Missions to Movements
This isn't just another nonprofit podcast - it's your weekly invitation to think bigger, take bold risks, and create lasting change in an ever-evolving social impact landscape. Meet Dana Snyder, your guide through the evolving landscape of nonprofit innovation. She's on a mission to help change-makers like you push the boundaries of what's possible in nonprofit marketing and fundraising. Each week, Missions to Movements serves as your personal mastermind session, delivering actionable insights and bold strategies that challenge traditional nonprofit thinking. Dive into revolutionary approaches to digital fundraising, discover how to build magnetic monthly giving programs that create lasting donor relationships, and learn to amplify your voice as a thought leader in the social good space. Whether you're reimagining your organization's impact or forging game-changing partnerships, you'll find the ideas, insights, and inspiration to take your mission further than you've ever imagined. Ready to turn your mission into a movement?
Missions to Movements
Maximize LinkedIn – 5 Powerful Tips Nonprofits Need Right Now to Stand Out
How can you use LinkedIn to boost your nonprofit’s visibility, partnerships and funding?
In this episode, I’m sharing FIVE powerful tips that can help you maximize LinkedIn in 2025.
We’ll cover how to craft an impeccable LinkedIn profile and company page that serves as your nonprofit’s “digital handshake”, using the “2-2-1” content strategy to captivate and connect, and the importance of experimenting with different post types (from videos, to polls, newsletters, and long-form articles) to see what resonates most.
I also delve into the essential elements of creating a winning LinkedIn strategy, focusing on team involvement and how to create posts that spark real conversation and add immense value.
If you’re ready to up your LinkedIn game this year and connect meaningfully with donors and supporters, this episode is your ultimate guide to leveraging this powerful platform to its fullest.
Resources & Links
This show is presented by LinkedIn for Nonprofits. We’re so grateful for their partnership. Explore their incredible suite of resources and discounts for nonprofit teams here.
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My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.
Let's Connect!
LinkedIn is all about curating a community where professionals come together to share insights, learn and grow. So the content that performs best isn't just like the self-promotional or focused on personal milestones content. And, of course, yes, sharing a new job or a big achievement is great, but if you really want your content to take off, I have seen that the algorithm favors posts that spark conversation, are creating value and are made to build connections. I'm Dana Snyder, your host of the Missions to Movements podcast, and my path to philanthropy has been anything but traditional. This show is your weekly mastermind, designed to give you the ideas, insights and support you need to push the boundaries of what's been done before in nonprofit marketing and fundraising. Whether you're looking to build a magnetic monthly giving program, elevate your personal brand or create partnerships that amplify your impact, this space is for you. I'll bring you solo episodes and conversations with industry leaders offering actionable strategies and fresh perspectives that will move you and your mission forward. Let's turn your mission into a movement.
Speaker 1:I have to start today's podcast by saying thank you. The incredible, lovely response to me announcing the LinkedIn partnership for this show on LinkedIn was unbelievable, so kind, like hundreds of people responding to me, sending me DMs, which clearly showcases that there is a deep desire to be on LinkedIn, to be present there and to be using it. So today, what am I going to do? I'm going to talk about LinkedIn Now. I know for many of you, you may be using LinkedIn for professional connections, maybe for searching for jobs, but in 2025, I really want to make sure that you can leverage its full potential to boost your and your nonprofits' visibility, partnerships and funding. So in this episode today, we are going to dive into five powerful tips and what the algorithm favors, which I know you're probably very excited about that can help you maximize LinkedIn for your nonprofit. So, if you're ready to grow your network, get your mission in front of more people and drive some real impact, grab a pen, open up the notes app and let's dive in. I'm going to get right to it. Tip number one Open up the Notes app and let's dive in. I'm going to get right to it. Tip number one especially this is huge for the beginning of the year is to update your profile. All right. So when I say this, it sounds like we're starting with the basics update your LinkedIn profile, and I know that sounds obvious, but you would be surprised at how many people are missing really key opportunities here. When someone clicks on your profile, you want them to instantly understand who you are, what you do and what your nonprofit is all about. So think about your LinkedIn profile as your first digital handshake. It's the first impression that also people get when they come across you, and LinkedIn data shows that members who include at least one position on their profile receive up to two times more profile views and four times more messages. That's huge, so small changes can equal a big payoff.
Speaker 1:I just did this. This was one of the things that I was working on during the holiday break was refreshing my profile. So I'm going to go through these in a second. But actually going over to my LinkedIn profile right now, what I did was I checked my profile photo, I changed it. I updated it to be something new. I changed my banner image, so right now it has a photo of me speaking because I want to be known as a speaker. It has the three logos that really represent the brands.
