Social media is complicated – from the actual, technical management of a professional social media page to the operator’s personal feelings about the digital ecosystem, it’s clear that social media is enigmatic and divisive. But more than either of those, it’s enticing. The platforms (we now know) are designed to lure us in, capitalize on our time and attention. 

Unsurprisingly, one of the questions nonprofit leaders and board members pose to me most often is, “Why aren’t we on [insert platform du jour]?” It’s a fair and honest question that typically centers around the asker’s own social media habits. They want to see the organization they lead as a prominent entity on their favorite platform. 

Answering that question is difficult. In a world with unlimited resources, sure, every nonprofit could create robust and impactful pages across all social media platforms. But resources are limited, and so we have to make tough choices about how to leverage social media. How do you begin to navigate the mire, and how do you create a case to launch or sideline a specific platform when discussing with your team? Here is my advice. 

What’s your why (or why not)?

Choosing to launch a social media platform is like adopting a puppy – you’re committing to nurture, train and stay up late caring for it. It’s not as simple as choosing a handle and moving on with your life. To make your pages work for you, you have to put in a lot of strategic thought and effort. 

Deciding if that effort is worth it requires reflection. Every decision starts with your “why.” Why do we want to launch this platform? Take some time individually or as a team to think through your why. For your organization, your journey toward a specific platform may end here! Without a strong “why,” you shouldn’t move forward. But what makes a strong or weak “why”?

Strong reasons to launch or maintain a social channel:

• We have a message to share with a specific audience that uses this platform. 
• We’re developing content for another platform that can be easily or effectively cross-posted.
• We’ve allocated a budget for advertising, and this platform would allow us to self-manage a targeted campaign.
• We have the capacity and content to test it out and see if it returns results we’re looking for (reach, engagement, etc).
• Our work and mission are well-suited for the content that performs well on this platform.

Weak reasons to launch or maintain a social media channel:

• Our competitor does it. 
• You feel it “looks bad” if you’re not on every platform.
• We need to raise more money.
• National organizations that lead our space are using the platform.
• Our college intern insisted it would be the only way to reach a younger demographic.

What’s feasible from a content standpoint?

If you feel confident in your reason for pursuing a platform, it’s time to consider the assets you have and your capacity to package them. This is where you need to start thinking about specific platforms and their content types. For example, if you’re an organization that has to protect participant information, and you don’t have a culture of photo/video cultivation, then Instagram may not work for you. Or maybe you have infrequent updates to share and plan to post only a few times during the month. In that case, the fast-paced nature of X will likely mean your content gets lost in the shuffle. When the platform you’re considering requires a dramatic culture shift to create quality content for your organization, then that may be an indicator that this platform isn’t a good fit for your organization.

Isn’t it better to do something than nothing at all?

It can be hard to make the argument that sitting on the sidelines is better than getting into the game, especially when you see competitors or other organizations testing the waters. But a poorly maintained social media platform is worse than a nonexistent one for a few reasons: 

• Social media content is social – meaning it’s developed for engagement. If you’re not actively monitoring your content, you could set yourself up for a lackluster, non-response appearance at best or a social media crisis in the comments at worst.
• For nonprofits specifically, social media creates another place where people can contact you for support. If you can’t consistently monitor comments and DMs, you may miss someone who needs your services (and could even spark a damaging word-of-mouth storm when they tell their circle about your failure to respond).
• A haphazard social media channel can harm your brand. Haphazard content, unreliable posting schedules and off-brand graphics can make you look unprofessional or even out of business. 

Choosing to launch a new social media page is a big decision, one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. All considerations must be carefully weighed, and sometimes a third-party perspective is necessary to help you make the right decision. That’s where Obsidian comes in: We help nonprofits and companies build the social media mix that fits their needs. If this sounds like something you need, connect with us.