How to raise funds for your favourite charity using events

How to raise funds for your favourite charity using events

Image credit: twooceansmarathon.org.za

Over time, runners have recognized the potential of sports events as more than just a race—they’re also a powerful opportunity to rally support and raise funds through crowdfunding. Harnessing the energy and enthusiasm of participants, these events become a vibrant hub for both athletic achievement and philanthropy, showcasing the transformative impact of collective action.

If you have not yet pledged to support your favourite charity or bought your tickets for the event, have a read through our article below.

Here to guide you in raising funds at your local event, the BackaBuddy team has put together our best advice on how to run a successful crowdfunding campaign!

How to enter your choose event

Before you begin your crowdfunding journey on BackaBuddy, make sure you have entered for the event on their website.

Launch your crowdfunding on BackaBuddy

Once you have registered, it’s time to create your crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for your chosen charity. 

Start your campaign 

Telling your story

A key thread in all successful crowdfunding campaigns is a well-written, emotive, and informative story that connects with potential supporters of your campaign.

For inspiration on how to tell your story,  Meet Zanele.

Zanele Hlatshwayo from Soweto, told a very powerful story and personal story when raising funds for the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) in honour of her late father. 

 

When writing your campaign story, be sure to answer the following questions:

    • Who are you and where are you from?
    • Which organisation are you fundraising for and what do they do? Do you have a personal connection to the charity you have chosen? 

Your campaign message should highlight the importance of your cause and why others should support it. If the charity you have chosen has success stories or interesting facts to share with you, this will also help you tell your story. Connect with your charity and find out as much information about them as you can.

    • How much would you like to raise and how will these funds be used in a tangible way to benefit your charity and the work they do?

Take a look at these examples on how to write a tangible campaign ‘ask’.

For example, I am taking part in the Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon 2024 to…

    • Raise R10 000 to purchase 100 school shoes for children in need at Afrika Tikkun’
    • Raise R100 000 to help Hillwood Primary school in refurbishing 1 classroom.
    • Reach my crowdfunding target of R20 000 to support Dignity Dreams in purchasing sanitary items for young girls so that they don’t miss out on an education.

Focus on the positive impact of donations 

Presenting your campaign in a positive way can make a big difference. Focus on the positive impact the funds raised will have and the impact of your awareness campaign.

According to the 2018 Trends in Global Giving Report, by Non-Profit Tech For Good, 91% of donors are motivated to donate to causes when they feel positive emotions such as hope and empathy and only 9% respond to negative emotions such as fear and sadness.

Create a crowdfunding video

For those who don’t like reading, put together a short campaign video!

Campaigns with video content tend to raise 4 times more funds, and are shared 7 times more on social media, as they are more personal and emotive!

Shoot a video on your phone

For a crowdfunding campaign, you don’t need professional lighting, equipment or editing skills to convey a powerful message.

We recommend shooting a short, personal and informal message on your cellphone that can be posted on social media as well as on your crowdfunding campaign.

    • Make sure you are presentable and wearing comfortable clothes (try to avoid clothes with busy designs or a lot of text).  
    • Choose a clear backdrop or tidy background to shoot your video.
    • Try to eliminate as much background noise as possible.
    • Let viewers know where they can make a donation to your campaign and include your crowdfunding campaign link in every post you share.
    • Lastly, just be yourself.

If you are unsure of what to say, follow our story writing guidelines above.

Choose a friendly image of yourself

    • When choosing your crowdfunding image, choose an inviting and friendly image of yourself. If you have a photo of yourself in running gear, this will show your potential donors that you mean business and are already training to make them proud!

Set your target based on your network and available time 

When setting your fundraising target, it’s important to consider:

    • The size of your network
    • Your available time to share your campaign 
    • Your social media following
    • How long do you have to share your campaign

 

Getting started – Your First donation

Just like no one likes to be the first person on the dance floor, donors typically support crowdfunding campaigns once it has a few initial donations.