Speaker 1:So, of course, missions to Movement is this podcast, positive Equation, my umbrella company, and then the Monthly Giving Summit, and then I have a statement so that anytime somebody comes across the page they can easily see what I'm all about and it says equipping nonprofits with the resources and community to create sustainable giving programs so that anyone can become a philanthropist through recurring gifts. And then right below it, in bigger, bolder font, it says speaker, author, consultant. And then it shows my website, positiveequationcom. So this could just be an image of your organization. I'll share an example in a second. If you want it to be something specific to you and something that you do, you could put that on there. I also updated my LinkedIn profile bio and so it says speaker, author and host of Missions to Movements. I help nonprofits build thriving monthly giving programs and guide audiences to discover and amplify their stories to create lasting change. So it's not just a job description. I'm saying what I do in case when somebody lands on my page like, oh, that's exactly what I'm looking for. So don't make people have to necessarily search all the way down the page. If they don't have to, they could find out information right about you from your bio.
Speaker 1:The other thing that you'll want to update, and that I did, is the about section. You can always go through and update your skills, update any content that you have featured and, of course, anything under experiences. So quick exercise for you with this Check your profile photo. Does it represent who you are today? Has it been on there for 10 years and you haven't changed it? Your banner image Does it reflect your nonprofit's mission? The about section Is it clear? Is it compelling? Is it focused on your nonprofit's impact? If not, let's update that. The LinkedIn Nonprofit Resource Hub offers a great guide that walks you through all of this of creating or refreshing your profile, and any link that I mentioned today, by the way, will be in the show notes so you can always go back to that.
Speaker 1:So that's number one is your profile. So, as an example, let's just say you are the executive director for a food rescue organization. Your profile photo could be a friendly, updated headshot. Your banner could feature an image of your team rescuing food from local stores and in your about section, write a brief story of why you started the nonprofit. Share some of your organization's accomplishments. Use numbers to highlight the impact you've had, and use Claude or chat GPT. Use numbers to highlight the impact you've had and use Claude or chat GPT. Use some AI to help you here if you are drawing a blank cursor when you're trying to come up with what these things could be. Same thing with the bio like put in the max characters, put your about section and let it kind of zhuzh something for you.
Speaker 1:Tip number two is to update your nonprofit's page. Now, this is a big one. If your organization doesn't already have a LinkedIn page, this is definitely where you should start. And your nonprofit's page is not just a static profile. It is a living, breathing representation of your work and it's one of the best tools to build the following. This is something I definitely had to go back and check. It's been a while since I had gone to my page, so this was a education moment for myself. And don't just let them sit quiet. According to LinkedIn which this is fascinating pages that post weekly have 5.6 times more followers than those that post monthly. So weekly versus monthly, and their following grows seven times faster. So game changer, especially if you're looking to engage new supporters, potential donors or corporate partners.
Speaker 1:This just happened to me this week, actually, when I looked at an individual and I wanted to learn more about their company. I would go down to their experience. I would click on the business, the little logo, and I would go to the page and that's the first thing I'm looking at. So it's before I even get to the website. So you do want to make sure. Is that updated? Is there fresh content there? And then can somebody easily then go to your website and or find out more about your team members? Are your team members linked to the page? So lots of things to consider around updating your nonprofits page, making sure your team members are connected there, showing that they work for you.
Speaker 1:And if you're thinking about posting on LinkedIn, it's a great time right now, beginning of the year, to outline your posting content strategy. So here's how you can kind of think about your page. First, make sure your about section is clear, speaks directly to the impact that you're creating. Linkedin has a page enhancement guide. I will again put the link in the show notes to make your page stand out which you can share stories about the people or the communities you serve. You can highlight upcoming events that you have, showcase milestones. So, as an example, let's say you run a nonprofit that focuses on mental health awareness. You could post a weekly story featuring one of your clients, with their permission, of course, highlighting how your organization has helped them. You could also post updates on mental health resources, upcoming events like webinars, or thank supporters who've helped you reach milestones, like new donations or grants Any of those celebratory things are amazing. And don't forget, when you can, to use visuals, and video posts are fantastic for engagement. More to come on video soon.
