Facebook remains to be the top social media platform for any organization as they also have the most users. Hence, it should also be considered that people who have Instagram accounts spend more time on Instagram over Facebook (Clarke, 2018). With that in mind, not setting up an Instagram account will have your organization be left behind by other organizations who have decided to optimize this opportunity. Instagram comes with numerous features and updates which continually keeps its users interested. Philanthropists giving away money may even be active on Instagram and catching their attention will be a possibility by actively using this as a platform. Here are some of the reasons why setting up an account and using it actively can be helpful towards our NGO:
- Liked profiles
It is common knowledge that the more platforms you are actively participating in, the more options people have to reach out to you. In this case, people will not be limited to your website or email address when inquiring from your NGO. Now with the development of Instagram for Business, people visiting your page are allowed not only to send you direct messages but also contact you through your number or find your location through a map.
- Hashtag gaming
As hashtags have been predominantly used on Twitter, Instagram users have been frequently using hashtags as well. The purpose of putting hashtags in your caption is to be searchable by people. That way, if your hashtags are relevant, you will be able to reach out to the right set of people. When making use of a hashtag, it is ideal to use two types of hashtags namely ones which are already popular in order to reach out to a large audience, and original ones which will catch the attention of many users. Coming up with catchy hashtags will make help your age go viral for more people in the world to take notice of.
- Instagram Story
Not too long ago, celebrities were always on Snapchat to update their fans on many of their activities. Not too many NGOs or nonprofits are Snapchat users, as Snapchat users did not usually fall under the category of social enterprises, philanthropists, international funders, and the likes. Hence, now Instagram has optimized its existence and developed Instagram Stories. Basically, these are snapshots and serve the same purpose as Snapchat. For an NGO, this can be useful in updating your followers on the different projects you are handling. Apart from that, there are also polls which will help your organization figure out what your audience and inevitably potentials donors would like. There are also these fun countdown stickers where people are able to keep track of your upcoming projects an initiatives
- Instagram live
Instagram live is a feature which helps NGOs keep their followers updated on the latest developments of their projects. Through this live feature, followers will be able to see your progress real-time. This also allows followers to make comments and interact with you. Hence, through that, you will know the likes and dislikes as well as the suggestions your followers have. You will not need to wait for comments and suggestions of a certain post because as the feature’s name in itself states, everything that’s happening is happening live.
Instagram is a social media innovation which has guided many organizations in gaining visibility throughout a wide network of audience. At the same time, NGOs shouldn’t let this innovation just pass them by. Optimizing one’s visibility through Instagram is a good opportunity which can increase one’s chances in obtaining funds for NGOs, philanthropists who give to individuals, international funding agencies for NGOs, NGO project consultants, and many more.
