June 29, 2021

Social Media for Shelters

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In our past blogs, we’ve discussed the importance of social media for shelters and rescues. But creating content for your organization may be easier said than done. We realize many nonprofit workers wear a variety of hats, and “social media specialist” might not be one of them. So we’ve compiled some easy, creative ideas to help your social posts stand out.

Mix Heartfelt Stories with Humor

Create funny content in addition to the stories that pull on the heartstrings. You can find trending GIFS that you can use on Facebook and Twitter through giphy.com. There you can find some of the most popular GIFS that could be just what you need to make a post pop.

Ask Questions to Spark Engagement

Don’t be afraid to ask your audience questions! You might generate great conversations with posts like:

  • “What’s the funniest thing your pet does?”
  • “Tell us all the names you call your pet.”
  • “It’s grant writing season—how do you think we should use funding to improve our shelter?”

Your social media following is a built-in focus group. Use it!

Share Short, Real Moments on Video

Shoot simple videos on your phone, don’t worry about high production value. Some great ideas:

  • A sweet first meeting between a pet and potential adopter
  • A shelter pet doing a funny trick or showing off a quirky habit

Just be sure to get a model release if a person appears in the video before you post it.

Join or Create a Viral Challenge

Remember the “Ice Bucket Challenge”? That simple idea raised $115 million for ALS awareness. You can join an existing trend or start your own challenge to get people participating and sharing.

Use National Days and Months

Leverage national observances like National Shelter Dog Day or National Volunteer Month to tell your shelter’s story. These moments offer built-in opportunities to create timely, relevant content your audience is already thinking about.

Social Media for Shelters - Start Planning!

Social media for shelters takes planning and preparation. If possible, take a day to brainstorm content ideas with your team. If you have a volunteer who is good at social media, ask for their help to create a plan for the month or the quarter. You will have events and days that you can plan on promoting, and then you can create ideas for additional content such as videos. The more you can plan out, or put in writing, the more likely you are to consistently create and post content for your followers.

For more information about social media management or services, you can contact us!

Some of our Many Shelters Using PetBridge

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