11 Charities using Social Media Marketing to Maximise Their Fundraising

As a leading marketing agency, Delivered Social has always recognised the impact of robust online strategies. One notable trend we’ve noticed is how charities use social media marketing to amplify their reach, build better relationships with donors, and maximise their fundraising. In this blog, we’ve put together a list of 11 such charities using social media marketing successfully.

1. Cancer Research UK
2. Oxfam
3. British Heart Foundation
4. RSPCA
5. WaterAid
6. UNICEF UK
7. Macmillan Cancer Support
8. Amnesty International UK
9. The Trussell Trust
10. Save the Children UK
11. Greenpeace UK

Cancer Research UK

Cancer Research UK has mastered the art of telling personal, compelling stories on their social media platforms. These stories are often from cancer survivors or affected families, illustrating the real impact of the work that the charity undertakes. The emotional appeal of these narratives triggers a strong connection with followers, stirring their empathetic instincts and motivating them to contribute to the cause. Further, the charity is adept at integrating strategic CTAs within these stories. These CTAs, such as encouraging followers to donate or participate in a fundraising event, are a crucial part of their social media marketing strategy. This combination of storytelling and actionable requests is a key factor in their success, demonstrating the potential of charities using social media marketing.

Oxfam

Oxfam’s unique and innovative approach to social media marketing is evidenced in their “Dressed by the Kids” campaign. This interactive initiative encouraged followers to let their children decide their outfits for a day. The subsequent posts of comical and colourful outfits on social media ignited engagement and spread awareness. The campaign’s playful nature attracted considerable participation, amplifying its reach and impact. Simultaneously, it underscored the serious cause it was supporting, prompting donations to combat global poverty. The blend of fun and philanthropy is an excellent demonstration of how charities can utilise social media marketing to connect with audiences and encourage donations.

British Heart Foundation

Through engaging initiatives like ‘MyMarathon’, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) has successfully harnessed the power of social media marketing. This particular campaign motivated followers to run the equivalent of a marathon over a month, allowing them to share their progress and experiences on social media. BHF’s smart use of these platforms enabled the creation of an online community, fostering a sense of camaraderie among participants. The resulting online buzz helped maximise donations, as followers were more likely to donate when they felt part of a collective effort. BHF’s effective use of social media as a platform for engagement, promotion, and community building has been instrumental in boosting its fundraising efforts.

RSPCA

The RSPCA effectively uses user-generated content to connect with their followers and prompt donations. By encouraging people to share photos and stories of their adopted pets, the charity creates an emotional bond with their audience. These personal experiences showcase the positive impact of the charity’s work, simultaneously highlighting the joy that adopting a pet can bring. As a result, the RSPCA’s online community of pet lovers is inspired to contribute towards their cause, assisting more animals to find their forever homes. The RSPCA’s strategic use of user-generated content is a brilliant example of how charities can employ social media marketing to foster a sense of community and boost donations.

WaterAid

The ‘#FinishThirst’ campaign by WaterAid demonstrates the power of a well-crafted hashtag when paired with compelling content. By sharing moving stories and images of people affected by water scarcity, WaterAid underscores the urgent need for clean water. This campaign, spread via the catchy hashtag, successfully motivated followers to donate and advocate for the cause. This innovative use of hashtags and storytelling highlights how charities can maximise fundraising potential via social media marketing.

UNICEF UK

UNICEF UK’s primary strategy is educating its followers about global child welfare issues. By sharing insights into the harsh realities faced by children around the world, the charity raises awareness and emphasises the impact of donations. This educative approach triggers empathy, creating a connection between the follower and the cause. This connection, in turn, inspires contributions, illustrating how charities using social media marketing can motivate followers to act.

Macmillan Cancer Support

Through their annual ‘Coffee Morning’ campaign, Macmillan Cancer Support has been able to increase awareness and boost fundraising efforts significantly. Supporters are encouraged to host their coffee mornings and share the fun moments on social media. This campaign seamlessly combines social participation, awareness, and fundraising, amplifying Macmillan’s reach and impact. The charity’s effective utilisation of social media demonstrates how an engaging event can serve multiple purposes, leading to greater success.

