Since its launch in 2020, marketers have been chatting about Clubhouse, the limited-access social network where users can jump into audio rooms together. The app draws users in by promoting off-the-cuff, unplanned, and fast-paced conversations. It invites people to tell stories, meet interesting people, and share ideas around various topics.
The concept might sound confusing at first, but imagine attending a party (wow, what we would give…) and hopping from room to room, joining the conversations that interest you most. Users are free to listen in, but those who want to contribute to a discussion can simply “raise their hand,” and moderators can choose to invite them up to the “stage” to speak. The users who add value to a room are more likely to be selected as moderators for future conversations.
It’s too early to get a read on the longevity of Clubhouse, but nonprofit marketers are already finding value in the platform. Despite its exclusivity, Clubhouse offers organizations a unique opportunity to engage with their current audience and reach out to new prospects by using the platform to build brand awareness, network with other users, and promote thought leadership. On Clubhouse, nonprofits can foster candid and insightful conversations related to their mission and connect with potential partners, donors, and allies.
Clubhouse is currently in Beta mode, so it’s not yet available to the general public. Current users can invite others to join them on the platform, and other iPhone users can sign up for the app’s waitlist. Since it’s not open access yet, and various celebrities, activists, and influencers have made appearances in rooms, it’s certainly succeeded in building interest off the buzz and a sense of exclusivity.
While adding yet another social network to your already overloaded plate might seem daunting, Clubhouse is worth exploring—simply because it gives you unique access to active and engaged communities.
Here are four reasons your nonprofit should try Clubhouse:
1. Show off your leadership and insights.
Nonprofit leaders and marketers can take advantage of the platform’s drop-in nature to establish themselves as thought leaders around a given topic by joining existing conversations as a guest. By sharing your story and experience in the nonprofit space, brainstorming solutions to the problems that leaders on the platform seek to solve, and offering support to other users’ missions, you can add value to the community—without making it all about you.
2. Connect with new people.
Before leaving a room, users can solidify the relationships with their new connections by directing listeners to your organization’s website, contact information, and social media accounts. The more relationships a user builds on the platform, the more likely it is that another user will invite them to moderate a conversation.
3. Establish yourself as an expert.
The opportunity to moderate in a room allows users to stand out as an expert on the topic at hand. Users can also start rooms or clubs centered around their work and mission. Nonprofit leaders can use their own rooms to build brand awareness by providing listeners with overviews of their organization. They can also ask other users within the same space to speak on topics or offer feedback on specific projects or ideas.
4. Fundraise on Clubhouse!
Clubhouse also offers non-profits another platform to host fundraisers, whether on their own in partnership with other organizations. In February, a group of Clubhouse users started a room dubbed “Clubhouse Loves Texas,” which was set up as a week-long fundraising initiative following the winter storm in Texas that left thousands of people across the state without power, food, clean water, and other critical resources.
Since Clubhouse doesn’t include a fundraising tool, the platform Pledgeling facilitated the event. The organizers raised over $115,000 for local nonprofits such as Houston Food Bank and Austin Area Urban League. The event featured drop-in conversations from politicians and celebrities from the area, including singer Andra Day and former Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke. The success of the event speaks to the power of Clubhouse, where thousands of users can join a room at once, in contrast to more asynchronous platforms such as Facebook. In an interview with OneZero, Houston Foodbank Annual Giving manager Jessica Dominguez noted how exciting it was to see event organizers provide real-time updates to an actively engaged audience instead of a static platform.
And earlier this month, moderators of the club LA Food Gang hosted a fundraiser for Off Their Plate. This non-profit organization delivers funds to struggling AAPI-owned restaurants to make meals for AAPI community organizations. The event raised over $58,000.
With Clubhouse, nonprofits can garner interest through real-time discussions in a way that just hasn’t been possible in a world that’s suffering from Zoom fatigue and a lack of in person interaction. It’s one more great tool for conversation in a world where video calls feel exhausting but we still want fun ways to connect.
This week, we are thankful for…smart, curious people on TikTok. We have always been big fans of the Wikipedia rabbit hole (you know the one—you start with a simple question and 20 minutes later you are reading about how lettuce grows). Now, we’ve taken our weird curiosities to the next level with TikTok.
There are tons of nerds just like us who are using their social media platforms to share amazing science facts, surprising historical stories, and wild insights about the world and we are HERE FOR IT.
