Why social sharing doubles donations

You’ve done the hard work of convincing a visitor to donate to your non-profit. Congrats! This is a moment worth celebrating.
But, if every donation stops at “thank you” you’re missing a huge opportunity to double or even triple the effect. Instead, encourage your donors to share their donations on social media so the giving keeps going. This simple act is free and takes very little effort to set up. However, the results are mindblowing.

In this article, we’ll go through a few main reasons why asking donors to share on social media is worth it.‍

3 reasons why social sharing helps double your donations:

• It raises awareness through a larger network
• It harnesses the power of influence
• It builds credibility through social referrals

Still not convinced? Let’s dive into the details.

1. It raises awareness through a larger network
   As a non-profit, there’s a limit to how many people you can reach, starting with your family and friends and then expanding to neighbors and locals. Like peer-to-peer fundraising, donation sharing is a great way to gain free exposure among your donors’ network. Without spending a dime on marketing, your donors raise awareness for your organization.
   
   Social sharing doesn’t just build your network on social media. It also expands to Google, which means the more people who spread the word, the higher your ranking will be. So think of social sharing as part of your SEO plan.
   
   
2. It harnesses the power of influence
   Social media plays a huge role in what we do. Who hasn't bought something, gone somewhere, or cooked something because of a social post? Whether we like it or not, social media influences how we behave, and friends make that influence even stronger.
   
   Nowadays, it’s hard to imagine the people behind some of the world’s biggest organizations and non-profits. Although classic marketing leads to more sales, it can also remove the human element of speaking directly to donors. By having real people share why they donated to your cause, it brings that human feeling back to your non-profit connecting what you do with why you do it.
   
   
3. It builds credibility through social referrals
   Donating is an act of trust. As we always say, it’s hard to build trust with people who don’t know you. It requires a lot of time, effort, and resources. But when your existing donors share their donations with their social network, they do the job for you. Seeing your friends or family members donate to a worthy organization is more powerful than any professional certificate. That’s probably why 87% of donors who discover a non-profit from a social referral are likely to donate the same way again. 
   
   As more people talk about your brand, the more trustworthy it appears. Think of every social share as a free testimonial. It’s an empowering way for your donors to tell the world, “I trust this non-profit and so should you.”
   ‍

‍How to encourage donors to share on social 

By adding social sharing links to your donation funnel, you make it effortless for donors to take part. But when should the request come into play? Just after the donation is complete. You can add a request for donors to share their donation on the post-donation page and the thank you email. With social icons, donors can choose the platform they want to post on and finish the task in minutes. 

In your donation funnel, add social sharing icons to your:

• Post-donation page
• Thank you email

By adding the request in both places, you double the chance donors will share. 

‍What’s the right way to ask donors to share on social media?‍

It’s really up to you and the tone of voice of your non-profit. But, there’s no reason to make the request overly complicated. Just use a simple call-to-action that suggests to donors the next step. A short, actionable headline should do the trick. Be sure to include social media links or icons so that donors can complete the task in a click. Remember, the less effort, the less resistance.

‍Here are a few call-to-actions you can use in your donation flow:

• Share this donation!
• Spread the word:
• Help us make a bigger impact:
• Double your effect:
• Celebrate #GivingTuesday and share:

‍How social sharing impacts your donations

According to the Global NGO Technology Report 2019, 29% of people consider social media to be the communication tool that inspires the most giving. Makes sense if that’s where most people are spending their free time. Most importantly, if your donation funnel is easy to use on desktop and mobile, then there shouldn’t be any barriers in the way of someone scrolling and donating. Especially  when 55% of people who engage with nonprofits on social media take some action. 

When it comes to which social channels are the most impactful: Facebook is considered the most important, while Twitter is a close second—so make sure you link to both.

‍Make celebrating #GivingTuesday easy‍

Knowing about certain social trends can help motivate donors to share their donations on social media. For example, on #GivingTuesday, Facebook refers 29.4% of traffic to donation pages, while Twitter sends 700% more visitors than any other day. Taking advantage of days like this can help you maximize larger social media campaigns by having your donors take part in spreading the word.‍

Maximize the impact of every donor 

‍Now, you might be wondering: How do I add social links to my post-donation page or thank you email in a way that looks professional? Fundraising software like Donsplus can do the job for you—making the asking automatic.‍

You have nothing to lose‍

It doesn’t cost a thing to ask donors to share. Plus, sharing is a natural way of using social media.
By tapping into this behavior, you’ll help raise donations by 100-200%, expand your reach, and gain exposure to your donors’ network of peers. This simple act is one small step for your nonprofit but one giant leap for your cause.  

Keep up the great work and double the impact of every donor!