Here at Impact, our team has weighed the pros and cons of making an Instagram account for the company. But, while the world might not be ready for our photo feed (comprised entirely of draft Word documents and furry work-from-home colleagues), it’s true that for most of our clients, an Instagram presence does indeed help nonprofits engage with their donors.  

Data provided by HootSuite shows that:

• 90% of the top 100 brands are on Instagram
• 80% of users follow at least one business
• 72% of users have bought a product they saw on Instagram

How, then, do nonprofit organizations use this to their advantage?

1) Use hashtags to connect with your community. Shouting (visually) into the abyss won’t accomplish much, but tapping into the pre-existing lively conversations surrounding your cause can help introduce new people to your organization — and engage those who already know and love your work. 

2) Storytelling is storytelling is storytelling. Thinking in a visual lexicon rather than in letter-format gives you and your team an opportunity for precision and specificity in how you tell your organization’s story. That whole “a picture is worth a thousand words” adage comes into play here, and curating images that demonstrate your mission can pay off.

3) Entertainment = engagement. Year-end appeals and annual reports are important for fundraising. . . but have you ever seen one go viral? Bringing your messaging online in a catchy, entertaining way can multiply your reach overnight.