Most non-profit organizations already have a Facebook page and have built up an audience of Facebook followers. Even if you don’t have a large following on Facebook, most of your current and potential donors are on Facebook and using it daily. Live streaming on Facebook allows you to access an audience that is already captured. Your organization can also influence Facebook users that are outside of your circle when your page or video is liked or shared by your followers with their friends. Using Facebook is a low cost, easy way to increase awareness, reach a large audience of donors and raise more money online. Let’s dive into how to set up Facebook Live, types of live recordings your non-profit can produce and some tips for promoting your Facebook Live videos.
Setting Up Facebook Live Videos
First, your organization’s page needs to be verified to let Facebook and its users know that you are authentic. After your organization has been verified, you can integrate our customized giving app with your Facebook page to accept online donations. Our Facebook app offers customized data fields to suit your requirements and allows your donors to select debit, credit or bank payment options.
Before you create a live broadcast, your camera and microphone must be turned on and Facebook Live needs to be given permission to access them. To go live, it’s as simple as clicking Live Video at the top of your News Feed, giving your video a description, choosing an audience for the video and clicking Go Live. You’ll be able to see your follower’s reactions and comments as they are being posted and respond to them during your live stream. When you’ve finished your video, you will have the option to save the recording to your phone and the video will automatically be posted and saved to your Facebook Page.
Creating Facebook Live Videos
Facebook Live allows you to get really creative in your fundraising and awareness efforts. You can actually show your followers the direct impact their donations have made. Your donors can view first hand how their funds are making a difference. You can raise awareness for your organization by taking your audience to the location of your cause and giving them a behind the scenes look. Go live during your fundraising events and allow supporters to virtually attend and stay connected when they can’t physically be there. Hold Q & A sessions and interviews and have your followers ask questions in real time. Broadcast big announcements such as achieving a fundraising goal or notifying raffle or contest winners. Use Facebook Live to demonstrate how-tos such as how to become a sponsor or how to become a volunteer with your organization. Facebook Live offers many ways to connect with your donors and in a way that doesn’t require a lot of time or money to do so.
Promoting Facebook Live Videos
In advance of going live on Facebook, tell your followers and donors when you’re going to be live. Don’t just post about your upcoming broadcast on Facebook. You also need to promote it on your website, in email newsletters and on other social media platforms such as Twitter. Include the date, time and topic of your Facebook Live video and a link to your Facebook page to follow.
During the recording, involve your audience and have a conversation with them. Ask them to interact and when they do comment, read their comment during your live video and respond to them. In your video, introduce yourself, welcome your audience and tell them thank you for watching. End your video with giving your watchers a call to action—whether it be donating, registering, volunteering or simply sending your video to others. Paperless Page Builder Pages can be embedded directly into your Facebook Fan Page so that your followers are able to perform your call to action without ever leaving your page, and then you are able to track all Facebook giving activity within our comprehensive Facebook Campaign Reporting.
After your broadcast, share your recording not only on Facebook but through other social media platforms and email. Those that missed your live video are able to watch the live recording later and can still donate from the recording.
Get Started
Facebook Live is a simple but powerful means to promote your nonprofit organization. If you need any assistance with your social media effectiveness and increasing online donations, Paperless Transaction Corporation would like to help. We offer a complete way to raise funds for your cause.
At Paperless Transactions, we provide nonprofits and churches with the power to build a variety of effective event and donation pages, plus a software that enables you to promote your cause and drive giving, all backed by a core of cost-effective payment processing and an integrated donor management system that lets you manage fundraising efforts from start to finish. To learn more about the ways Paperless can help your nonprofit organization, request a demo today!
