5 Steps to Building the Perfect Nonprofit Fundraising Twitter Bio

Throughout our series of posts concerning the most effective use of social media for nonprofit fundraising we’ve focused on the content and the means of distributing it to find your audience. However a key starting point that can often be overlooked in the rush to share information to your supporters is the actual profile that you create.

When using our social media channels and Twitter in particular, the branding and message within your profile can often be the difference between being followed or simply skimmed over. Twitter users digest information at a rapid rate and in turn circulate information quickly also, a short glance at your Twitter bio will typically determine whether a user or not a user follows your account; initially even more so than the content that you create and share. Therefore let’s consider what it takes to create a strong user profile or Twitter bio.

In the world of Twitter your success hinges on being concise and interesting simultaneously and the same rules apply to your bio. Don’t forget that the bio is searchable within Twitter and as a result consideration must be given to the keywords you select. Your bio will show up in search engine results for your name and it’s that front facing description that Twitter’s 200 million+ users will see first.

1. Getting Started – This is your Twitter handshake so consider the importance of a great bio, it must contain perfect spelling and grammar. Any mistakes are the first and lasting impression a user will have of your organization, so double and triple check your content and have another pair of eyes review it too. Also, it is critical to be consistent within your bio. Punctuation, list separation (commas or periods or dashes) and the terminology used should all be consistent.
2. Observe Others – This is where you need to take the time to complete your research. Observe the bios of others and learn from their style, especially those with large followings in the nonprofit world. Ask yourself what made you decide to follow them, particularly an organization that may have been new to you prior to finding them on Twitter.
3. Avoid The List Bio – How many times have you seen a bio that says something along the lines of ‘Cheese Lover, Parent, Philanthropist and Instagram Addict’? This tradition took hold during the early days of Twitter and while it may have a place on personal profiles it won’t improve your bio and the message your organization delivers to your potential audience. While such a list can be fun, ask does it really help you stand out on Twitter with so many others doing the same thing?
4. What Sets You Apart? – This may be the most integral part of your bio, you must make it perfectly clear as to exactly what it is that you do. Accomplishing this will help you stand clear from dozens or even hundreds of other bios within Twitter. The past and future success of your organization has most likely been anchored by having speciality skills, services or appealing to a unique need. Ensure this is clearly conveyed in your bio.
5. SEO In All You Do: Remember that many users find profiles via the keyword searches, in fact tools such as as Followerwonk can search Twitter bios on a keyword basis. Select the keywords that bring value to your profile, not just volume. Keywords underpin exactly how you go about finding your target audience and building your nonprofit brand, once more invest the time needed to truly understand your audience and how they will find you and combine that with a bio and of course tweets that will show the world just why they should be following you.

With these steps in mind you’ll have created a Twitter bio that grows your audience, solidifies branding and furthers your ability to connect with those who will be most interested in your cause. If you have any other suggestions or questions please don’t hesitate to comment.

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Miratel Solutions is a Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional fundraising services including telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery services, donation caging, donation processing and other donor management services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all contact centre services and mail house operations and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.