TikTok for nonprofits: 4 reasons your org should use this app

While TikTok originally became popular amongst Generation Z users, today, nonprofits, businesses, influencers, and others leverage TikTok to share video clips about seemingly every topic. Discover how TikTok can help you reach new potential donors and get a few TikTok for nonprofit tips to help you get your strategy off the ground.

4 reasons nonprofits should use TikTok

As a nonprofit, your marketing resources may be limited, so you need to be strategic about which social media platforms you incorporate into your overall digital marketing strategy. Below, we explain why more and more nonprofits are using TikTok, and why it may be a good fit for your organization.

1. Target new (younger) audiences 👯

Historically, nonprofit organizations have struggled targeting a younger demographic. For example, while 88% of the Greatest Generation (those born through the 1920s) and 78% of Baby Boomers give to charity, only 32% of Gen Z gives to charity.

To be fair, an older generation had a longer time to accrue wealth, and therefore may be in a better financial position to give that wealth away. However, developing relationships with Gen Z supporters comes with a number of benefits, including free social buzz, potential volunteer help, and the potential to attract a lifetime supporter.

Research shows that 60% of TikTok users are Gen Zers. Therefore, the platform may be a better avenue for attracting a younger target audience—particularly compared to other social platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

⭐️ Pro tip: Gen Zers and millennials might prefer making smaller contributions at recurring intervals instead of a large one-time payment. Leverage Givebutter’s recurring donations to help attract these generations.

2. Use video as the sole source of content 📹

If you aren’t incorporating video into your overall marketing strategy, you are doing your nonprofit organization a disservice. Research shows that 78% of people watch online videos each week, and 90% of viewers state they want to see more videos from brands and businesses.

When TikTok originally launched, users shared 15-second clips. Over time, TikTok videos gradually increased in length. By 2022, TikTok bumped up the max video length to 10 minutes, giving you plenty of wiggle room to create a captivating video.

Here are just a few different ways you can create engaging video content for your organization: 

• Interview your founders for the origin of your organization.
• Share clips from your recent volunteer event.
• Highlight impact stories for your community.
• Have staff and beneficiaries express heartfelt thanks to supporters.
• Update followers on the progress of your latest fundraising campaign.
• Highlight a new program launch.

3. Spend more time in the spotlight 🙅

Remember the good ol’ days when a single Facebook post got hundreds of shares? Overtime, the reach of a Facebook Page post has steadily dwindled.

Many for-profits and nonprofit organizations who built a social media presence on Instagram worry that a similar story will pan out on their favorite platform. Constant algorithm changes make it increasingly difficult to establish a social media presence, which has many organizations looking for a new platform.

Enter TikTok. TikTok is less saturated than the aforementioned social media channels, making it easier to establish a presence—particularly for nonprofits. In fact, only 5% of nonprofits used TikTok in 2022, whereas 97% used Facebook, 73% used Instagram, 48% used LinkedIn, and 60% used Twitter.

4. Repurpose existing content 🙌

Every piece of content you create should become at least one other piece of content. In other words, if you record a podcast episode, repurpose it into a blog post. Then, take that blog post and transform it into three social media captions. Suddenly, one piece of content becomes four pieces of content!

Since TikTok videos can now be 10 minutes long, it gives you ample opportunity to refurbish content. Here are just a few examples of how your nonprofit can repurpose content on TikTok and beyond:

• Go Live on TikTok, then share video nuggets as an Instagram Reel.
• Record your livestream fundraising event, then share various clips to your TikTok account.
• Create a short video discussing your latest Giving Tuesday campaign, then share the video on your branded donation page.‍
• Host a webinar to train new volunteers, then share 15-second clips to TikTok. 

6 TikTok ideas for nonprofits to rally your supporters

Ready to incorporate TikTok content into your larger social media fundraising strategy? Leverage these tips, ideas, and tactics to help rally supporters across the platform:

1. Leverage TikTok for Good 💛 TikTok for Good is a TikTok initiative to help improve the world. Offering account management, advanced analytics, and promoted hashtags, TikTok itself will help you reach more supporters on its platform.
2. Test out TikTok fundraising tools 💸 In 2020, TikTok launched Donation Stickers, where users could make an in-app donation to raise funds for a cause. Assign your social media manager to livestream your latest fundraising event on TikTok, then encourage supporters to use the sticker to give.
3. Create a hashtag challenge 💪 A hashtag challenge on TikTok inspires other users to mimic some sort of behavior (and no, they’re not just meant for dance challenges!). Create a clever hashtag for your latest campaign, record a video, then encourage your supporters to do the same.
4. Share a message for your founder 💬 If you use TikTok to capture a new, younger audience, they may not know who you are or what you’re trying to accomplish. Record a TikTok video interviewing the founder of your organization, sharing your mission and vision for the future.
5. Recruit influencers to join your cause 🤩 Chances are, you can reach out to TikTok users with large followings to help support your cause. Do your research to find out what they care about and why they might support your mission, then send a DM or email to see if they would be interested in joining your campaign.
6. Share impact videos ✨ Whose lives have been changed by your organization? Share short impact videos to highlight the change your nonprofit has made within your community.
7. Use trending audio 🎶 To help grow your audience quickly, consider taking advantage of trending sounds. Add your own unique flare to the video, then post to capture potential supporters who are engaged in the trend.

Reach a larger audience with TikTok for nonprofits

TikTok is a rapidly growing social platform with more than 1 billion users. It provides a great opportunity to reach a larger, younger audience compared to other saturated social networks. To effectively utilize TikTok, consider sharing impact stories, recording messages from your founder, or creating videos with trending sounds. Don't forget to collaborate with influencers and utilize features like Donation Stickers!

When it comes to repurposing content, Givebutter has a full suite of top-rated features to help you. You can record livestreams, embed videos on your fundraising page, or thank donors directly with video. Givebutter is an all-in-one fundraising platform that equips changemakers like you with free fundraising features, built-in CRM, and marketing tools designed specifically for nonprofits.

Ready to see how Givebutter can help you reach your fundraising goal? Set up your free Givebutter account to get started.