Let’s Talk Social with Dana Snyder of Positive Equation, Ep #58

Episode 58

With Benjamin Johnson and Dana Snyder

Get ready to learn about all things social media in the world of fundraising marketing as Ben sits down with digital marketing coach and podcaster Dana Snyder of Positive Equation. On this episode, the two discuss the dynamic duo of marketing and branding, using social platforms effectively in fundraising, optimizing your charity’s YouTube channel, and the best use of your social media marketing dollars.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

  • Getting to know Dana Snyder and her digital marketing journey [0:13]

  • Breaking out of the “land grab” mentality when it comes to digital and the power of quality branding [5:01]

  • Using social media platforms effectively in fundraising [12:31]

  • Optimizing your charity’s YouTube Channel and using Google Analytics [17:46]

  • Working alongside Meta and how Dana helps organizations with online advertising [22:11]

  • The first-ever Cool Tools segment! [25:47]

Taking a platform-specific approach

While it certainly wasn’t the first platform, Facebook laid the foundation for much of how we use social media today. However, a lot has changed since it launched in 2004. The days of endlessly resharing content as a marketing strategy are long gone. In order to use social media effectively for fundraising marketing, Dana says charities need to understand the individual platform and its business goals to develop a platform-specific content approach. You also have to consider how your audience uses each platform. Everyone has a different reason for using Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn respectively, and effective marketing content reflects that. One of the best uses of social media ads is running a lead generation campaign. These campaigns are designed to get your audience off the platform and into your email list so you can own the relationship.

Making the most of YouTube

One of the biggest marketing misses Dana has noticed for charities is their YouTube channels. YouTube can be a powerful marketing tool if used correctly. Because it’s owned by Google, YouTube search results often appear top of page when running a Google search. This means that effective YouTube marketing has SEO-optimized titles. Google is looking for keywords in the video title, so search usability should be a major factor when deciding what those are. You should also have keywords in the body of the description and as tags. Other areas of optimization include thumbnail images and cards. Your thumbnail should entice people to click on your video over others, while cards at the end of your video encourage viewers to watch more of your content or engage with you outside of YouTube. 

You have to play to win

If social media advertising is something you want to explore for your charity, you have to be comfortable with the idea that not all of your marketing dollars will yield results. Many charities have the mindset that one failed ad campaign on Facebook means that it’s a waste of time. That’s completely unrealistic! Even experts like Dana run ads that fall flat. Advertising on social media is a testing game. You have to be open to the idea that some ads will not work. The key is figuring out why and deciding how much you’re willing to spend to find out. A monthly social media ad budget of $2500 to $5000 can do so much. Especially because the ad cost for specific campaigns is pretty reasonable. But you have to be willing to get your feet wet and play the game!

Resources & People Mentioned

Connect with Dana Snyder

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Ben Johnson