Through data research, we found that campaigns with initial support from family and friends specifically, tend to raise 220% more funds .

How to share your campaign with close family and friends:

When looking for your first donations, we recommend sending a personal, instant message on Whatsapp, Facebook message, email or SMS to close family and friends, extended family, neighbours, co-workers. 

An example of a message you could send:

“Hi Monique, I hope you are well!

I am taking part in the Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon 2024 to raise funds to support FoodForwardSA and the wonderful work they do.

With my crowdfunding campaign launched on BackaBuddy I hope, to raise R10 000 to provide 100 meals to disadvantaged children living in Edenvale, Johannesburg.

If you can, please be so kind as to donate to my campaign and cheer me on during the event.

If you’re unable to contribute, please share my campaign with your friends and loved ones: Here is my campaign link: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/

Once you have your first donations in, we recommend sharing your campaign to a wider audience on Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram.

Depending on your chosen social network, read through our guidelines on how to make the most of social sharing!

Encourage more donations

    • Find out if the organisation you are raising funds for is a Section 18A certified as a tax break is a great incentive to encourage donations in larger amounts.

 

Promoting your crowdfunding campaign on WhatsApp

Promoting your crowdfunding campaign on WhatsApp

Using instant messaging apps such as Whatsapp, Facebook messenger and WeChat is a great way to launch your crowdfunding campaign to your immediate network, share positive updates, thank donors, and promote your campaign in a creative way.

In this guide, we will discuss the power of Whatsapp Marketing and walk you through some practical tips that you can use to promote your cause.

Why use WhatsApp to promote your crowdfunding campaign?

  • 90% of internet users in South Africans are active users of WhatsApp, according to a report by Hoodsuite.
  • 98% of WhatsApp messages are both opened and read according to Dynmark. Hoodsuite also reports that Whatsapp messages are opened within the first 3 seconds.  
  • Over 450 million Whatsapp users make use of WhatsApp stories, surpassing even Snapchat, a report by Business Of Apps finds.
  • 84% of online sharing now takes place through instant messaging according to RadiumOne.

Constructing your message

When putting together a WhatsApp message, make sure to keep your message short (no longer than 80 characters), personal and informative. 

Remember to introduce your campaign in a friendly way to attract donors, make sure to summarize what you’re crowdfunding for and mention the positive impact donations will have on your beneficiary. 

Don’t forget to include your BackaBuddy link at the end of your message, so potential donors will be able to make a contribution. It is also a good idea to ask your contacts to share your campaign with 5-10 of their contacts to help you reach a wider audience.

An example,

Hi Monique, I hope you are well!

I have created a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy to feed 100 families in Pietermaritzburg who are unable to provide for their families during the lockdown.

We have so far raised R 15 000 towards our fundraising target! Funds raised will be used to purchase digital food vouchers for those in need.

Please support us by making a small donation on BackaBuddy. If you’re unable to contribute, please be so kind as to share our campaign with your friends and loved ones. https://www.backabuddy.co.za/feeding-pietermaritzburg

Remember to add a Photo or Video to accompany your message.

Support your message with media

As they say, a picture says a thousand words. Support your introductory message with a few hi-quality images that illustrate what your campaign is about. Sharing videos or voice notes is also a great way to engage and share more information about your campaign!

Practical ways to use WhatsApp to share your crowdfunding campaign

Forward a message

Create a short message to introduce your campaign and forward your campaign privately to 5 friends at the same time. 

Here’s how:

  1. In an individual or group chat, tap and hold the message you want to forward, then tap Forward. 
    • To forward multiple messages, you can select additional messages after you select the first message.
  2. Tap Forward.
  3. Search for or select the individual or group chats you want to forward the messages to.
  4. Tap Forward.

Create a broadcast list

Create a broadcast list to share your campaign as mass message to an unlimited number of contacts. Once the list as been created, you will be able to revisit it to share more messages with the same group of people.

