Running a Facebook Challenge is a big commitment for any nonprofit, so it’s important to do your research to know if your organization is suited to this type of campaign, and if you have the resources to manage it throughout the process.
The GivePanel team has supported nonprofit organizations around the world to run hundreds of Facebook Challenges, so we’ve learned a thing or two about what it takes to run these virtual events and see results. Read on to take our short quiz to find out if a Facebook Challenge is a good fit for your organization.
We’re big believers in meeting supporters where they are, which is why Facebook Fundraising is such a game-changer for nonprofits around the world. Facebook created a space in which nonprofits could connect with their supporters, build a community and support them to fundraise without ever leaving the platform. In fact, it’s worked so well that Facebook has stated that nonprofits have cumulatively raised over $5 billion dollars since Facebook’s Giving Tools were first launched.
And it’s not slowing down. In our latest 2021 Facebook Fundraising Benchmark Report, we revealed that income from the platform has increased by 50% between 2020 and 2021, with some organizations increasing their Facebook income by more than 3 or 4 times year-on-year.
What’s driving this growth? Two words: Facebook Challenges.
A Facebook Challenge is a virtual event held entirely, you guessed it, on Facebook. The format combines the use of Facebook ads, lead forms, groups, and fundraisers to create an event on Facebook that can result in seriously impressive levels of dollars raised.
However, as much as we’d love to say it, Facebook Challenges might not be the right fit for every organization and even with the support of GivePanel, you might be chasing a very distant and arguably unattainable dream.
So, are you a match made in heaven like strawberries and cream, or are you like Romeo and Juliet, ill-fated from the start? Our quiz will help you determine whether your nonprofit is a contender for Facebook Challenges or a non-starter.
Before getting started with our quiz, make sure you have some information to hand about your nonprofit. Here are some pointers about what you’ll need to know prior to starting:
Okay, okay, you came here for a quiz so it’s about time we got started, right? In order to find out whether your nonprofit is a suitable match for Facebook Challenges, we’ll be asking you between 15 and 22 questions and the majority are multiple-choice. At the end, we’ll give you a score and let you know what we think your next steps should be.
Ready? Let’s go.
Did you get the answer you were looking for? Here’s a little recap of what we suggested your next steps could be depending on your score.
22-24
You’re a winner, baby! Not only is a Facebook Challenge the right match for your organization, but you also have the capacity to launch one within the next 12 months. So, what are you waiting for?
Oh right, the perfect platform to help thank your Facebook fundraisers, manage your data, and steward your supporters through their Facebook Challenge journey. Book a demo to let us show you all that, and more.
6-21
Good news! It looks like a Facebook Challenge could be a great fit for your nonprofit which is super exciting. If you’re planning to launch one soon, you may need to look at how your organization will resource this in terms of budget and staff support. Have a call with one of our Facebook fundraising experts to better understand what is required and how GivePanel can support.
0-5
Oh no, looks like your nonprofit might not be a suitable match for Facebook Challenges! But don’t fret, there are still opportunities for you to connect with your audience and generate new supporters for your cause. A Facebook Challenge might not be for you but have you tried Facebook’s newest targeting options for nonprofits?
And even if you aren’t the perfect fit, we still suggest having a read of how Facebook Challenges deliver massive income, awareness, and engagement for nonprofits because you can still adapt the model to work for you.
So, you’ve done the quiz, you’ve got your answer but you’re still wondering exactly what it is you should consider before taking on a Facebook Challenge. Here are our top five things we think every nonprofit should think about:
1. Challenge activity
You might be thinking you want to stand out from the crowd and do something really wacky like run 230 miles in a northwest direction while eating cake (probably not recommended) but is that really suitable for your audience? The best Challenge concepts are accessible, easy to understand, and manageable whilst having that edge to make them Challenge-worthy.
2. Charity cause and size
If you’re a small, niche charity, you’re unlikely to get the same results as that of a large, well-known nonprofit – so why would you base your Challenge on the same benchmarks? Have a look around at similar charities and find out how their Challenges are going, or take a look at the GivePanel case studies for examples across the sector.
3. Location and audience
Acquiring leads for your Facebook Challenge relies on your ability to advertise through Facebook ads and you’ll need a fairly large pool of people in order to see results. Broad targeting – whole countries or regions and ages 25 and up – usually works best, but you can also experiment with audiences that are more directly related to your cause or Challenge. Either way, you’ll need numbers that are in the millions to help the Facebook algorithm to optimize for the right fundraiser so don’t sell yourself short with too specific locations and targeting!
4. Resources
Saying it louder for those at the back – Facebook Challenges DO NOT run themselves! We encourage all of our customers to view a Challenge as a full event campaign that will require planning, stewardship, and review. You’ll want to thank all of your fundraisers which can take some time! GivePanel’s trusted social fundraising partners offer strategy development and delivery of on-page messaging which could be useful support if you’re struggling to make the time required work for you.
5. Budget
And last but not least, budget. For your first Facebook Challenge, we recommend starting small and scaling up, but your biggest outgoings are likely to be incentive costs and ad spend. To calculate how much you’ll need to set aside, you’ll need to work out how many people you’d like to get into your Facebook group. From there, you can work backward and ensure you have a pot that will last you for the full Challenge!
Want to find out how GivePanel can supercharge your Facebook Challenge? Book your 30-minute demo with one of our awesome Facebook Fundraising specialists today.