TikTok for nonprofits: How to capture a new, younger audience

TikTok is the most rapidly growing social platform in existence. It held the number one spot for most downloaded app for three consecutive years, from 2019 through 2021. Currently, it’s the sixth-most used social network across the globe, ranking only behind Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, and WeChat.

While TikTok originally became popular amongst Generation Z users, in April 2022 the platform surpassed the 1 billion active user mark. Today, nonprofits, businesses, influencers, and others leverage TikTok to share video clips about seemingly every topic.

Moral of the story: If your nonprofit hasn’t incorporated TikTok into your nonprofit marketing strategy, you might want to reconsider.

Below, 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.

Should nonprofits use TikTok? 4 reasons nonprofits need to be on this platform

As a nonprofit, your marketing resources may be limited. Therefore, 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. It helps target new 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. 

Pro tip: Gen Zers and millennials might prefer making smaller contributions at recurring intervals instead of a large one-time payment.

Be sure to leverage Givebutter’s recurring donations to help attract these generations.

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

2. It uses video as its 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.

You can create engaging video content for your organization through any number of ways. Interview your founders for the origin of your organization, share clips from your recent volunteer event, or share impact stories for your community. You can also use video to thank supporters, share updates on your latest fundraising campaign, or highlight a new program launch.

3. It’s not as saturated as other platforms 🙅

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, declining from 7.7% in 2018 then 5.2% in 2021.

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.

According to Nonprofit Tech for Good, only 5% of nonprofits use TikTok in 2022, whereas 97% use Facebook Pages, 73% use Instagram, 48% use LinkedIn, and 60% use Twitter.

4. It helps you repurpose content 🙌

If you want to develop an ironclad content strategy, remember this: 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. Go Live on TikTok, then re-share video nuggets as an Instagram Reel. Create a short-form video discussing your latest Giving Tuesday campaign, and share the video on your branded donation page. Host a webinar to train new volunteers, then post 15-second clips to TikTok. Or, live stream your latest fundraising event, then share various clips to your TikTok account.

6 TikTok for nonprofit tips to rally your supporters

Ready to incorporate TikTok content into your larger social media marketing 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. Incorporate Donation Stickers into your campaign: In 2020, TikTok launched Donation Stickers, where users could make an in-app donation to raise money for a cause. Assign your social media manager to live stream 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 the fastest growing social platform in the world, amassing 1 billion users. Since TikTok isn’t as saturated as other social networks, it can help you reach a larger, younger audience.

To start posting TikTok videos, consider sharing impact stories, recording a message from your founder, or make a video with trending sound. Plus, be sure to recruit influencers to join your cause and leverage tools within TikTok videos like Donation Stickers.

One of the biggest takeaways for an effective TikTok strategy is this: Leverage TikTok videos to repurpose other pieces of content.

Fortunately, Givebutter offers 130+ features to help you repurpose video content. With Givebutter, you can record live streams, embed videos in your fundraising page, or thank donors with video.

Givebutter is the all-in-one fundraising platform that ignites the changemaker in all of us. With Givebutter, you get fundraising tools, a built-in CRM platform, and marketing automation to rally your supporter base.

Ready to see how Givebutter can help you reach your fundraising goal? Take a tour to get started.