Here’s how:

  1. Go to WhatsApp > More options > New broadcast. 
  2. Search for or select the contacts you want to add.
  3. Tap the check mark  .

Create a group

Create a group chat to share your campaign with your WhatsApp contacts. Smaller groups are recommended, but if you have a big network, you are able to add up to 256 contacts in a single group.

Use WhatsApp groups to send campaign updates and motivate your immediate network to promote your campaign and find new potential donors.

When you have created a group, all participants will be able to interact with each other and will be notified of incoming messages. 

Here’s How

  1. Go to the CHATS tab in WhatsApp.
  2. Tap More options > New group. 
    • Alternatively, tap New chat  > New group. 
  3. Search for or select contacts to add to the group. Then tap the green arrow.
  4. Enter a group subject. This will be the name of the group that all participants will see. 
    • Optionally, add a group icon by tapping the Camera icon.
  5. Tap the green check mark when you’re finished.

Create a WhatsApp Story/Status

WhatsApp Stories are a great way to share updates, engage with your close network of supporters and ensure your campaign maintains momentum throughout your crowdfunding journey.

Here’s How:

  1. Tap Status
  2. Tap: 
    • Camera or My Status to take a photo, record a video or GIF or choose an existing photo, video or GIF from your gallery. Remember to include a caption to introduce your campaign.  Tap send .
    • After you have posted a photo in your status, the next steps is to share your BackaBuddy link using the Text icon.
    • Tap on to write a short message about your campaign and copy to your BackaBuddy link for donations. Tap send .

This will allow your contacts to click from your status onto your BackaBuddy campaign to make a donation.

We hope you enjoyed our tips for WhatsApp Marketing! While WhatsApp is a great tool to use to reach a wider audience, it should not be used in isolation.

Click Below for more tips on how to run a successful crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy:

 

Promoting your crowdfunding campaign on Facebook

Promoting your crowdfunding campaign on Facebook

With the number of Facebook users in South Africa to reach over 19.8 million by 2023, according to Statista, there is ample opportunity for your crowdfunding campaign to reach a wide network of supporters on the social network.

In this guide, we will discuss the power of Facebook Marketing and walk you through some practical tips that you can use to promote your cause.

Why use Facebook to promote your crowdfunding campaign?

According to Hoodsuite.

  • 82% of internet users in South Africans are active users of Facebook and 57% also use Facebook Messenger
  • Recent statistics have revealed that Facebook users spend an average of about 40 minutes daily on Facebook.

How to post on Facebook

To share a post on Facebook:

  1. From the top of your News Feed, click What’s on your mind, [Name]?
  2. Write a short message to introduce your crowdfunding campaign (following the guidelines below) and remember to include your BackaBuddy Link.
  3. For your post: 
  4. Click Post.

Once you have created your post. Share it your Facebook Story

  1. On the post you have just created, Click Share
  2. Select Share to Your Story Now.

When to post on Facebook

When it comes to posting on Facebook, research shows Thursday and Friday to be the best days. Here’s what we found:

  • According to World Wide Worx, the best time to post on Facebook in South Africa to maximise the number of people who see it, is on a Thursday between 09:00 and 10:00.
  • Hubspot determined Thursdays and Fridays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. are the best times to post.

Please note: You can post your campaign on any day, see what works the best for you! We recommend sharing your campaign at least 2/3 times a week across your social media platforms for the best possible result.

Writing your campaign post

The purpose of posting your campaign on Facebook is to reach as many people on your friends list as possible, as well as other Facebook users who might not know you. 

Before posting on Facebook, consider these key factors:

1. Keep your message short and specific

According Express Writers, Facebook posts with 40-80 Characters result in 86% more interaction (likes, comments, shares, link clicks). 

