 250 Connecticut is over, and follow up with a longer heart-felt message a day or two after.

Do all of the above and repeat...again and again and again.

Instagram Tips

Looking to harness the power of visual communication? Take advantage of the ability to communicate with potential supporters with impactful images and catchy captions.

Follow @america250ct on Instagram.

Connect your Instagram and Facebook accounts. Make sure that your Instagram posts are automatically posted on Facebook. Connecting Facebook and Instagram harnesses the power of both social media platforms at once and allows you to reach a wider audience.

Find powerful images. People-centric, positive images will help you draw in new followers. Focus on sharing images that speak to your committee's mission and your target audience. Canva.com is a great way to take your own photographs or a stock image to the next level. If you want to include important dates, statistics, or quotes, Canva lets you add text right on top of the image as well as provides you with a suite of photo editing tools.

Socialize! "Like" other supporters’ posts, and consider re-sharing posts that stand out and speak to your cause. Showcasing the stories and individuals that propel the mission of Give 250 Connecticut will help you gain more followers, recognition, and traction in advance of Give 250 Connecticut.

Use #give250ct, in addition to other creative hashtags. 2-3 hashtags per post is the sweet spot. Start with a branded or specific hashtag - like a tagline or fun phrase. Follow this with the name of the area that you support, then a broader hashtag tied to the cause (i.e., #spreadingthelove). Having a succession of hashtags helps with branding!

Create a regular schedule for posting. We recommend posting at least 2-3 times per week to stay in your followers' feeds! If you integrate your Instagram posts with Facebook, you’ll want to consider how your Instagram posts will fit in with your other scheduled Facebook posts. Consider making posts that show a chronological history of CT Humanities, if applicable.

Have fun! Instagram is a really playful platform, and the perfect opportunity to let the unique personalities, humor, and convictions of CT Humanities shine through your photos, captions, and hashtags! Instagram is a fantastic opportunity to relate to your supporters, showing them who you are and what you stand for.