Just this week, we’ve learned that Betsy Ross was born with a full set of teeth, no one knows exactly how eels reproduce, and George Washington was basically accidentally murdered. Shoot us an email at [email protected] and we’ll send you links to some of our favorite creators.
A few months ago, in that mid-pandemic, I-desperately-need-a-new-hobby panic, one of our team members decided she was going to learn to paint her nails.
For months, she had seen friends and strangers posting on Instagram about this new at-home manicure brand, Olive&June. They weren’t ads—they were recommendations from people she respected and had chosen to follow. She was sold.
A week later, she was the owner of a new manicure kit and posting on her own social media about nail polish—telling her own friends about the merits of the brand. (And this, my friend, is why people pay big bucks to social media influencers…)
We love what our friends love.
We are influenced by their nail polish choices. We choose to eat what other people say is delicious. And when a friend champions a cause, we’re way more likely to care about it, too.
This is what makes peer-to-peer fundraising powerful. And this is why word-of-mouth promotion is still magic.
Lean into your own social influence.
Whether you have thousands of social media followers or simply a few close friends, people are listening to you. They are looking to you for advice, ideas, and recommendations.
So talk about what makes you excited! Tell your friends what is inspiring you or blowing your mind or saving your life right now. And ask them to tell you what they think is awesome, too.
TikTok, the social network for sharing user-generated videos, was a breakout star six years ago, and it has only ballooned in popularity and usage since then. The platform currently boasts over 1 billion monthly active users and has become synonymous with dance challenge moves, cooking hacks, and Gen Z. But for nonprofits, TikTok presents a unique opportunity to tell stories, connect with new audiences, and even promote fundraising.
If you need even more convincing, here are a few reasons why starting a TikTok account for your nonprofit is a no-brainer:
Videos less than 15 seconds have a higher engagement rate than long-form media. Attention spans are short right now, and TikTok capitalizes on that. You can, too.
TikToks are easily shareable. The unique ability of TikToks to go viral and impact millions in the span of a few days holds great potential for cultural influence. So why not leverage it to raise awareness for your cause?
It’s cost-effective. TikToks are easy and quick to make and require little to no additional resources.
We’re not the first to believe TikTok can be a great tool for nonprofits. There are plenty of amazing organizations that are already paving the way for the app to be more than just a platform for quirky challenges and mesmerizing cat videos.
Here’s a look at 19 nonprofits that are using TikTok to invite new followers into their missions right now:
1. Oregon Zoo
With 2.4 million followers, The Oregon Zoo is making a splash on TikTok and bringing fascinating creatures to animal lovers everywhere. Through behind-the-scenes videos of animals exploring their habitats and zookeepers caring for them, the account brings viewers to the zoo without ever having to look up from their phones. They also use popular TikTok songs to catch their audience’s attention and add an extra layer of emotional resonance. One of their posts, which features a rhino smashing a watermelon, was viewed over 100 million times.
2. Unicef
Unicef is undoubtedly one of the most recognized nonprofits, and its TikTok strategy is an essential reminder of its influence. With a reach of over 435k followers, some of the platform’s biggest influencers appear in their videos. But any organization can learn from the way they authentically share stories from their team members and benefactors and cleverly use the platform’s donation tools and hashtag campaigns. While Unicef’s campaigns respond to tragedies, their TikTok focuses on levity and finding the humanity behind every situation.
3. American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is using TikTok to put its mission of promoting heart health into practice. From posting Taylor Swift songs that have the right beat for CPR to encouraging their followers to upload videos of themselves dancing to raise funds for American Heart Month, the account posts daily, high-energy videos of its community members to raise awareness about heart disease and encourage activity, all while staying on top of the platform’s latest trends.
4. American Red Cross
The official TikTok account of the American Red Cross presents safety and emergency preparedness information to its followers in a fun and engaging way. Followers can learn what to expect when giving blood, how to prepare for a tornado, tips for staying cool during heat waves, and more through silly videos featuring Red Cross team members acting out a given scenario. Each TikTok includes closed captioning and a voiceover so that vital information is accessible to everyone. They also post an occasional TikTok to bring attention to Red Cross actions worldwide or promote fundraising efforts.
5. ASPCA
ASPCA’s recipe for TikTok success is simple: lots and lots of cute animals. ASPCA is all about ending cruelty to animals, so on TikTok, they follow pets’ journeys from the shelter to loving homes once they are successfully adopted. Through adoption and fundraising hashtag campaigns, ASPCA uses TikToks to tug at viewers’ heartstrings and offer an intimate glimpse into the impact of adopting instead of shopping.
