3 Alternatives to Facebook for Your Nonprofit

November 3, 2021

Funds2Orgs Marketing Team

Our social team’s started to notice in nonprofit groups that people aren’t happy with Facebook. In fact, they’re looking for alternatives to Facebook. So, why is the ‘king’ of social media falling out with the public and nonprofits at large? Well, let’s explore that for a moment before diving into alternatives you could use for your nonprofit.

First, it’s essential to understand that Facebook remains the top social media platform in the world. It has nearly 3 billion active users, with 90% of its users outside the United States. Now, that little tidbit is an important statistic. Often, in marketing, you probably read lots of articles and share on social that it’s essential to promote and have a strong presence on Facebook. While we think that’s true for the moment, we also believe that things have started to change as Americans seek alternatives to Facebook. Inevitably, as the public moves away from it, so do nonprofits and businesses.

Why Do People Seek Alternatives to Facebook?

There are several reasons why people are engaging less and less with Facebook. For instance, the social media platform’s known to collect a lot of data. It does this because its business model is all about selling social media ads. So, for it to have immense data information to sell, it needs a lot of it. Following the data hacks, including with Facebook, people realize how valuable their personal data and information are to protect. In other words, they don’t agree with Zuckerberg’s infamous statement that privacy is dead. No, it’s not.

Along the lines of data gathering, one of the other things that people don’t really like is that Facebook tracks you across platforms. So, if you’re a WhatsApp user (owned by Facebook), you’re data is going to its owner. However, it’s a little more off-putting to have Facebook follow everything you do on the internet. So, when people use other apps or visit websites and other platforms, Facebook’s right there observing what’s happening and gathering that information to sell. Again, the more people understand how much data Facebook collects, the less likely they will give up their information willingly.

Where Does that Leave Nonprofits?

Well, the reality is that it leaves many nonprofits still using Facebook. But, some in the social sector are leaving it and seeking alternatives to Facebook. As an example, NTEN bid farewell to Facebook. Moreover, some nonprofits suggest that they can’t in all conscience support a rapacious company with little regard to anything more than advertising dollars. Also, Facebook’s made it complicated and opaque (contrary to their claims) to deal with content, including ads, that supposedly go against their community standards. Of course, those community standards continuously change, and most nonprofits never get any indication of why their content get declined. It’s a guessing game.

In short, while moving to alternatives to Facebook may or may not make sense for your nonprofit, it’s still important to keep your eyes open. Unfortunately, since Facebook’s founding in 2004, the company has talked a good game but acted counter to what it said it wanted to do. Ironically, the company that spoke about transparency and authenticity seems to be only interested in expanding its social domination and making as much money through ad dollars as possible. Still, if you have a nonprofit with a robust community on Facebook, you may not want to move at this point. But, if you don’t have much of a Facebook presence or the metrics don’t align with the spend, then seeking alternatives to Facebook may be a good idea.

1. TikTok is the Future of Social Media

While Facebook was the top social media company through most of the 2000s, that’s starting to end. The reality is that Facebook’s continually playing catch-up. As a result, when it can’t compete, it buys up its competitors. Also, it just takes what they’re doing and incorporates it into their platform. Unfortunately, that’s a game of follow-the-leader, and it’s not innovating.

In our minds, TikTok’s the future of social media. First, the platform’s fun and full of the demographic that nonprofits and businesses want (Millennials and Gen Z). Second, as we know, video is the primary way people now digest content. TikTok is the leader in micro-videos. Finally, for nonprofits, they could undoubtedly gain followers on the platform. However, to do it, it’s essential to rethink your marketing.

2. Instagram (Yes, We Know…)

We like Instagram, and yes, we know that Facebook owns it. However, there are reasons that you should consider shifting to Instagram if you have to be on a Facebook-owned platform. Instagram is less exhausting than Facebook with its continuous social bickering and drama. And because Facebook owns it, you get good analytic tools to ensure that your content is doing what you want it to do, raising engagement!

Instagram also boasts a young demographic and primarily female. To make the most of using this social media tool, you should move away from just photos. In 2021, Instagram made news by saying that it was becoming a video platform. What that means as a practical matter is that the bots will prioritize video content over still images. Nevertheless, your nonprofit needs to move toward the use of video, if you haven’t done it already, because it’s the future.

3. MeWe and Secure Data

Finally, if your supporters are getting more ambivalent about sharing data, you could go with a social media platform that doesn’t collect data! MeWe’s been around since 2014, and there are several benefits to using it. Contrary to the approach Facebook’s taken, there’s no advertising on MeWe. Instead, its business model relies on subscriptions and in-app purchases (e.g., emojis, storage) if users want to use them.

Moreover, MeWe doesn’t mine or sell the data of its users. If you have a robust group of supporters who value their privacy and want to engage with you without everything they do digitally becoming data for Facebook to sell, MeWe’s a good social media option. You could invite your community to join the social platform and create groups for chats. You could move people from Facebook onto this platform with time and persistence to nurture and grow your community.

Follow our community on social media at our YouTube channel or Facebook. Stay tuned for more insightful ideas about marketing and fundraising.

 

© 2021 Funds2Orgs. All Rights Reserved.

 

© 2024 Funds2Orgs. All right reserved.| Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Powered by Elsey Enterprises

Get this free resource by entering your information below.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.