profile

Subscribe to the Fundraising Writing Newsletter

FP#6 😊 Facebook Writing [w/ PDF Guide & Video]

Published almost 3 years agoΒ β€’Β 4 min read

& why you may NOT want to spend lots of resources on Facebook
In this issue: How to write a πŸ† Facebook ad β€” with PDF guide
​
Click here for a video message for you. :)
Do you make weird faces without knowing it, too? Ha! Click my face to watch a video message from me to you. It's about what you should do before throwing lots of resources towards Facebook.

Welcome to the 6th issue of Fundraising Players. FP is about fundraising, writing, donors, life. I’m glad you’re here. Please take a moment to take a look-see at the video message from me to you. Then we'll hop into writing for Facebook. πŸŽ‰ ​
​

Chicago, Wednesday, April 14, 2021

​

So, you're reading how to write better for Facebook in an email, eh? πŸ€”

That's a good thing for you and me both. If I had posted this info on Facebook instead, you likely wouldn't have seen it β€” unless I paid for an ad, you were in the target audience, you happened to see the ad... and then you clicked on it. Facebook is funny like that.

Facebook aims to build community and bring the world closer together. But it doesn't always make it easy for us to connect with the people we want to connect with... like our supporters.

(But I've got to confide in you. Facebook makes it super easy for a son to message his mother with the news that he MARRIED his girlfriend. True story. Here's a slice of my life from last week. 🀷)

Alas, here we are, togetherβ€”all warm and cozyβ€” inside an email. So, even though I'm writing about Facebook content today, I want to emphasize that email is still the best way to connect with our supporters in the digital space.

If that makes you want to send a fire-breathing dragon my way, πŸ”₯🐲πŸ”₯ please be sure to watch the video I made for you today. I do some explainin'.

* * * * *

BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION

Facebook can be a great addition to your fundraising toolbox. It works best when you take the long-game approach to building a community of raving fans that you nurture to become loyal supporters.

Remember (from the video) that we don't control social media platforms β€” the owners of the platforms can change the rules at any time... and limit the access we have to our followers. We can do nothing about it except develop our social media plans with this reality in mind.

So, we want to build our fundraising strategy on a solid foundation. 🏠 Our direct mail list and our email list are assets we own that nobody can limit or take away. πŸ’•

* * * * *

FACEBOOK WRITING GUIDE

Today, I'm giving you my popular guide, How to Write Facebook Fundraising Ads That Convert.

​Grab the guide here, share it with your colleagues, and use it the next time you need to create compelling social media content.

Here's what this guide will do for you:

βœ… It will give you a blueprint to create a well-performing ad.

βœ… You'll discover strategies to save time and raise more money.

βœ… You'll get lots of tips and a bunch of examples to give you inspiration for the next ads or posts you create.

* * * * *

SMART STRATEGIES

Here are several copywriting tips to help you write better for Facebook. (You can find more tips inside the PDF guide.)

Heads up: I'm going to use the term "post" in this newsletter from now on β€” but I'm referring to either an organic post or paid ad.

Let's go!

Smart Strategies for Creating Successful Facebook Content

  1. Be friendly, not stuffy. πŸ€— Write the copy like you're having a one-on-one conversation with a person over a cup of coffee. After all, a real person is on the other end of your post. And they want a personal connection, not a lecture.
    ​
  2. Match your post's look and feel to the content your audience regularly sees in their news feed. πŸ“° You don't want your post to resemble a "salesy" advertisement. Make it relevant to your audience while also standing out in their news feed.
    ​
  3. Adjust your language to match your audience's style. πŸ’ƒ Pay attention to how your audience communicates on social media. For example, maybe they don't always use capital letters or punctuation. So consider occasionally relaxing grammar rules if it helps you connect better.
    ​
  4. Be urgent. 🚨 Make sure people have a reason to take action. If your post's job is to raise funds, be sure to create urgency around the problem you are asking them to solve. If your post's job is to get people to read a story on your blog, create an element of suspense to make them want to click to read more.
    ​
  5. Use authentic images. πŸ–ΌοΈ Professional photos are perfect for Grandma's wall, but they're not ideal for Facebook. Neither is perfect-looking stock photography. Often casual, spontaneous-appearing images are more effective. So try relaxing your imagery a bit and choose pictures that are more informal and genuine.

For 6 more smart strategies and lots of real-world examples, see the guide. It will help you take the guesswork out of writing for Facebook. 😎


TRUTH BOMBS

πŸ’£ Pamela Grow always tells it like it is:

Pamela Grow's Tweet
​

Subscribe to The Grow Report, a weekly "no B.S." fundraising newsletter.

* * * * *

πŸ’£ And a bomb from Joe Pulizzi, founder of Content Marketing Institute and the Orange Effect Foundation. It's easier and more effective to go an inch wide and a mile deep:

Joe Pulizzi Tweet
​

Be well and stay safe. Thanks for all you do for your organization and your cause. πŸŽ—οΈπŸ’›

I’ll see you again in your inbox in two short weeks.

All my best,
Julie

Julie
​

​

PS: I'd love to hear from you. Do you have a challenge that you’d like me to address in a future newsletter? Hit "reply" and let me know. ✍️

PPS: Did someone forward you this newsletter? Get your complimentary subscription here. I send a fresh letter filled with good, practical stuff every other week. πŸ’Œ

​

Subscribe to the Fundraising Writing Newsletter

Hi! We're Julie Cooper and Brett Cooper, fundraising copywriters for great causes. Does your fundraising bring in as much money as it could? You can send donor communications that stir hearts to action. We'd love to help. πŸ’› Start by subscribing to our FREE weekly newsletter.

Read more from Subscribe to the Fundraising Writing Newsletter

a donor newsletter has layers Welcome, You! This is the 127th Fundraising Writing Newsletter. If you find value here, please tell a colleague. (Your colleague can subscribe here for free.) In this issue: βœ… The layers that make a direct mail donor newsletter "delicious" πŸŽ‚ βœ… Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you Wednesday, March 27, 2024 Hi Reader, "Can you please make your famous dessert for my birthday?" my 20-year-old son asked. Mickey has requested this particular dessert for many...

2 days agoΒ β€’Β 4 min read

This is the 126th Fundraising Writing Newsletter. If you find value here, please tell your fundraising friends. (Your fundraising friends can subscribe here for free.) In this issue: βœ… How's your "fundraising fire pit"? βœ… Thursday: Case for support webinar with Tom Ahern, Harvey McKinnon, and Julie Cooper (once in 2024) βœ… Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you Wednesday, March 20, 2024 Hi Reader, So β€” Brett and I had this idea. It's simple: Dig a big hole in our yard. Fill it with sand....

9 days agoΒ β€’Β 4 min read

Arthur "Bud" Zwierlein in the Navy, WWII This is the 125th Fundraising Writing Newsletter. If you find value here, please tell your fundraising friends. (Your fundraising friends can subscribe here for free.) In this issue: βœ… What my 102-yr-old stepdad taught me about donors βœ… Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you Wednesday, March 6, 2024 Hi Reader, Brett here: My stepdad Arthur "Bud" Zwierlein died in September at age 102. I miss him, of course, but I'm holding onto how fortunate I was...

23 days agoΒ β€’Β 3 min read
Share this post