Let’s be real: this is not the first time you’ve been told you need to use social media to promote your nonprofit or brand. And it definitely won’t be the last. 

You want to build brand awareness. Reach more people. Grow your volunteer base. Find donors. Well, with about 5.79 billion users on social media worldwide, it’s highly likely you will find who you’re looking for online. Or at least make sure that they can find you. 

Grassroots marketing starts on the ground through word of mouth. When we think “grassroots,”  we usually think of tabling at an event, talking to someone face-to-face, canvassing a neighborhood, and passing out flyers.

Social media is grassroots marketing, too.

Yes, boots on the ground is key to any successful campaign. But it can’t be the only component of your marketing strategy. 

At its core, grassroots marketing is about spreading your message to as many people as possible. You build relationships, have real conversations, and earn trust. You become a part of the community.

That’s where social media comes in.

You don’t need a profile on every platform. You don’t need to post every day. You don’t need thousands of followers. But just like you have to physically show up in the communities you want to engage with, you have to show up on their screens too.

Social media needs to be part of your marketing strategy. You can use social media to engage with your audience, build meaningful relationships, and strengthen trust.

Here are 5 ways to use social media to build relationships.

How to Build Relationships on Social Media

1. Highlight Your Community

Social media shouldn’t always be about you. One of the easiest ways to build relationships is to shine a spotlight on the people, organizations, partners, and community members around you. 

Give community shoutouts without always expecting something in return. Share a photo from an event, highlight a partner doing great work, or post a video celebrating someone who helped make an impact. Tag the people and organizations featured in your content.

By highlighting a person or organization, you’re giving your followers valuable content while also giving visibility to the person or organization you’re featuring. In doing that, you’re strengthening your relationship with both the person you’re highlighting and the broader community.

2. Engage with other people. Don’t just post and ghost.

You can’t expect people to like, comment, and share your content if you’re never showing up for theirs. 

Think about it like a friendship. If you have a friend who expects you to show up to every one of their parties, but never comes to yours, you probably wouldn’t keep showing up. Social media works the same way. 

Comment on other people’s posts. Share their work. Answer questions. Start conversations. Actually show up.

And when people take the time to comment on your posts, respond to them. Your response can turn an online interaction into an ongoing conversation. 

Engagement also helps your content reach more people. A post gaining a lot of comments or interactions signals to the algorithm that your post provides value. Then it gets pushed out to even more users on the platform. 

Most importantly, engagement is one of the simplest ways to connect with your community organically. All you have to do is join in on the conversation.

3. Be real. Don’t focus so much on perfection.

You don’t always need a professional videographer or a highly produced video. Sometimes pulling out your phone and showing what’s actually happening creates more connection and feels more real. 

The goal is to tell your story and create connections.

And remember, your social media is often the first place people go to learn more about you. A 2024 survey from Yext found that 88% of customers say they look on social media platforms for more information about a brand.  

That means what you share matters. But it doesn’t always need to look perfectly produced. Showing the real people and moments behind your work makes your organization feel more approachable and trustworthy. 

Show the behind-the-scenes moments. Introduce your team. Share a quick recap of an event. Capture a volunteer in action. Tell the story of what’s happening in your community.

Create a variety of content. Think testimonials, photos, videos, and infographics. Give your audience different ways to connect with your work. At the end of the day, people connect with stories. They want to see the impact you’re making, but they also want to feel something. Show them the people behind the work and the real-world impact you’re creating.

4. Stay up to date.

Trends are always changing. What’s trending today could be completely different in a matter of days or weeks. You have to stay up to date with current social media trends to ensure that your content stays relevant. 

That doesn’t mean you need to jump on every trend or learn a new dance every week. Pay attention to what’s working, and look for trends that make sense for your brand and your message.

Here are examples of what’s currently trending on social media today. 

Content Style

Not every platform values the same type of content. Your strategy should reflect how people actually use each platform.

Instagram is a video-first platform, so Reels, Stories, and other short-form videos are great ways to capture attention and show your impact. 

LinkedIn tends to be more conversational. Posts that share insights, tell a story, or start a conversation. A post with a simple photo can perform well.

Facebook is all about community. In addition to posting on your page, engage in relevant Facebook Groups where your audience is already having conversations. Share helpful information, answer questions, and participate authentically instead of treating every group like another place to promote your organization.

Don’t copy and paste the same post across every platform. Meet your community where they are and create content that fits the way they use each platform.

Captions 

Hashtags are out! While hashtags used to be a great tool for increasing reach and engagement, they have been phased out and replaced by keywords. #sorryhashtags 

Social media posts now show up when using search engines like Google, thus making captions all about SEO, or Search Engine Optimization. Write descriptive captions with keywords your audience might search for. 

End your captions with a CTA, or Call to Action. Something you want followers to do after seeing your post. The CTA does not have to be a big ask, like to jump on a call or buy your product. 

Start with a small ask.

Ask people to:

• Like the post if they agree.
• Save it for later.
• Share it with someone who might need it.
• Tag a friend. 
• Answer a question in the comments.
• Share their own experience.
• Post a photo in the comments.

Think about it like any other relationship. If your friend constantly asked you to buy something, donate, or do something for them, eventually you’d stop answering. Your audience is no different. 

Give people the opportunity to participate without always asking for something in return. Ask questions. Respond to their answers. Start conversations. Use social media to build relationships. 

UGC + Influencers 

UGC stands for user-generated content. This is when someone from your community creates content for you. It can be an influencer, a volunteer, an employee, or a person(s) impacted by your organization. User-generated content helps build trust because it feels more authentic. It shows a real person making a real review about your brand.

Usually when you think of collaborating with someone, you think of an influencer with tens or hundreds of thousands of followers. But you don’t need a massive following to make an impact. Micro-influencers can help you reach the right people, build credibility, and connect with new communities.

People love recommendations. They want to know if something is worth it before they invest time or money. Hearing about your organization from someone they already know and trust goes a long way.

Influencers and community members can create content, tag your page, and share your work with their audience. They help you expand your reach while introducing your organization to people who may not have found you otherwise.

The key is finding someone who genuinely aligns with your mission, values, and audience. Real people sharing something they believe in.

5. Track always and pivot.

Social media is always changing, so it’s important to look at your numbers each month. Use this data to know what’s working and where you need to make a change.

Most, if not all, platforms have a section called “Insights or “Analytics” for business pages and profiles. This is where you can view your engagement metrics. Your likes, comments, shares, and follower count will tell you if your audience finds your content valuable. The views, reach, and audience demographics tell you how far your message went and who your audience is.

Use the numbers to analyze if the content you’re posting is working in spreading awareness. If your views and reach are low, then you may need to rethink the campaign and try posting a different style of content.

Try not to worry about losing followers or going viral. That’s not your goal. Your goal is to spread your message and reach the right people. Think: What does the data tell me? What should the focus of my content be next month?

Instagram Insights for Business Profiles

Access your Insights through your “Professional Dashboard” on Instagram.

LinkedIn Analytics for Business Pages

Access your Analytics by going to your Business Page.

Grassroots Marketing Amplifies Your Reach

At Novle, we help brands create content that connects with their audience authentically, increases campaign awareness, and tells their story. Because social media isn’t about likes and views, it’s about spreading the word to the right people.

If your brand wants to strengthen your social media strategy, let’s start a conversation.