2. Provide enough information

Make sure your post answers these questions: 

  1. Who are you raising funds for? (name, age, location)
  2. Why are they in need of funds? (what has lead you to crowdfunding?)
  3. What will funds raised be used for? (in a tangible way mention how funds will be used, for example “We are raising funds to purchase 100 pairs of shoes for 50 children
  4. When will funds be needed? (ie. is there a sense of urgency or is your campaign time-sensitive?)
  5. Where can people make a donation? (Include the call to action: Please support my crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy, by making a donation here: [copy and paste BackaBuddy Link)]

Take a look at these examples:

You can use this template as a guideline:

Hi everyone,

I have created a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy to raise funds [to/for].

We are hoping to raise [fundraising target] by [time period] that will allow us to [positive impact].

Please be so kind as to support our crowdfunding campaign by making a donation here: [BackaBuddy link]

If you are unable to donate, please share our campaign with your friends and family.

How to write your crowdfunding campaign story

3. Include a photo or video

Instead of posting your BackaBuddy link by itself, upload your message with a positive, yet emotive photo or video.

Photo:

According to Post Planner, posts with photos receive 84% more link clicks, this means more Facebook users will click onto your BackaBuddy campaign if you have great visual content.

Where possible include hi-quality images that tell a positive storyavoid shocking or graphic content, as this might discourage Facebook users engaging with your content. You can load a single image, or add a series of images that tell your story.

Video:

It is in your best interest to share your post with a short, informative and emotive video that’s between 1-3 minutes long. While a strong image will make your followers take notice, a video will increase your engagement by 7 times and your campaign has an opportunity to raise 4 times more funds. 

How to create a crowdfunding campaign video

Make use of these Facebook tools to promote your crowdfunding campaign

Facebook Messenger 

Posting a status update about your campaign will help you reach friends and friends of friends on Facebook, but when engaging with close friends and family on Facebook, it is always better to send a short/personal message directly via Facebook Messenger.

According to RadiumOne, 84% of online sharing now takes place through instant messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook messenger and WeChat, this is because messages are both opened and read, typically within the first 3 seconds.

To send a direct message on Facebook on a computer:

  1. Click  in the top right of the screen.
  2. Click  to start a new message.
  3. Start typing a name into the To field. Names of friends will appear in a dropdown.
  4. Select the person or people you want to message.
  5. Type your message, then press enter or  to send.

You can also click Message at the top of someone’s profile to message them.

Facebook Stories

Facebook stories are a great way to create awareness about your campaign, share updates and ensure your campaign maintains momentum.

Stories are typically about 20 seconds long and stay on your profile for only 24 hours, but it is an effective way to encourage Facebook users to engage with your cause and send you direct messages.

To share a story on Facebook:

  1. Click + Add to Story at the top of your News Feed..
  2. Click Photo/Video to add a photo or video from your computer.
  3. Next to Your Story, you can click the audience selector (example: Public or Friends) to choose who can see your story.
  4. Click Post.

Facebook groups

Once you have managed to interact with your close networks via posting status updates, posting stories and sending direct messages via Facebook messenger, it is time to have a look at Facebook groups in your area that are relevant to your cause. 

Joining groups with a higher following, will help you reach a wider audience of potential supporters.

By seeing your posts, users will be able to share your campaign, donate via your BackaBuddy link, interact with you via the comments section or directly via Facebook messenger..

Join the BackaBuddy Community Facebook group here

Take a look at these groups, for ideas of ones you could join to promote your campaign.

To join a Facebook group:

  1. From your News Feed click Groups in the left menu.
  2. In the search bar at the top, enter some keywords for the group you’re looking for.
  3. Select the group then click + Join Group below the cover photo.
  4. Select whether you’d like to join as your profile or your Page and click Join Group

To post to a group:

  1. From your News Feed click Groups in the left menu and select your group.
  2. Click What’s on your mind, [Name]?

From here you can:

Facebook Watch Party

This new feature from Facebook is quickly gaining popularity. Now instead of simply sharing a video on Facebook, you can invite friends to watch videos with you in real-time.

This is a great opportunity to engage with potential donors as you are able to comment and interact with your audience.

