Perfect Your #GivingTuesday Hashtag: How To Craft An Impactful Social Media Campaign

Created By: Asaiah Edwards
September 20, 2023

If you have not yet marked GivingTuesday on your calendars, here is your amuse-bouche of notice. On November 28^th, philanthropy will be unveiled in its most kindred form, as nonprofits from around the world share the stage for defining their mission and impact and engaging in a collective movement. This powerful pledge of generosity began in 2012 as an initiative at the 92Y, and it has now grown to amass an estimated $3.1 billion in 2022, a showcase of how donors everywhere are ardent to be a part of something greater than themselves. 

#GivingTuesday generates a global sense of belonging to a community of change-makers and opportunity-seekers. Instilling this sentiment has been no better tool than the use of the hashtag. With technology every year bridging us closer together, the hashtag has been a mainstay in influencing a diverse landscape of thought that leads to transformative action. Your organization’s supporters and potential new donors are all eager to jump at the chance to put their money where their mark is, because after all, in order to influence you must be influenced.

Last year’s GivingTuesday sparked the emergence of several new coalition campaigns, including but not limited to:

• #GiveNature: A community-wide movement to spread awareness of giving to Native-led nonprofits. 
• #MoreThanSurvival: A movement that brings together several grassroots humanitarian organizations and mutual aid groups at the forefront of supporting refugees in Lebanon, Greece, Serbia, Bosnia, France, Greece, and the United Kingdom.
• #TuesdaysforTrash: A grassroots environmental movement mobilizing individuals globally to help create a more livable home on this planet.
• #FashionGives: A movement that supports women founders leading sustainable solutions in fashion.

Is there anything similar you see about these campaigns? Hint: It’s the hashtag!

As a gateway into the world of movements, the hashtag helps to inspire giving in communities and brings said communities to the forefront of philanthropic discourse. However, the symbol itself is not the only thing that makes these campaigns stand out.

As you begin to market your organization in preparation for this day, you’ll want to use hashtags not solely for the sake of communicating your message but internalizing its effect on your target audience. Here are the 4 top qualities that your organization’s hashtag(s) should encompass.

1. Relevancy.

When making your hashtag for GivingTuesday, you’ll want to make sure that it is relevant to the times and speaks to your organization’s impact. By incorporating both, you create a link that empowers donors to stamp themselves in a contemporary collective movement and augment their resolve to a lasting impact.

2. Simplicity.

The best hashtags that are tied to movements are ones that are not overly provocative and get the point across in very few words. Remember, there is much density in brevity.

If your organization addresses multiple issue areas, you may want to have several hashtags covering a variety of campaigns. However, it is important that your main tagline is congruent with your mission statement, which should already be a succinct description of your organization’s ideals.

3. Compelling to Donors.

Keep in mind that a donation to your organization’s cause is not a one-way street. The power of philanthropy has the greatest return on investment in the form of self-satisfaction. Set the tone of your hashtag to be donor-centered and appeal to the heroism of committing to a movement that would not be successful without their financial contribution.

4. Community Driven.

As mentioned before, the hashtag should motivate giving towards communities, integrating them into the philanthropic lexicon. Whenever possible, seize the opportunity to include the community you are serving in your hashtag, whether that’s a town, country, ethnicity, or identity group. In doing so, your organization is humbled, and the focus of your campaign remains in the sight of what/who really matters.

The hashtag will continue to be influential in promoting nonprofit campaigns and movements, and you have the opportunity to take advantage of this tool for your own organization this GivingTuesday.

#GoodLuck! #Hashtag #HappyGivingTuesday

Orr Group can help your organization design and implement fundraising initiatives that are creative, compelling, and most importantly, effective. Contact us to learn how we can help you reach new heights.

Asaiah Edwards is an Associate at Orr Group. Asaiah collaborates with Orr Group’s partners to develop and execute fundraising strategies and drive revenue to enhance programs and services.