6. Malala Fund
Founded by student and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, the Malala Fund invests in education programs to help girls go to school and reach their full potential. The organization uses its TikTok account, which boasts over 857k followers, to help amplify girls’ voices and support their audience as they learn from one another’s stories. Users can submit a video of themselves sharing a personal story or achievement through a Typeform for a chance to be featured in a post. Each post offers its audience a reminder that everyone’s voice matters and has a place there.
7. Save the Music Foundation
Save the Music Foundation is dedicated to supporting and advocating for music education in schools across the country. Their TikToks feature influencers and students on the platform sharing their personal experiences with music education and how it changed their lives for the better. Followers can also find clips of students playing music at school and at home across the country. Save the Music’s posts are a reminder of the enduring power of music and community—and the importance of preserving it.
8. No Kid Hungry
Since its launch in 2010, the #NoKidHungry campaign from the nonprofit organization Share Our Strength has worked to end childhood hunger in the United States. The campaign uses TikTok to tell stories from the field and highlight the young faces behind their operations. With over 53k followers on the platform, they also promote fundraisers, petitions, and food drives to alleviate childhood hunger and feature stories from experts and influencers. The organization’s TikTok presence allows its audience to see the direct impact of their donations and spread awareness around the epidemic of childhood hunger affecting countless children across the country.
9. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
St. Jude is a goliath in the fundraising world, tackling childhood cancer and disease research while supporting patient families. Their TikTok is flooded with short clips of kids celebrating moments of empowerment, like competing in sports after fighting cancer or leaving the hospital for the first time. The account also posts affirmations and encouragement, artwork from patients, and quotes from donors, all while using lighthearted trends to gently nudge viewers toward supporting their cause.
10. Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood’s TikTok is a master class in content with attitude. The team knows that current supporters dominate their viewership, so they tap into their audience’s frustration instead of courting new supporters. They use popular sounds to talk about their shock about abortion legislation and their enthusiasm for contraception access. They show off their support network with videos of advocates in front of clinics and government buildings. They also sprinkle informative videos into their content schedule with upbeat posts about PP’s services and news updates about reproductive access. As a result, their diverse content and emotionally gripping calls to action sustain a consistent stream of likes and comments.
11. UFW Foundation
The United Farm Workers Foundation supports farm workers by advocating for improved working conditions, immigration reform, and other worker protections. The tone of their videos alternates between hopeful and brutally revealing—for example, one popular video superimposes footage of immigrant farmers over the viral sound of Kim Kardashian proclaiming, “Nobody wants to work these days.” A popular “day-in-the-life” video follows a farmer working from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. picking eggplants and habaneros in the Georgia heat. Every video closes with a specific call to action urging political engagement and campaign support. This account is a powerhouse of emotional storytelling but doesn’t fall into the trap of disempowering displays of hardship.
12. JED Foundation
The JED Foundation helps build teens’ emotional health and works to prevent substance abuse and self-harm. While their TikTok following is small, it’s highly engaged—benefitting from actionable health tips and information. JED’s TikTok generates de-stigmatizing content about mental illness and promotes self-care practices that anyone can adopt. They worked with influencers like @rod, who produces the Millennial Recap series, and reposted his video promoting their donation link. Their content on self-love, stress, and reaching out to struggling friends shows they practice the values they preach.
13. Rescue One
Rescue One, an animal rescue facility in Springfield, Missouri, has a TikTok full of compelling, binge-worthy videos showing animals being found and healed. Rescue One doesn’t overdo it with heavy editing, gimmicks, or trends, instead trusting the viral video formula: short videos + cute animals = engagement. They polish off their videos with enough text or voiceover exposition to help the viewer invest in the journey of each pet they save. Rescue One’s TikTok is a case study of the efficacy of a simple content strategy done well.
14. Sacramento History Museum
The Sacramento History Museum became the most followed museum on TikTok after Jared, an apprentice, approached Howard, a gray-haired printing press operator, with the idea of posting TikToks showing how the old presses work. Howard initially declined, saying, “I’m not dancing for anybody.” (The WAP dance was trending on TikTok at the time). But Jared convinced him, and, as they say, the rest is history. The two men post videos printing designs for all kinds of occasions, but their soothing conversation and unexpected humor are what bring in viewers as much as the oddly satisfying printing-press ASMR. Unique behind-the-scenes content paired with authentic human presence makes for a viewing experience commenters describe as “wholesome,” “precious,” and “nostalgic.”
