Nonprofit organizations need to maintain their social media presence if they are to remain competitive. Luckily, there are countless free and low-cost tools readily available online which are proving to be incredible resources for nonprofits. These tools can streamline your social media presence, help keep your communication relevant to a broader demographic, and thus build connections with both your existing and potential donor base. Ultimately, effective use of social media gives you leverage in increasing funds to your organization.  The fact that they are free or low cost just makes them one less expense you need to bare when money is already tight!

95cdfeefThis list is just some of the free tools which I’ve experienced and which you can use to propel your nonprofit forward. Many of them may be new to you; others are commonly known, but perhaps you may not have thought about how they might be applied to your nonprofit organization.

  • Picmonkey is one of the best photo editing tools available. I mention it first because to be successful on social media today, you must create visual posts. PicMonkey is a simplified free version of Photoshop for photography, blogging, and graphic design (and it’s MUCH easier to use!).  It makes it easy to embed text over photos, brand your images with your logo, and create photo collages simply – creating professional graphics in minutes, without the cost of hiring a freelancer.  The free version is great but the upgraded version is well worth the small fee.
  • Medium is a relatively new site that writers have taken to.  It is a great place for nonprofits to tell their story, and a destination for guest blogs.  It appeals to potential donors who aren’t already donating to your organization.
  • Canva is a free graphic design site which makes Photoshop-standard design simple for everyone. It’s useful for creating designs for web or print, such as blog graphics, memes, Facebook cover photos, flyers, posters, invitations and more.
  • Easel.ly is a free, do-it-yourself infographic creation tool. It combines essential social media tools including graphics, images, statistics and inspirational quotes. It’s a great tool to share awareness in a clear, easy to understand and visual way.
  • Buffer provides a smarter way to schedule the great content you find. Fill up your Buffer and it automagically posts them for you through the day. You just need to keep your Buffer topped up and you’ll have a consistent social media presence all day and all week long.
  • TwtPoll enables you to create polls that can be shared on Twitter or any other social network. You can also view statistics about what time people voted and from what country.
  • Retwact is a tool which allows you to retract tweets which have been retweeted by others, by notifying them that you are requesting the tweets be retracted (ie. retwacted). This tool could come in handy for nonprofits who respond to crisis situations and accidently send out tweets based on incorrect news reports.
  • Iconosquare is a service for tracking your Instagram statistics, providing engagement data about your photos, likes and follower growth, as well as when is the best and worst time to post.  It was formerly called Statigram.
  • Flipagr.am is an iPhone app which enables you to convert your organization’s Instagram photos into video slideshows that can then be shared on other social media and uploaded to YouTube. It is perhaps the easiest app for creating and uploading a quick video of the pictures of your event, set to music and posted online within an hour.
  • ScheduGram is a tool for managing your Instagram account. You can manage multiple accounts and users and schedule your posts straight from your computer, making it quite a flexible tool. It is the most costly tool on this list at $20/month (there isn’t a free version available) however it is a solution that makes Instagram far more user friendly for brands. It is worth it if you are trying to gain a following on this platform.
  • Re.vu converts your LinkedIn Profile content into a visually-compelling Re.vu Profile. If you are looking for a new job or want to build or enhance your personal brand online, this is new tool definitely worth exploring.
  • Change.org is the world’s largest petition platform. If your nonprofit engages in advocacy, it’s worth experimenting with this site. They also have an excellent mobile website which enables nonprofits to make their online advocacy campaigns mobile.

Health and Happiness,

Angela Swanson

Angela Swanson Sweet Papaya CreativePassionate about social issues, Angela Swanson, founder of Sweet Papaya Creative, helps nonprofits to promote awareness and win the support they need. She guides nonprofits in developing communication strategies, build capacity, expand volunteer base and help improve and manage an online presence. Angela has over 20 years experience in both for and nonprofit sectors. She is an active contributor/guest blogger. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @sweetpapayac