Written by:
Anoushka Pinto
In the world of crowdfunding, there are three main players: the campaign organisers, the donors, and the platform. The campaign organiser sets up a campaign on a crowdfunding platform, setting a target amount for a specific need or emergency. Funds come from individual donors, often internet users, who contribute to support the cause. The platform acts as a go-between, making transactions easy and using social media and video sharing platforms to spread the word.
Social media has become a game-changer, in recent years. It provides a unique chance to connect with audiences on a personal level, transcending traditional marketing methods. Donation campaigns on crowdfunding sites like Milaap, make the most of social media’s reach by using posting, sharing, commenting, and liking to get the word out about the cause at a low cost or for free.
The role of social media in successful fundraising in India
It is safe to say that crowdfunding and social media have a mutually beneficial relationship, allowing campaigns to tap into social networks for support and engagement. Research shows that a strong online social network is linked to fundraising success, highlighting the importance of social interactions and engagement tactics.
The key to successful fundraising is effective promotion, especially through social media channels. Some campaigns may have huge potential to raise, but may fall short due to not getting enough recognition and promotion. Social media bridges this gap, enabling campaigns to receive the visibility and engagement they deserve to thrive.
The interaction between campaign organisers and donors on both the crowdfunding platform and social media is crucial to campaign success. Metrics such as shares and likes, as well as links across various social platforms measure the campaign’s popularity and reach. Additionally, the campaign organiser’s social network size and online presence are the driving forces for donor participation.
With more than 500 million internet users and counting, India provides a huge audience for crowdfunding campaigns. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn offer incredible reach and engagement potential, making them essential tools for fundraiser promotion.
Need funds for medical emergencies or other causes?
How to choose the right social media platform to promote your crowdfunding campaign?
Picking the right social media platform is key to the success of your crowdfunding campaign. India boasts a huge and diverse media scene, with platforms comprising loads of users. Recent data suggest that the top social media platforms in India are Whatsapp, Instagram, Facebook, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram, each with millions of active users. These aren’t just for chatting online – these platforms are a big part of how Indians connect, share, and collate information.
So, picking the right social media platform to boost your crowdfunding campaign is a big deal. You have to think about who you want to reach, what you want to achieve, and what each platform has to offer. Here’s how to make the best choice:
Figure out the demographic you want to target
The first and most crucial step of choosing the right social media channel as a promotional tool is to determine the people you want to target. Find out their age, gender, where they hang out online, and what they’re into, which will in turn help you understand which social media platforms they use the most.
Match the platform to your audience:
Once you know your audience, find the platforms that match up with them. For example, if your crowd is mainly young and tech-savvy, then Instagam might be your best bet. But if you’re aiming for a more professional or business-oriented crowd, LinkedIn could be the way to go. And if you want to build a community around your cause, Facebook’s group features could be a big help.
Consider platform features
Analyse what each platform can do and how it fits with your campaign goals. Visuals and short form videos may do well on Instagram, while detailed posts could be a hit on Facebook. Similarly, YouTube is for long-form videos and if you need real-time interaction, Twitter or Facebook Live might be more your speed.
Access platform reach
Keep an eye on how many people are using each platform and their engagement levels. You can dig even deeper and check on specific numbers like monthly platform users, frequency of interactions, and popularity among your target audience.
Review your campaign objectives
Consider the end goal of your campaign and see how each of these platforms align with achieving them. If you’re all about spreading the word, platforms like Facebook or Twitter that make it easy to share could be your best bet. If you’re after leads or donations, platforms like Facebook or Instagram with strong call-to-action features might be what you need.
Review your campaign objectives
Consider the end goal of your campaign and see how each of these platforms align with achieving them. If you’re all about spreading the word, platforms like Facebook or Twitter that make it easy to share could be your best bet. If you’re after leads or donations, platforms like Facebook or Instagram with strong call-to-action features might be what you need.
Need funds for medical emergencies or other causes?
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Using social media to promote your campaign comes with a bunch of benefits:
Wide reach
Social media platforms have billions of active users worldwide, which means a massive potential donor base for your campaign.
Cost-effective
Most social media platforms are easily accessible and free, making it a more budget-friendly promotional tool for your campaign than traditional marketing methods.
Targeted advertising
Social media platforms offer advanced targeting options, allowing you to reach specific demographics, interests, and behaviours relevant to your campaign.