15. Natural Resources Defense Council
With 54k followers and a great engagement rate of 28% (4.5% is average), The Natural Resources Defense Council calls attention to climate change with short, easy-to-digest explainer videos addressing environmental issues across the world. From high-quality footage of bears in Alaska to casual videos using the latest Olivia Rodrigo song, the account provides plenty of relevant educational content designed to catch the eye and spur action on behalf of the planet.
16. Bat Conservation International
If you want to see bats of all shapes and sizes from every angle imaginable combined with popular TikTok trends, #BatTok is the place for you. Bat Conservation International has a niche but enthusiastic following and offers content viewers aren’t going to find anywhere else. Their videos are quirky, funny, and educational, and utilize popular sounds exceptionally well. They do a great job engaging their hashtag audience— and showing viewers the cute, cuddly side of the nocturnal creatures.
The ACLU, or American Civil Liberties Union, is dedicated to “defending the rights of all people nationwide,” with a current emphasis on trans rights, voting rights, and reproductive choice. The account posts twice a week on average, which is more than most nonprofits and tends to boost their engagement. Most of their videos detail current events, keeping their followers informed and up-to-date with short, impactful content. They even take advantage of popular trends to discuss more serious topics, like in their recent “ACLU cases if they were Barbie” video, which used Construction Barbie and Judge Barbie to represent the Wright V. Olin Corp and Obergefell V. Hodges cases.
19. Aquarium of the Pacific
With 2.8 million followers, Aquarium of the Pacific is clearly doing something right on TikTok. While they do have the advantage of an aquarium full of fascinating animals, they also excel in posting frequent, creative videos that maximize the appeal of the content they have to work with. From engaging with viewer questions like “What is the loudest animal in your aquarium?” to posting videos of baby lumpsuckers (please look these up if you are into super adorable animals) to a “Get ready with me to be the cutest otter of the day” video, their content is hugely varied, educational, and just plain fun.
As these 19 accounts show us, it can be done. Nonprofits can thrive on TikTok—in fact, they already are.
If you’re still feeling uncertain about how to move forward, here are a few more tips on how to make TikTok work for your nonprofit:
Think about what your audience wants to see– and what’s unique about your mission. Focus your content around that.
Stay on top of the trends. Using trending sounds and templates is crucial. We know this can feel intimidating and exhausting, but the good news is you don’t have to live on your For You Page and take daily notes of what’s trending. There are sites that have already done the work for you.
Get inspired by other nonprofits using TikTok well! (like the 19 listed above!)
Just have fun with it. People love TikTok because it’s an outlet; an entertaining reprieve from the chaos of the outside world. So post the silly otter video—and let its cuteness raise awareness of endangered species for you!
View it as a community. TikTok really does bring people together. Embrace the human aspect of it and the beauty of uniting people around the globe in support of a common cause. They want to hear from you. They want to know how you’re serving others. And they want to get on board.
Start a book club to engage with your donors! Build community, educate donors, and spark action by featuring impactful stories and thoughtful discussions. Sound like a plan? Use our helpful book club guide to get started!
Fundraising copywriters are adept at tapping into big emotions to elicit strong reactions, but sometimes we get a little too caught up in the glow of the moment. Bake a cool-off period into your deadlines, step away for a few hours (or, if you can stand it, a few days), and come back to assess your words with new eyes.
3. Increase discoverability with Instagram 🎥 Reels.
From TikTok to Snapchat to Instagram, bite-sized videos are sweeping the internet. And you’ve probably already noticed Instagram Reels making their way into your feed. But did you know that the Instagram algorithm serves Reels to users who don’t follow you? That makes it a great tool to reach new eyes and connect with a new audience.
When it comes to fundraising, it’s not about you— it’s about your donors. And asking them for a major gift doesn’t have to be nerve-wracking. These five tips remind us that asking is a process and, just like giving, it’s one rooted in emotional responses to your mission. The next time you make an ask, trust your donors and your own instincts.
5. Collect food 🥫 and clothing with just one click.
In 2017, Facebook launched its Community Help Hub to centralize resources and allow users to connect quickly following a crisis. Now, it’s released Drives, a US-only feature that enables users to create and share initiatives, such as canned food and clothing drives, for those in need.