Don’t forget to include your BackaBuddy campaign link in the comments section for anyone who would like to support your cause.

Facebook Live

According to Vimeo, 78% of online audiences watched a live video on Facebook in 2018.

Live videos are great for sharing quick updates, conducting short interviews or answering questions your audience might have relating to your campaign. Facebook recommends that live videos should be at least 10 minutes long.

Your followers will be notified when you’re broadcasting live on Facebook, so it is a great way to create awareness around your crowdfunding campaign.

Remember to include your BackaBuddy campaign link in the description as your video will still be available to watch after the live stream has ended.

To go live on Facebook:

  1. Click What’s on your mind, [Name]? at the top of your News Feed.
  2. Click  then click Live Video.
  3. Write a short description of your campaign and include your BackaBuddy link for donations.
  4. Click Go Live in the bottom left.

We hope you enjoyed our tips for Facebook Marketing! While Facebook is a great tool to use to reach a wider audience, it should not be used in isolation.

Click Below for more tips on how to run a successful crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy:

Fundraising Tips

 

Sharing your crowdfunding campaign on Instagram

Sharing your crowdfunding campaign on Instagram

According to BusinessTech, over 3.8 million South Africans use Instagram. 

With over 1 Billion users globally, Instagram allows you to reach a wide audience of supporters through sharing beautiful photos, engaging videos and trending hashtags.

In this guide, we will discuss the power of sharing your crowdfunding campaign on Instagram and share practical tips you can use to promote your cause.

Why use Instagram to share your crowdfunding campaign?

  • Instagram boasts 58 times more engagement per follower than Facebook, According to ecommerceCEO
  • 60% of Instagram users use the platform once a day, according to Sprout Social

Before posting on Instagram, consider these key factors:

Put your crowdfunding campaign link In your bio

Whether you are creating posts, stories or IGTV videos to promote your campaign, it’s important to give your followers a call to action to donate to your campaign.

How to post a link in your Instagram Bio

When posting on Instagram, direct your audience to click on the link in your bio for more information and to make a donation!

When to post on Instagram

According to Hubspot, the best time to post on Instagram is between 2pm-3pm. There is also an increase in engagements on Thursdays 5am, 11am and between 3pm-4pm. 

Quintly also states that interactions are 22.29% higher on Saturday and Sunday.

Please note: You can post your campaign on any day, see what works the best for you! We recommend sharing your campaign at least 2/3 times a week across your social media platforms for the best possible result.

Visual content 

Photos and videos are the language on Instagram, you will need to upload visual content in order to create a post with a caption.

Photo

Instagram images get on average, 23% more engagement than Facebook images, according to Business of Apps.

Post hi-quality photos that tell your crowdfunding story. Avoid shocking or graphic content, as this might discourage Instagram users engaging with your content. 

Video

Video posts get up to 38% more engagements than image posts, according to Mention.

Post short, informative videos on your Instagram timeline to introduce the aim and importance of your crowdfunding campaign and direct users to your campaign link in your bio. 

For videos longer than 60 seconds, you will need to upload your video to IGTV (more information below)

Writing your Instagram post caption

Keep your message short and specific

While you have more than 2000 characters at your disposal when writing your post caption, Sprout Social, suggests 138-150 characters will get you the most engagement (shares, likes, comments)

If you want to ensure that your full caption is visible and is not cut off by the “see more” tab, keep your post within 125 characters.

What information should your post include?

To introduce your crowdfunding campaign, make sure you answer the following questions in your post.

  1. Who are you raising funds for? (name, age, location)
  2. Why are they in need of funds? (what has lead you to crowdfunding?)
  3. What will funds raised be used for? (in a tangible way mention how funds will be used, for example “We are raising funds to purchase 100 pairs of shoes for 50 children
  4. Where can people make a donation? (Direct your audience to click on the link in your bio to make a donation to support your cause)

#Hashtags

Make use of hashtags to make your post more discoverable – this will allow you to reach more people who are interested in your topic.