Viral potential
Compelling visual content shared over social media has the potential to go viral. Thai way, reaching a broader audience beyond your immediate network gets easier.
Data insights
Social media platforms come with data and analytical services that provide valuable insights to help you understand your audience better, track campaign performance and refine your strategy.
Real-time updates
Through social media, you can keep your supporters engaged and informed with real-time updates about your campaign’s progress, milestones and updates.
Community building
Social media is an effective way to build communities around your cause and mobilise support for your campaign.
Ease of access
One can access social media across various devices, making it feasible for people to engage with your campaign anytime, anywhere.
Need funds for medical emergencies or other causes?
How to create a social media marketing plan for a successful crowdfunding campaign
Crafting a brilliant campaign goes beyond the cause; it’s also about having a smart social media marketing strategy. These steps can help you ace your social media game for your crowdfunding campaign:
Set clear goals
Establish what you want to achieve with your social media efforts. Whether it’s pulling in funds, boosting awareness, or connecting with potential donors, having clear goals will drive your strategy and let you see how well you’re doing.
Create compelling content
Craft content that appeals to your audience and aligns with your campaign goals. Diversy it with informative updates, personal stories, endorsements, and attention-grabbing visuals to retain people’s interest.
Engage and foster connections
Social media is a two-way street. Engage with your audience by replying to comments and messages timely. You can expect the kind of response you need, only when you put in the effort to interact with potential donors and build on the connections.
Influencer endorsements
An influencer partnership helps you tap into their engaged audience, gaining exposure to potential donors who otherwise may have not discovered your campaign. Be it niche or well-established influencers, their endorsement can lend credibility to your cause, thereby amplifying your messaging, driving donations and steering your campaign towards success.
Timing and consistency in posting
The key to a good social media marketing strategy is being consistent and timing your posts just right. Try to post twice a day – once in the morning and then follow up with another post in the evening. With so many people scrolling through their social media feeds first thing in the morning and in the evening, especially after work or school, posting during these times can get you more engagement and increase the chances of your content being seen and shared.
Keep tabs on your social media activity and insights
You can use social media monitoring tools like Hootsuite or Mention. These tools let you do thorough searches for any mentions of your campaign across all the major social networks, giving you a real-time feel for the public’s vibe.
Keep track of how your posts are performing by regularly checking key metrics such as engagement, reach, clicks, conversions, and ROI using the analytics tools on social media platforms. By analysing this data, you can make informed decisions and tweak your strategy for the best results.
Boost your posts with hashtags and trends
The key to a good social media marketing strategy is being consistent and timing your posts just right. Try to post twice a day – once in the morning and then follow up with another post in the evening. With so many people scrolling through their social media feeds first thing in the morning and in the evening, especially after work or school, posting during these times can get you more engagement and increase the chances of your content being seen and shared.
Boost your posts with hashtags and trends
The key to a good social media marketing strategy is being consistent and timing your posts just right. Try to post twice a day – once in the morning and then follow up with another post in the evening. With so many people scrolling through their social media feeds first thing in the morning and in the evening, especially after work or school, posting during these times can get you more engagement and increase the chances of your content being seen and shared.
Use social media to communicate with your donors
Engaging with donors through social media is super important for getting support and building a community around your cause. Here are some strategies to help you make that happen:
Keep your donors in the loop by regularly sharing updates and news about your campaign or cause.
Use social media as a quick means to address any questions or concerns donors may have.
Give your donors a sneak peek into your daily activities and progress to help them feel more connected to your cause.
Team up with other campaign organisers and influencers to spread the word and reach more people.
Get the word out about your crowdfunding campaign through your social media channels to boost visibility and donations.
Create special social media groups or pages for your cause to bring supporters together and build a sense of community.
Thank your donors publicly on social media to show your appreciation for their support and contributions.
Reach out to potential donors who might be interested in your cause by sharing meaningful content and interacting with them.
And always remember to keep things clear, honest, and responsive in your social media communications.
Pro-tip: Avoid using complex language, medical jargon or abbreviated terms that might confuse donors, and focus on having real conversations rather than just talking at them.
In times of need, support means everything, and with Milaap, you need not look any further. Milaap enables you to set up a fundraiser for any medical emergency within minutes, and you can easily raise funds for treatment expenses.
Do you know someone who could benefit from fundraising? Simply refer them to us and we’ll be happy to lend a hand.
Visit www.milaap.org or call us on +91 9916174848 to get started now.
For more information, write to us at cx@milaap.org.