Speaker 1:So tip number three diving a little deeper into content strategy is planning your posting cadence and specifically this 2-2-1 concept. Now, I know content planning can be something that is intimidating to well maybe you, me, anyone and if you've been feeling overwhelmed by what to post and when. Linkedin has a really simple strategy that I think is really helpful, and it's this two-to-one concept. Here's how it works. For every five pieces of content you post, think about it like this Two posts should be thought leadership pieces. These can be articles talk about that in a second, blog posts, or even industry insights that position your nonprofit as a leader in your industry. Then two posts should be mission-driven updates about your organization, new programs, successes, updates on ongoing projects, things like that. Maybe it's hires. And then one post should directly engage with your audience, maybe asking a question, conducting a poll, sharing a behind-the-scenes moment to encourage conversation, or even making an ask. So this structure not only keeps your posting schedule balanced, but it also lets you test a mix of content to see what's going to work the best for you.
Speaker 1:So in action, let's say you are running a nonprofit that provides scholarships for underprivileged students. Your thought leadership posts could be insights about the state of education access. Your mission-driven posts could highlight scholarship recipients and how the program has changed their lives. And, let's say, for audience engagement, you could ask your followers about their own education journeys, or share a quick Q&A with one of your students, or make it an ask for a donation for something that you have coming up or a need.
Speaker 1:The key here is really consistency. Once you've planned your cadence, then it can start to get easier to maintain momentum, and especially if you can plan this out ahead. If you're thinking about this on a weekly or a monthly basis and you use this two-to-one concept, then create a Google spreadsheet for yourself and you can just fill in the blanks like, hey, what do we have going on in January? What do we have going on in February? What's an evergreen type of content that we can share? Who should we highlight in our organization? And I bet you have so many things in your database that you could repurpose and share. It's just plugging it in the right spots. And then what's wonderful about LinkedIn you don't even have to use a third-party platform is you can schedule all of these out. So obviously there are some things that you're going to want to be more time-sensitive to, especially around any big cultural moments. But if there's things that you can go ahead and pre-schedule, then it allows you to plan, draft the content and just schedule it out. So, again, there's a LinkedIn planning guide that I will link to in the show notes.
Speaker 1:Tip number four continues to play off of this theme, and that's experimenting with different post types. Posting different types of content and experimenting is literally one of my favorite things to do. Linkedin is a very versatile platform and there is no one size fits all for content. There's a whole range of options that you can try Text only posts, articles, images, carousel, pdf posts, polls and, of course, video content. And I'm going to pause on video for a second, because there's some new magic happening with video on LinkedIn. They are seeing that video posts on the platform get 1.4 times more engagement than any other types of posts. I think this is just because we love seeing real faces and hearing real stories, and your videos do not have to be professionally produced. A simple selfie style video where you're talking about an upcoming event or sharing a quick win can make a really big impact. If you just scroll down LinkedIn a bit and especially on mobile, there's like a video section. You can see what a bunch of people are doing to get ideas. So video, video, video is going to be really big in 2025. I will probably do a whole episode specifically on video content on LinkedIn, so stay tuned for that.
Speaker 1:When was the last time you used LinkedIn? If you're thinking, oh, when I was job hunting, I totally get it. But as the new year begins, linkedin is the one platform I am all in on why LinkedIn is so much more than a job platform, especially for nonprofits, I have seen firsthand how powerful it can be for growing your community and your impact. Did you know that 75% of surveyed nonprofit professionals use LinkedIn to market their organizations to potential supporters? That's huge. Head over to nonprofitlinkedincom to discover all the ways LinkedIn can amplify your mission, because whether you're looking to connect with donors, find amazing volunteers or establish yourself as a thought leader in your space, linkedin for Nonprofits has your back. I love that they've created this incredible collection of free resources specifically for nonprofits like yours, and I wouldn't be telling you all of this if I hadn't experienced the impact myself. Click the link in the show notes or head to nonprofitlinkedincom to start diving in and, trust me, you're about to have a LinkedIn tab open on your computer at all times. Now back to our conversation.
Speaker 1:Another piece of content that I really enjoy testing is LinkedIn newsletters. So think of these as longer form content. It's an article that gets shared out to a specific group of people that can follow your newsletter and mine's called Missions to Movements, and so I just shared one recently about Fern, this perfume that I subscribe to. Go check it out. I'll put the link in the show notes. I was so impressed by this SMS recurring giving strategy because I own literally a sample perfume. I am not a big perfume buyer. Anyways, I am now a quarterly subscriber to this perfume brand and I explained and I showed all the different text messages that I received once I signed up to be on their ledger to get accepted. Very impressive, and hopefully it smells just as good as I was marketed to. So we'll see Follow up on that.