Amnesty International UK

Amnesty International UK’s ‘#WriteForRights’ campaign is a successful integration of online and offline activism. This campaign encourages followers to write letters supporting human rights issues and then share their efforts on social media. This blending of offline action with online sharing creates a sense of involvement, attracts more participants, and increases donations. Amnesty’s strategy underscores the potential of combining traditional and digital methods in social media marketing for charities.

The Trussell Trust

The Trussell Trust makes powerful use of video content on their social media platforms to highlight the realities of poverty. By sharing moving stories of those impacted by poverty, they provoke strong emotional responses, driving increased contributions to their cause. This strategy illustrates the power of visual storytelling in social media marketing, demonstrating how such content can raise awareness, drive empathy, and boost donations.

Save the Children UK

The ‘Christmas Jumper Day’ campaign by Save the Children UK utilises a simple but engaging concept. Followers are encouraged to wear festive jumpers, share their fun moments on social media, and donate to the cause. By harnessing the festive spirit, the campaign drives engagement, raises awareness, and boosts donations. The success of this campaign showcases how charities can use social media marketing to create engaging fundraising events that resonate with their audience.

Greenpeace UK

Greenpeace UK uses powerful visuals to engage its followers. Their ‘Protect the Oceans’ campaign, for instance, combined stunning images with an urgent call to action. By inviting followers to sign a petition to protect the oceans, the charity managed to raise awareness and generate funding. The use of impactful visuals and a clear call to action is a successful approach to social media marketing, driving both engagement and donations.

Charities using Social Media Marketing can inspire you

These highlighted charities have illustrated that a well-devised social media strategy can be a game-changer when it comes to maximising fundraising. Despite the differences in their cause and approach, these charities all share common threads – an unwavering commitment to their cause, an eagerness to build relationships with their followers, and a dedication to fostering a sense of community. As demonstrated by these organisations, charities using social media marketing can communicate their stories, showcase the impact of their work, and demonstrate the necessity of donations in a way that resonates with the public. It is through this emotional connection and resonance that people are inspired to donate and become advocates for the cause. Thus, social media marketing not only drives fundraising efforts, but it also helps raise awareness, inspire change, and even influence policy on a larger scale.

Indeed, the effectiveness of charities using social media marketing extends beyond increasing donations. It’s about creating a ripple effect that reaches far beyond individual donors to their social networks and wider community, and potentially, into the political sphere. When a charity’s message resonates with a follower, they are likely to share it within their network, significantly amplifying the charity’s reach and impact. Therefore, a follower’s value extends beyond their personal donation – they can become a conduit for spreading awareness and driving others to donate, thereby contributing to a chain of goodwill that further expands the charity’s reach and impact.

Moreover, by creating a sense of community and solidarity around a cause, social media can foster long-term support and recurring donations, rather than one-off contributions. Followers who feel part of a community are more likely to stay engaged with the charity, contribute more frequently, and encourage others to do the same. Therefore, effective social media marketing can help transform followers into loyal supporters who contribute not only funds, but time and advocacy as well. Furthermore, social media platforms provide charities with a direct line of communication with their followers, enabling them to respond to feedback, answer questions, and engage in dialogue. This two-way interaction enhances trust and transparency, further strengthening the bond between the charity and its supporters. It is this interactive nature of social media that elevates it from a mere promotional tool to a powerful platform for relationship-building and community engagement.

In conclusion, social media marketing is an invaluable tool for charities seeking to maximise their fundraising. It offers a cost-effective way to raise awareness, drive donations, and build lasting relationships with supporters. As the examples of Cancer Research UK, Oxfam, British Heart Foundation, RSPCA, WaterAid, UNICEF UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, Amnesty International UK, The Trussell Trust, Save the Children UK, and Greenpeace UK demonstrate, social media can be a powerful force for good when used effectively.

Each charity has used social media in ways that align with their unique goals and audiences, offering valuable lessons for other charities aiming to do the same. Whether it’s through compelling storytelling, engaging campaigns, or powerful visuals, the key to successful social media marketing lies in creating content that resonates with followers, inspires action, and fosters a sense of community. By tapping into the vast potential of social media, charities can reach a larger audience, inspire greater impact, and maximise their fundraising in ways that were previously unimaginable.