5 Ways to Reach Gen Z Donors Through Social Media

Here’s how to connect with Gen Z donors on social media:

1. Make short, impactful videos for Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok (15-60 seconds)
2. Use interactive polls, quizzes, and questions
3. Partner with micro-influencers (1,000-100,000 followers)
4. Add easy online donation options
5. Show exactly where donations go

Key stats:

• 32% of Gen Z donate their own money
• 69% prefer connecting with nonprofits on social media
• 56% willing to do peer-to-peer fundraising

Top platforms:

• TikTok (41% of users age 16-24)
• Instagram (33.7% of users are Gen Z)
• Snapchat (51.1% of US users are Gen Z)

Focus on transparency, authenticity, and making donating quick and easy. Track engagement metrics to refine your strategy.

Watch Our Video Explaining the Process

1. Make Short Videos That Matter

Gen Z loves short videos. Let’s explore how to create videos that grab their attention and make an impact.

Platform Options

Each platform has its sweet spot for video length:

• TikTok: 15-30 seconds. It’s where 41% of users are 16-24 years old.
• Instagram Reels: 15-30 seconds. Great for visual storytelling.
• YouTube Shorts: Up to 60 seconds. A quick hit on a traditionally long-form platform.

Cost to Create

You don’t need a Hollywood budget to make great short videos:

1. Use your smartphone. Add a cheap tripod and mic for better quality.
2. Edit with free apps like InShot or CapCut.
3. Get your supporters to create content. It’s authentic and free.

If you are looking to hire someone specialized in videos for nonprofits, check out Happy Productions. They help nonprofits tell stories through video and offer a free social media course.

2. Use Polls, Quizzes, and Questions

Gen Z doesn’t just scroll through social media. They want to be part of the action. For nonprofits, this means using polls, quizzes, and questions to get them involved.

Why does this work? It’s simple:

1. Gen Z loves quick, fun interactions
2. They want to share their opinions
3. It helps build a community around your cause

Let’s break down how to use these tools on different platforms:

Instagram Stories

Instagram’s quiz sticker is perfect for quick engagement. You can:

Facebook

Facebook’s polling options allow for more detailed questions. Use these for:

• In-depth surveys about supporter preferences
• Voting on campaign ideas or fundraising goals

But how do you know if it’s working? Keep an eye on:

1. Engagement rate
2. Response patterns
3. Follow-up actions

It’s not just about numbers. These insights can shape your future campaigns and help you understand your Gen Z supporters better.

Take Charity: Water’s “Transparency Tuesday” on Instagram Stories. They ask followers to submit questions and answer the most popular ones. It boosts engagement AND builds trust.

As social media consultant Casey Lewis puts it:

“Any brand not actively trying to reach Gen Z and Gen Alpha is doing themselves a disservice.”

So, start asking questions. Your Gen Z supporters are ready to answer.

3. Work with Small-Scale Social Media Voices

Forget celebrity endorsements. For Gen Z donors, micro-influencers are the secret sauce.

These small-scale social media voices (1,000 to 100,000 followers) pack a punch. Why? Their audiences trust them like friends.

Building Trust

Micro-influencers aren’t just faces on billboards. They’re real people with real connections. And for skeptical Gen Z? That’s gold.

Daria Szotek from Social for Good puts it this way:

“Working with influencers without a budget is possible and can lead to powerful, mutually beneficial relationships that elevate both the charity and the influencer.”

The key? Let influencers be themselves. Don’t script their every word. Give them the facts and let their creativity flow.

Cost vs. Results

Good news: Micro-influencers won’t break the bank. Here’s a quick breakdown:

Influencer Type	Follower Range	Typical Compensation
Nano	1,000-10,000	Product/service exchange
Micro	10,000-50,000	$100-$500 per post
Mid-tier	50,000-500,000	$500-$5,000 per post

But do they deliver? You bet.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society teamed up with 30 creators for their “Light The Night” event. The result? 240,000 Instagram users reached, 20% engagement rate, and over 19,000 in-feed engagements.

The National Kidney Foundation? They worked with 45 creators and reached over a million Instagram users, generating 675+ comments and 20,000+ in-feed engagements.

4. Add Online Donation Options

Gen Z donors want giving to be as easy as liking a post. Let’s look at how to set up donation features on social media that Gen Z will actually use.

Platform Options

Each social media platform has its own donation tools:

Instagram offers donation stickers for Stories and donate buttons for profiles. The best part? 100% of donations go straight to the nonprofits.

Facebook has a bunch of options: donate buttons, page fundraisers, and fundraiser stickers. These tools are no joke – Facebook birthday fundraisers alone have raised $1 billion.

TikTok teamed up with Tiltify for nonprofit fundraising. It’s new, but with TikTok’s massive Gen Z audience, it’s worth checking out.

How to Set It Up

We made this step-by-step video explaining how these tools can be set up. Setting up donations is different for each platform, but here’s the gist:

1. Turn on donations

Once you’re verified, switch on those donation tools in your account settings.

2. Make it eye-catching

Design donate buttons and stickers that pop. The American Cancer Society nails this with creative donation stickers that show exactly how donations help.

3. Blend it with your content

Don’t just slap a donate button on everything. The nonprofit Water did a great job by sharing a guide on how to use their donation sticker, encouraging followers to spread the word.

5. Show Where Donations Go

Gen Z donors want transparency. They need to see how their money makes a difference. Let’s look at how to show where donations go and build trust with this generation.

Building Trust

Gen Z doesn’t just want feel-good stories. They want facts and clear impact reports. Here’s how to build trust:

1. Be specific: Don’t use vague statements. Use concrete examples. Like this: “Your $50 donation feeds 20 homeless youth in our community.”
2. Use visual storytelling: Gen Z loves visual content. Make infographics or short videos that show how donations are used.
3. Share real-time updates: Use social media for quick, frequent updates about your projects and their impact.

Ecojustice, an environmental law charity, does this well. They report funds raised and highlight legal wins through stories. An Ecojustice rep says:

“We show supporters how their gifts make an impact with striking wilderness and wildlife visuals. Our short stories highlight legal victories for Canada’s air, water, land and wildlife.”

Next Steps

You’ve got the tools to reach Gen Z donors on social media. Now it’s time to put them to work. Here’s how to build lasting support:

Track and analyze your efforts

Don’t just post and cross your fingers. Use data to sharpen your strategy. Nick Black, Founder and CEO of GoodUnited, puts it this way:

“By collecting and analyzing key data points, you’ll be able to continually refine your strategy and stay at the forefront of social media fundraising.”

Focus on metrics that actually matter. Engagement rates and conversion actions trump follower counts any day.

Make donating a breeze

Gen Z likes things quick and easy. So make giving as simple as possible:

Add donation buttons to your Facebook and Instagram. Make sure your donation forms play nice with mobile. And think about digital wallet options to cut down on friction.

Do it right, and you could slash donation time to just 20 seconds.

Go beyond just asking for money

Build real relationships. Give Gen Z multiple ways to back your cause:

Get them involved in peer-to-peer fundraising. Offer volunteer gigs. Invite them to be your social media cheerleaders.

Take a page from Virginia Tech‘s playbook. Their Student Organization All-Star Challenge on Giving Day gets students fired up about fundraising.

Keep it real and transparent

Gen Z has a built-in BS detector. Show them exactly how their support moves the needle:

Tell specific stories of impact. Make your financial info easy to find and understand. Use behind-the-scenes content to give an unfiltered look at your organization.