Social Media Strategy: 5 Steps to Build a Plan that Works with Less Stress

If you’ve ever found yourself staring at your affiliate’s Facebook page wondering, “What on earth am I going to post this week?”—you’re not alone. I’ve been there too. 

Unfortunately, flying by the seat of your pants on social just doesn’t cut it anymore. There’s a huge competition for attention going on, and we’re involved in the struggle whether we like it or not.

The good news? You don’t need to be a full-time content creator to make social media work for your affiliate. You just need a system.

In this post, we’re diving into how to build a nonprofit social media strategy that’s doable, strategic, and—most importantly—tailored to the real-life capacity of Habitat for Humanity teams like yours.

Why Your Habitat Affiliate Needs a Social Media Strategy

That sense of immediacy on social media can trick us into thinking everything has to happen in real-time. But the most effective social media presences—even those that feel spontaneous—actually have robust systems working behind the scenes.

Just like you wouldn’t build a house without a blueprint, you shouldn’t approach social media without a plan. Having a strategy doesn’t just make your content more effective—it actually saves you time in the long run.

Strategy helps you:

• Save time by batching and scheduling posts
• Create content that supports your mission
• Know whether your social media is working

Let’s break down the five essential steps to creating a social media strategy that will expand your reach and strengthen your Habitat affiliate’s online presence.

Step 1: Define Your Goals

When I ask communications directors about their social media goals, the immediate response is often “more donations!” 

That’s understandable—we all want to show ROI with your social media. But as nonprofit professionals, we know that donations only come after people know, like, and trust us.

Consider setting goals that address different stages of the engagement funnel:

• Are we trying to reach new people in our community and build our following?
• Do we want to increase engagement from existing supporters?
• Are we looking to recruit more volunteers or drive traffic to our website?

Social media is good at the top part of the funnel – awareness and engagement. But that doesn’t mean it has no return on investment.

Establish Clear Objectives

Focus on 1-2 specific goals when you’re starting out. Want to find new people in your community? Set a target number of followers for the quarter. Looking to increase volunteer sign-ups? Define how many click-throughs to your volunteer form you want to generate monthly.

Whatever your goals, make them:

• Specific and measurable
• Aligned with your affiliate’s mission
• Achievable with your current resources

Step 2: Understand Your Audience

We’re in our communities every day, so it’s easy to think we understand the audience segments within our community intuitively. But taking time to document that understanding can transform your social media approach.

Develop an Audience Profile

If you don’t have your target audience profiles completed already, you don’t need to go through the full stakeholder research process to succeed here. Let’s keep it simple. 

Next time you’re at a build site or ReStore event, ask volunteers and supporters:

• How did you first find us?
• What concerns you about housing in our community?
• Why do you continue to engage with Habitat specifically?

You might be surprised by the responses—I know I was when I discovered many of our younger volunteers connected with us initially through environmental concerns about construction waste! I thought they were just there to get their school volunteer hours. They cared!

Establish Your Voice, Tone, and Style

Here’s something I see affiliates overlook all the time: deciding on a consistent voice for their social media presence. Your voice isn’t just what you say—it’s how you say it, and it should authentically reflect your organization’s values and personality.

Ask yourself these questions:

• What are the core values of your specific affiliate? (Beyond the overall Habitat mission)
• How are those core values reflected in our community?
• How would your team describe your affiliate’s personality?
• If your affiliate were a person, how would they talk?

Some affiliates opt for a cheerful, enthusiastic voice that celebrates every milestone. Others take a more serious, impact-focused approach that emphasizes numbers and scale. Many find success with a balanced approach—serious about the mission but joyful about the community’s accomplishments.

Whatever you choose, consistency is key. Create a simple one-page voice guide that includes:

• 3-5 adjectives that describe your voice (Example: Warm, knowledgeable, inclusive, hopeful)
• Do’s and don’ts for tone (Example: Do use active voice; Don’t use jargon)
• Sample phrases that exemplify your style
• Language that you use to describe “partner families,” “affordable housing,” “workforce housing,” etc.
• Do you incorporate religion in your content? If so, how?
• How do you speak about racial issues and equity?

The most important part is that you’re consistent and the whole team agrees on it.

Identify Target Platforms Based on Who You Want to Talk To

Don’t feel pressured to be everywhere. I’ve seen affiliates waste precious time trying to maintain accounts on every platform when their audience primarily uses one or two.

If you’re just starting, focus on mastering one platform first. For most Habitat affiliates, Facebook still provides the best combination of demographic reach and community-building features.

Step 3: Develop a Content System

This is where the magic happens! Creating systems transforms social media from a daily scramble into a manageable process.

Create Content Pillars

Establish 3-5 core content subjects that you can create regularly. For Habitat affiliates, common pillars include:

• News & Events
• Program Highlights
• Mission Education & Impact

Within each pillar, develop subpillars. For example, under “Program Highlights,” you might include:

• Awareness posts about your programs
• Service recruitment
• Volunteer recruitment
• Impact stories
• Program partnerships
• Storytelling/testimonials

Remember, pillars aren’t rigid rules—they’re guides to help you brainstorm content easily.

Create a Content Calendar

Having a monthly planning approach transforms how you allocate your limited time:

• Week 1: Planning meeting to review content for the next 30 days and rough outline for 60 days
• Weeks 2-3: Content collection for upcoming posts
• Weeks 3-4: Content creation and scheduling

Don’t forget to overlay Habitat International’s communications calendar. Campaigns like #HomeIsTheKey and #VoiceInAction give you ready-made content opportunities.

Develop Systems for Regular Events

Here’s where you can really save time! Create “blueprints” for recurring events like home dedications, ground breakings, tabling events, and group build days.

