PostEaseThe short answer
For a nonprofit, social media does three jobs: it tells the story of the people and causes you serve, it asks supporters to act (give, volunteer, sign, share), and it reports back what their help made possible. Post stories with consent, specific asks, and thank-you posts with real results, mostly on Facebook and Instagram, where nearly every nonprofit already is.
The 2026 M+R Benchmarks study, which reports 2025 data from nonprofits, found Facebook still the largest audience by far, averaging 53,000 followers per organisation against 18,000 on Instagram, though Facebook follower counts grew only about 3% in the year. TikTok audiences were small but growing fastest, and X followers fell by 3%.
Where nonprofits are in 2026
M+R’s figures show where the sector’s audiences sit:
| Platform | Share of nonprofits present | Average followers |
|---|---|---|
| Nearly all | 53,000 | |
| Nearly all | 18,000 | |
| YouTube | 74% | 2,000 |
| X | 54% | Not reported; followers fell 3% |
| TikTok | 43% | 3,000 |
| Bluesky | 37% | 1,000 |
| Threads | 32% | 13,000 |
Tell stories, with consent
One person’s story moves people more than a statistic. Tell it in their words where you can, show the change your work made, and protect their dignity: ask for written consent, let them see the post first, and never show anyone, especially children or people in crisis, in a way they would not choose. When consent is not possible, tell the story of the work instead: a volunteer, a delivery, a building, a day.
Make asks specific
A vague “please support us” gets scrolled past. A specific ask gets acted on:
- Say exactly what the gift does: what a set amount pays for, in concrete terms.
- Give a deadline when there is a real one: a match, a campaign end, an event date.
- Make the action one tap: a donate link, a sign-up form, a petition, in your bio and on a link-in-bio page.
- Ask for more than money: volunteering, sharing, signing and showing up all count.
Report back
Supporters give again when they see what their help did. Post results: meals served, trees planted, families housed, laws changed, with a photo or a story behind each number. Thank donors and volunteers publicly, with permission. A feed of asks with no reports reads as a request; a feed of results reads as a movement worth joining.
Formats that earn most
Use each platform’s strongest format for the story you are telling. In Buffer’s 2026 engagement report, images earned the most on Facebook (a median 5.20% of reach) and carousels the most on Instagram (6.90%), while Reels reached more people. A carousel that walks through one person’s journey, a photo of a result with a short caption, and a short video from the field cover most of what a nonprofit needs.
Let volunteers and staff speak
The people closest to the work are the most believable voices. Invite volunteers and staff to share, in their own words, why they give their time, and repost what they post about you with permission. A short video from a nurse, a coach or a volunteer driver often does more than anything written by the communications team, and it costs nothing to make.
Work with influencers
Partners extend reach beyond your followers. In the M+R study, 58% of participating nonprofits worked with outside influencers at least once in 2025, every one of them on Instagram and 72% on TikTok, and most used mid-sized accounts. A third used only unpaid partnerships. Choose partners who care about the cause, give them the story and the ask, and let them tell it their way.
Plan around the giving calendar
Nonprofit social media follows a calendar: awareness days for your cause, Giving Tuesday, year-end giving, your own events and campaigns. Plan these a month ahead on a content calendar, and keep the weeks between for stories and reports, so the feed is never only asks.
A routine for a small team
About two hours a week:
- Weekly: collect one story, with consent, and one result from the programme team.
- Monday: post the story.
- Wednesday: post a result or a thank-you.
- Friday: post a specific ask, or the week’s event.
- Daily: reply to comments and messages, and thank people who share.
Questions
What platform should a nonprofit focus on?
Facebook and Instagram for most. In the 2026 M+R Benchmarks study, nearly every nonprofit was on both, with Facebook averaging 53,000 followers and Instagram 18,000.
What should a nonprofit post on social media?
Stories of the people and causes you serve, with consent, specific asks, and reports of what supporters made possible.
Should nonprofits work with influencers?
Many do: 58% of nonprofits in the M+R study worked with influencers in 2025, all on Instagram and most with mid-sized accounts.
How often should a nonprofit post?
Three times a week is a sound start for a small team: one story, one result or thank-you, and one ask, planned around the giving calendar.
Is TikTok worth it for a nonprofit?
It can be. In the M+R study, 43% of nonprofits were on TikTok, with small but fast-growing audiences. Start if you can make short video regularly.
Sources
- M+R, Social media and influencers, M+R Benchmarks 2026, checked October 2026.
- Buffer, The state of social media engagement in 2026, March 2026.