Instagram allows users to post 30 hashtags in a single caption, to avoid your post looking like spam, it’s recommended to use no more than 10 relevant hashtags in your post.

Even including one hashtag in your post can increase your engagement by 12.6% according to PR Daily.

Creating a hashtag

To Create a hashtag, simply type # and your keyword in your post caption.

Popular hashtags to use when sharing your crowdfunding campaign

#crowdfunding #backabuddy #crowdfundingcampaign #fundraising #support #donate #crowdfund #funding #charity #crowdfundingproject #payitforward #donation. 

Include specific/trending hashtags that relate to your cause:

  • Your need: #cancertreatment #universityfees #rugbytour #masksformedics
  • Location: #capetown #southafrica #mzansi #sa
  • Events: #comrades #marathon #ironman #midmarmile #birthday
  • Social issues: #covid19 #lockdown #blacklivesmatter #womensupportingwomen #animalrights
  • Organisations: #backabuddy #smilefoundation #spca #giftofthegivers
  • Institutions: #UCT #witkoppenclinic #unisa 
  • Awareness days: #mandeladay #givingtuesday #christmas #worldclubfootday

Mention Instagram users in your post

When creating a post, Instagram allows users to mention/tag other users and influencers, their location, organisations and businesses. This will notify other users to view and interact with your post. 

Location is key

By tagging your area location in your Instagram post can increase your engagement by 79% according to PR Daily

Research also shows that crowdfunding campaigns are typically supported locally – be sure to let Instagram users know where you are from!

Not sure what to say? Use this template:

We have created a crowdfunding campaign on @backabuddy to raise funds [to/for]. Funds raised will allow us to [positive impact]Click on the link in my bio to make a donation.  #crowdfunding #backabuddy #donations #fundraising #southafrica 

Include:

  • Other relevant/trending hashtags
  • Tag your location
  • Tag Instagram users/organizations that relate to your cause

Post multiple images/videos

By creating a carousel on Instagram, you can post up to 10 images to tell your crowdfunding story and increase engagement.

Make use of these Facebook tools to promote your crowdfunding campaign

Direct Message

Make use of Instagram’s direct message option to reach out to close friends and family, influencers and organisations who might be interested in supporting your cause.

With Instagram Direct, you can send messages, photos and videos to one or more people. Messages won’t appear in Feed, search or your profile.

Instagram Stories

Posting stories is a great way to create awareness about your campaign, share updates and ensure your campaign maintains momentum.

Instagram stories are typically about 15 seconds long and stay on your profile for only 24 hours

Why post Instagram stories to share your crowdfunding campaign?

  • According to The Mobile Media Lab, Instagram stories receive 2-3  times more engagement than regular posts.
  • According to Social Media Today Instagram stories boast over 300 million active daily users.

Before posting a story on Instagram, consider these key factors:

  • Place your text toward the center and bottom of the screen and keep your message short and clear.
  • Mention other Instagram users and organizations in your story, to allow your story to be re-posted.
  • Use 1 or 2 relevant Hashtags on your Instagram story to increase your visibility.
  • Save your story to your highlight reel, so your campaign updates can be viewed longer than 24 hours.

Share your Instagram story to Facebook

Add your story to your highlights

IGTV

With the introduction of IGTV, Instagram users can post 10 minute long videos and increase their visibility by appearing on the “Explore” tab on the platform.

Need advice for putting together your video? Read Our Guide.

GO Live on Instagram

Instagram now allows users to post 60 minute live videos. Just like Facebook live, your followers will be notified when you’re live and will be able to interact with you in real-time.

Sharing live videos is a great way to introduce your campaign, share campaign updates and milestones, conduct short interviews and provide additional information about your project.

We hope you enjoyed our tips for sharing your crowdfunding campaign on Instagram!

While Instagram is a great tool to use to reach a wider audience, it should not be used in isolation.’

 

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