Paid social ads for non-profits: your getting started check list
Social media advertising can be a brilliant way to showcase your non-profit’s activities to a larger, carefully targeted audience and to find new supporters. But it’s not (unfortunately!) for everyone. If you’re considering promoting your organisation via Facebook advertising, here’s your check list of things to think about before you move forward.
Are you converting people organically? Paid ads amplify what you’re already doing, meaning that if what you’re doing isn’t generating support through other channels (website, organic social, word of mouth, other marketing activity) then Facebook ads won’t solve that issue. For instance, if your non-profit is amazing but your website doesn’t convert prospects into supporters then focus on updating your website so that it converts well before you drive more people to it. It’s always tempting to try something new and pin your hopes on it, but it will save you money in the long-run if you get your house in order first.
Do you have a minimum of £500 per month to devote to your adspend? With Facebook you have to pay to play, so you have to expect to spend money in order to make money. The absolute minimum you should spend per month is £500, and if the process of warming up prospects will require a funnel (i.e. a two-or-more-step process to help people get to know, like and trust you) you should factor in a minimum of £1000 per month. These are ballparks only, but an ad specialist can help you work out how much you should look at spending based on what you want to achieve.
Are you prepared to give it time? Facebook is an incredible tool for finding the right people to show your ads to, but it takes the algorithm time to learn who they are and where to find them. And it will take testing for you to figure out exactly how to target your ideal customers, how to talk to them and what they respond best to. It’s unlikely that your first attempt will be a winner, so I would recommend earmarking three months minimum as a test period, not including the time it takes to make sure your business manager, ad account and pixel are all up and running.
Do you have the time and headspace to do it yourself? Marketing teams are, in general, full of busy people with a LOT on their plates. Adding in another skill to learn, practice and perfect can be overwhelming. If this is you, consider outsourcing to a specialist who can partner with you.