For example, your home dedication social media plan might include a checklist for:

Before the event:

• Create a Facebook event 2 weeks prior
• Post 3 promotional posts (1 focusing on the family, 1 on sponsors, 1 on behind-the-scenes preparations for the event)
• Coordinate cross-posting with sponsors and your ReStore

During the event:

• Go live on Facebook and Instagram during the key ceremony
• Post 5 different Facebook and Instagram stories during the event for timely content.

After the event:

• Share a photo collection within 24 hours
• Post a homeowner quote or video clip within 48 hours
• Publish a thank-you post to sponsors and volunteers within the week

Step 4: Managing Your Community to Increase Reach and Engagement

Growing your social presence isn’t just about posting—it’s about fostering community. The more you interact, the more engagement and reach you’ll have on social media.

Responsive Engagement

When someone comments on your post, they’re raising their hand to have a conversation. Don’t leave them hanging! Responding to comments not only builds relationships but also signals to platform algorithms that your content is engaging.

I try to set aside 15 minutes each morning to respond to comments from the previous day. This small-time investment pays huge dividends in building community loyalty and reach. The more you respond, the wider the platforms will spread your content.

Collaboration with Community Partners and Sponsors

Your community partners are your greatest amplifiers. And, guess what? They’re eager to be connected to Habitat’s brand. It elevates their brand too.

As Community Connect has worked with affiliates, we have seen a dramatic increase in reach when we intentionally create content that tags construction material donors, in-kind donors, and proactively coordinates them to share and post on their channels.

Some collaboration ideas:

• Tag vendors and sponsors in relevant posts
• Create sponsor spotlight features
• Invite community partners to take over your stories for a day
• Develop a plan with the partner behind the scenes before the event
• Provide the partner a guide to social media engagement that includes copy/paste content

ReStore Strategy

If your affiliate has a ReStore, you’re sitting on a social media gold mine! ReStores typically have larger social followings than the affiliate itself. Work with your ReStore team to:

• Cross-promote mission content on ReStore channels
• Thank shoppers for supporting the mission through their purchases
• Use impact figures to illustrate how much the ReStore contributed to the funding of a home being built, or a project being completed.

Step 5: Measure and Adjust

No strategy is perfect right away. Measuring your progress helps you learn and improve continuously.

Track Your Progress

Don’t get overwhelmed by metrics. Focus on the numbers that directly connect to your goals:

• For awareness: reach and impressions
• For engagement: comments, shares, and saves
• For conversions: click-throughs to your website

Since Meta has limited some metrics in third-party tools, I recommend exporting data directly from Meta Business Suite monthly.

Refine Strategy

The most successful Habitat affiliates on social media are constantly learning and adjusting:

• Follow other Habitat affiliates for inspiration (I especially recommend following affiliates slightly larger than yours for achievable ideas)
• Track which posts perform best and create more similar content
• Stay updated on platform changes through Community Connect resources

Remember to share your findings with your team. In my experience, some of our best content ideas have come from staff members who noticed patterns in our performance data.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nonprofit Social Media Strategy

What is a nonprofit social media strategy?

A nonprofit social media strategy is a structured plan for how your organization uses social platforms to support mission-based goals. It includes setting objectives, choosing platforms, identifying your audience, and building a content calendar that drives engagement, awareness, and action.

Why is social media important for nonprofits?

Social media is a powerful tool for nonprofits to build visibility, grow supporter relationships, and share impact stories. It’s one of the most affordable and scalable ways to reach new audiences and deepen connections with current donors, volunteers, and community members.

How do I create a social media strategy for my nonprofit?

To build a nonprofit social media strategy, start with clear goals and audience research. Choose the platforms where your audience is most active. Then outline content themes (or content pillars), build a posting schedule, and track metrics like reach, engagement, and conversions to measure success over time.

What are the best social media platforms for nonprofits?

The best platforms depend on your goals and who you’re trying to reach. Facebook is great for donor updates and community building. Instagram works well for volunteer recruitment and storytelling. LinkedIn is ideal for funder relationships and professional engagement. TikTok and YouTube can help amplify awareness, especially with younger audiences.

How often should a nonprofit post on social media?

Aim for 3–5 posts per week on each platform you manage. Consistency is more important than volume. Use a social media calendar to plan ahead, and repurpose content across platforms to save time.

What kind of content should nonprofits post on social media?

Post content that informs, inspires, and invites action. High-performing types of nonprofit content include:

• Success stories and impact stats
• Behind-the-scenes photos and videos
• Volunteer or donor spotlights
• Event promotions and live updates
• Calls to action like “donate,” “volunteer,” or “share”
  

How can a nonprofit increase engagement on social media?

Engagement grows when you focus on relationships. Use storytelling, ask questions, respond to comments, and tag partners. Incorporate video, share behind-the-scenes moments, and encourage user-generated content from volunteers and supporters.

How do you measure success in a nonprofit social media strategy?

Track performance using key metrics tied to your goals. For awareness, look at impressions and reach. For engagement, monitor likes, comments, and shares. For conversions, check click-through rates, sign-ups, and donations. Use tools like Meta Business Suite or Google Analytics to evaluate results and adjust your strategy.

Can a small nonprofit run an effective social media strategy?

Yes—smaller teams can still succeed with a lean, focused strategy. Choose 1–2 platforms, create content in batches, and use free tools like Canva and Google Sheets to streamline your process. Templates, checklists, and monthly content themes go a long way.

What are common mistakes nonprofits make on social media?

Some common pitfalls include:

• Posting without clear goals
• Ignoring performance data
• Over-promoting without storytelling
• Trying to be everywhere at once
• Neglecting to engage with followers