Speaker 1:But basically, linkedin newsletters can go deeper into your cause your expertise and you can update them on a monthly basis quarterly, I think monthly would be good and this is really useful, especially if you have any ongoing campaigns or want to stay educational in your content. So an example of kind of like putting all these different content types together let's say you are a nonprofit focused on environmental conservation and maybe you post a selfie style video from a team member that's on site at a beach and they can be talking about what's happening local beach cleanup, why it matters and how viewers can support the effort. You could also repurpose that same video with key takeaways as a text-only post, for example. So don't be afraid to test what resonates with your audience. Maybe it's a mix of articles and videos or polls. The point is to experiment, see what your audience resonates with the most, and they might resonate with a bunch of different things, and that's great. Polls, for example, can be super short, but it can give you tons of insights about something. So if you want people to vote on something, then it can help you decide a further marketing strategy that you're looking to do. So experimenting is huge.
Speaker 1:Tip number five is create an employee LinkedIn strategy. So lastly, but so so powerful, let's talk about the power of your team. If you're running a nonprofit, your employees are some of the biggest assets on LinkedIn and you can really leverage their networks to amplify your message. And I know, especially when I was working in PR, it was all about social media 101 and hindering the use of social media in the workplace, and I think we're in this completely new age where I shared about this actually in my predictions and trends episode on New Year's Day about how employee creators is a new thing that's happening, and so I would encourage your team members to update their LinkedIn profiles to reflect their work in your organization, make sure that they're listing their role connected to your nonprofit's LinkedIn page, and to really feel empowered and supported to start sharing content about the work that they're doing and that you're doing as a whole to reflect the mission. And I think also, employees that are active on LinkedIn not only are expanding the reach of your nonprofit's posts so maybe you have a reposting strategy that they do but it really also helps build credibility.
Speaker 1:So, for example, let's say your organization is working on a big campaign to raise funds for disaster relief. I mean this couldn't be more relevant with the horrific fires that are happening as I'm currently recording this in LA, so which I will link a ton of resources down in the show notes. I used to this is a side note, but I used to live in LA, it's where I started my business, it's where I met my husband, so it's a really, really, really special place to us, and so I will share some links down in the show notes on how you can support the fires. And let's just say, you are an organization in the middle of this right now, and if everyone is safe and able to do this, if they can post about their campaign from their own profiles and the personal, meaningful impact that it is to them, tagging the organization, sharing what they're doing, it's going to reach a much wider audience, because when their connections engage with their posts, it therefore amplifies your message even further. And again, there is a guide that LinkedIn has created within the nonprofit resource hub on exactly how to do this. So definitely take a look.
Speaker 1:And I also want to share that it doesn't have to just be your employees. I really think that you can pull in your board of directors on sharing content and volunteers as well. So, for example, in my monthly giving mastermind, when we're at the point of launching their monthly giving programs, I always say your board of directors and you and I have like two templates that I share with them should announce your new program on LinkedIn, and the board of directors should too, so they can definitely be a part of it. They are strong ambassadors of the work that you're doing and have a totally different network most of the time in their areas of expertise. And then for volunteers, if they are working something that it's appropriate to have photos of and they're okay with that. When I volunteered, I like sign a release. So if there's photos taken of them, share those photos with them and then invite them to post and share about their experience with your organization. So those are the five steps and I mentioned.
Speaker 1:I would talk about something that I'm sure everyone is curious about, and that is LinkedIn algorithm and what really takes off. And whether you are a seasoned, proficient LinkedIn user or you're just getting started, I'm sure that understanding how the algorithm works is something that we all want right To reach more people and generate greater engagement. So, first off, linkedin is all about curating a community where professionals come together to share insights, learn and grow, so the content that performs best isn't just like the self-promotional or focused on personal milestones content and, of course, yes, sharing a new job or a big achievement is great. Sharing a new job or a big achievement is great, but if you really want your content to take off, I have seen that the algorithm favors posts that spark conversation, are creating value and are made to build connections. So here's a few types of posts that I've seen consistently perform well.
Speaker 1:One is things you'd wish you'd known earlier in your career. People love relatable content, so anytime you can kind of like share the messy middle, the lessons you've learned along the way, especially like those. I wish I knew this earlier moments. Those resonate with everybody. It makes your content authentic. It provides valuable insights that others can really apply to what they're doing in their journey. So you might say something like this email took off and generated 500k, and I wish we would have done this from the start, and here's why like breaking it down. So posts like these can invite some reflection and some discussion.
