Instagram may not be the newest social channel, but it certainly has shown sticking power. According to recent reports, it has around 32 million users in the UK and has surpassed two billion monthly users worldwide with a vast span across age ranges.
Lots of charities have impressive Instagram presences already but others are still on the fence about whether to join. So, whether you are just getting started on the channel as a charity or are keen to refresh what you’ve already got, here are some things you might want to consider…
Think about creating a bold design theme that still lets the photos do the talking
Instagram is all about visuals, right? So, whether you are opting for sharing your content as posts, stories, reels or lives you need to ensure the imagery you use is on point. But as the Sightsavers’ social team have shown over the years it is possible to do this while also creating a bold design that makes your channel stand out as uniquely yours as a brand.
In their blog about three simple changes that will refresh your charity’s Instagram channel it’s clear Sightsavers’ objective “to make the feed all about the images of the people we work with and support” has been delivering great results. This paired with the creation of “assets [that] could be quotes, statements or statistics” that were “shareable and recognisable, without the need for our logo” presented on branded coloured cards ensures that a visit to their Instagram page feels very Sightsavers.
Don’t overlook the potential of incorporating video in your plan
Spotting the potential of video to engage audiences, Instagram introduced IGTV back in 2018 – a feature that has since been incorporated into plain old Instagram video content aka ‘Reels’. As easy to post as a still image, video content may take slightly longer to create in the first place, but it can be well worth the effort.
As NSPCC shared in their blog Telling a Survivor’s Story on IGTV about the channel’s previous video incarnation, incorporating video can be powerful but must be done sensitively. Scripting narrative, reviewing footage and making edits can all help ensure you are creating an emotive and intriguing narrative that allows people to tell their own story like the one below:
Get creative and make things easy to share
When it comes to social content you want to grab attention, raise awareness of your cause, and get your message out there as widely as possible. One way to do all this is to test different ways of getting a message across to find what works for you.
One charity that has tested a range of ideas on their Instagram channel is Trussell Trust. From a quiz video reel made up of questions and answers that explain how food banks work, to posts with multiple pictures that work as listicles of things like ‘5 items to donate to food banks that need less cooking’ they are constantly finding different ways to engage and inform platform users of what they do.
If you are interested in finding out more about different social platforms and how they may work for your charity make sure to sign up for the CharityComms 2022 Digital Conference.
Further reading:
- How to build your community on Instagram | Media Trust
- 9 Instagram Trends to Pay Attention to in 2022 | Sprout Social
- Charity Digital – Topics – How to fundraise with Instagram stories
Banner Image: Benyamin Bohlouli on Unsplash