Speaker 1:Number two are posts about new trends or changes in your industry. Actually, along with the podcast that I did on the predictions, I shared them on LinkedIn and that posted really well my 2025 predictions for the new year with marketing and fundraising. The platform as a whole really thrives on staying informed. So posts about emerging trends, industry shifts or innovative solutions do well. You are again providing people value, up-to-date information that they may have not yet come across yet, which can make you a go-to resource in your industry, in your field. So if you are adopting a new technology or you're trying out a fresh approach to donor engagement, share that journey. Bring people in with you. Not only does it position you as a forward-thinking leader, but it also invites others to share their experiences. You do not have to have it all figured out. I think that's the whole thing I've learned is I'm sharing. In the messy middle when I became a mom and was sharing, these are the things I've learned about coming back from maternity leave and that posted really well. Just the real, raw truth of where you're at and if people can collaborate together. That's amazing.
Speaker 1:Number three are practical tips to improve workdays or productivity, especially since we're in the new year. It's like new year, new vibes. Same me, but in a better way. Anyways, posts that offer this immediate value to the reader. It's very timely and very relevant in the season that we're in. So any hacks or tips that you can share to get more out of their workday tend to generate a lot of engagement. They're actionable, they're useful, which therefore means people are usually more likely to comment, share or save them for later. So something that you could share could be like one of my favorite productivity hacks is using voice memos during donor meetings to capture key insights which we later transcribe to refine our communication strategies. I don't know, you could do your own thing. Maybe it's AI, for instance, have. Maybe I'll do a post about this.
Speaker 1:I purchased this huge wall calendar that's off to my left-hand side right now and I'm a very visual person and I realized last year I was triple booking myself and it's because I was just looking at things a day at a time or a week at a time and I was like, okay, I just needed a full six months. Actually, right now I have eight months. I have January through August up on my wall because they're that big. So eight months at a time to be able to look at like where are the blocks. So maybe I'll share that as like a tip and then I'll share a link to where I got the wall calendar. That would be an example of a piece of content. And number four I'm going to go back to this Don't forget video content.
Speaker 1:Video content is one of the most powerful ways to cut through the noise on LinkedIn because it builds trust and connection fast. When people can see your face and hear your voice, it really adds this deeper emotional layer to your message, making it feel more personal and approachable. And trust me, you don't need a fancy setup Quick, casual video. Use your phone where you're sharing a new initiative or explain something exciting can do really, really well. So, overall, the real secret to LinkedIn success be thoughtful, share insights and create conversations.
Speaker 1:Linkedin's algorithm is all about wanting to reward posts that get people talking. My tip for that is ask a question at the end of your post. People love to share their own thoughts and experiences. I just saw this recently where a nonprofit tech partner asked if you could swing a magic wand, what would be the greatest feature you could have for your donor engagement this year? And tons of people are responding. So the more engagement your post gets, the more it's going to be seen by others. And finally, don't just be on there lurking. Be sure to engage with other people's posts as well, when you comment thoughtfully on someone else's content. Not only does it create visibility for your nonprofit, but it also strengthens your connections, and this reciprocity plays a big role in how your content performs, because LinkedIn truly values interactions that show you're part of a community, not just they're broadcasting your own message. Where you show up, you post, then you leave, it's really meaningful to be on there, and that's where the community comes into play. I literally have my LinkedIn tab up all day and I'm responding to messages. It's like email to me at this point pretty much.
Speaker 1:And then, as a bonus, before we wrap, I want to touch on LinkedIn Premium. If you are really looking to supercharge your nonprofit's LinkedIn presence, this is truly worth exploring, because premium comes with a host of features. They have an AI-powered writing assistant that helps you draft posts and optimize your profile. You can get insights into who's viewing your profile, which can be very helpful to spot potential partners or donors, and there are a lot of different discounts and things that you can check out in the nonprofit resource hub about that. So there you have it Five and a couple of bonus tips to help you maximize LinkedIn for your nonprofit to kick off the year. I hope this gave you some actionable insights. So, whether it's remember refreshing your profile, experimenting with new post types, empowering your team to really become LinkedIn advocates, these strategies will help you drive more visibility and connections to your organization. Check out the show notes for all of the links and many, many more in the LinkedIn Nonprofit Resource Hub that I mentioned in the show notes.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for tuning in. If you enjoyed this episode, please make sure to share it with your friends, your colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe, review and I will see you next Wednesday. Thank you so much for tuning into today's episode of Missions to Movements. If you enjoyed our conversation and found it helpful, I would love for you to take a moment to leave a review. Wherever you're listening. Your feedback helps us reach more changemakers like you and continue bringing impactful stories and strategies to the show. Don't forget to hit that subscribe button too, so you'll never miss an episode. And until next time, keep turning your mission into a movement.
