How Nonprofits Can Improve Facebook and Instagram Marketing

Facebook and Instagram can still be powerful channels for nonprofits, but the way they work has changed. Older advice built around EdgeRank, simple reach hacks, or one-size-fits-all posting no longer reflects how Meta platforms actually distribute content. Today, Facebook and Instagram use ranking systems that look at signals such as likely relevance, engagement, relationships, recency, and user behavior to decide what people see in Feed, Stories, Reels, Explore, and recommendations.

For nonprofits, that means success on Facebook and Instagram comes less from trying to “beat the algorithm” and more from consistently publishing content people genuinely want to engage with, share, save, watch, and respond to. Meta’s own nonprofit resources emphasize community engagement, meaningful conversations, clear creative, and measurable goals, while Instagram’s ranking guidance makes it clear that interest, relationship, and relevance still matter heavily.

This article should be repositioned around nonprofit Facebook and Instagram marketing: how nonprofits can create stronger content for each platform, improve organic performance, build community, and use Meta’s current systems in a way that supports awareness, engagement, fundraising, and long-term trust.

What is Facebook’s EdgeRank and where is it used for?

With the introduction of Facebook’s Edgerank algorithm in 2009, a lot has changed in terms of organic content (video or images that are being shown without being paid to promote). This algorithm is implemented into Facebook’s newsfeed. Since this introduction of EdgeRank a lot has changed to the algorithm. With the behavior changes from the users, we have noticed that video content is usually being favored over plain text or still images. This has caused a shift in the algorithm (as of the latest 2018 algorithm changes). The EdgeRank is looking at several aspects before it decides to show you to a group of people. It uses three factors to decide whether your content has real value for the audience.

Tip: To truly gain traction with video, try using 1:1 format, this will take most of the space in a newsfeed when scrolling through it with a mobile device.

Key factors for the Facebook algorithm

As mentioned previously there are several factors that Facebook considers before showing it to the audience. Facebook mainly looks at three factors which are:

• Affinity: the interaction that you have with your audience. It basically looks at past interactions like whether they clicked on your links, liked or commented on your posts. It is important to note that the news feed algorithm has been updated with Last Actor. This element takes a look at your last 50 interactions that you had on Facebook.

• Weight: What priority will EdgeRank give to your post is based on the type of your post. There is a certain hierarchy since a certain type of content generates more traction. Photos and video have the top priority followed by links and in the bottom of everyone a plain text status update.

• Time decay: Simply said, how old is your post? The longer it’s been circulating within the platform the less likely it will show to its users (again). However, for users who drop in once or twice a week, it will still be shown. People who check in more than the aforementioned example will less likely see your post.

Now, why is it important to understand Facebook’s EdgeRank when you are using Instagram? Given the success of this algorithm and Instagram is owned by Facebook, it is expected a similar algorithm is being used on the platform. When using both platforms and with the information I’ve got, I noticed that there were several similarities. For example: When I liked a themed picture or a picture on the explore page (on Instagram), it would continue to show me either similar pictures or pictures from the same account. However, when you already followed the person and you engaged and liked the content from the page, it would put new content from that page on top of your newsfeed.

Key factors for the Instagram algorithm (confirmed!)

Instagram has confirmed a few key factors in determining how posts are being shown to followers. To a small select of journalists, it explained how the algorithm works and busted the rumors surrounding the algorithm. There are three main factors:

• Interest: How much you are interested in the post is determined on past behavior and potentially machine visual analyzing content and post. If the interest is high for a certain niche the higher it is going to be ranked in your feed.
• Recency: How recent was the image or video posted. It will prioritize those who are more recent on top versus the old ones.
• Relationship: Relationship has been more important than ever. This factor looks at past and current interactions with the person. Interaction includes commenting on their post and being tagged in their photos.

Besides these three main factors there are three additionals who influence the algorithm in a less big way than the one mentioned earlier:

• Frequency: How often does the user open his or her app as it is focusing on showing you the best post since your last visit.
• Following: This is based on the numbers of people that a user is following. The bigger the number the wider the breadth of authors there are. This means you might see less of a specific person. So if you want to stay up to date on one specific person you might want to turn on the post notifications 😉
• Usage: This part looks at the behavior, how long does a user spend browsing so it determines which post should be the best to show.

Let’s start at the beginning

Before I continue I have to admit that I haven’t fully committed to creating daily content on Instagram or even have fresh new content to rebuild my account (have suggestions? would love to hear from you in the comments below!). This didn’t stop me from continuing to follow and interact with others on the platform. I studied the so-called Instagram hackers such as Len Gordon, Justin Wu and The Social Good Girl.

Because this article is written in English I will continue to use Len Gordon, so you can study the content he created through multiple accounts as well as his personal (brand) Instagram. When I look at his feed he is trying to tell a story. The story of an entrepreneur and the struggle of getting the (personal) success most of us are going for. The feed is mixed with quotes, videos, and the journey. The feed has its consistency and it is targeted to a specific niche within the platform. But it doesn’t stop there, if you watch closely (and follow him) you can see through your activity feed he is actively communicating with his audience as well as the community within his niche.

What can Len Gordon’s Gram hacks teach you?

I have monitored Len Gordon closely and found out he was documenting his journey on Instagram and was soon to release his book, Gram Hacks. I had the privilege of receiving a copy of his book and started to read his book.

You might wonder what the content of the book is. Let’s make this easy for you and give you this review on Gram Hacks. Gram hacks is a book that shows you insights on the platform of Instagram It goes in depth on the Instagram algorithm and explains how you can be more engaging with your audience. There are a lot of books out there that show you the dirty ‘secrets’ of Instagram.  The direction that Len Gordon went with this book wasn’t to give you the secrets but more or less expose the real hustle on the platform and give you an understanding how others are shown so many times in your feed.

The book doesn’t give you a simple A to Z step by step plan. What is being shown is the factors that could potentially help you gain more exposure. The examples and methods given are not potential theories but is focused on practicality. Although this book explains you every tool and process to gain a decent amount of growth of your account it still comes down to one important thing.

The quality of your content is one of the most important things when starting out on the platform. Have your vision of what you want to create or deliver to your audience aligned with your story or content.

What do I think of Gram Hacks?

This book is for users who want to be successful on Instagram. It doesn’t matter whether you are a brand or individual. It isn’t complicated to read and terms are kept to a minimum, this improves the readability of the book. Tips given in this book are very practical and not based on a theory found on the internet. I would recommend buying this book before considering taking any Instagram workshops, courses or coach sessions.

Why Facebook and Instagram still matter for nonprofits

Facebook and Instagram still matter because they help nonprofits stay visible where supporters already spend time. Facebook remains useful for community updates, event promotion, fundraising support, longer-form storytelling, and shareable posts. Instagram is especially strong for visual storytelling, Reels, Stories, behind-the-scenes content, and building emotional connection around a cause. Meta’s nonprofit guidance explicitly frames its platforms as tools to raise awareness, engage supporters, and support fundraising activity.

For nonprofits, these platforms are rarely just about vanity metrics. They help people discover campaigns, understand impact, follow updates, respond to events, and stay connected to the mission over time. That makes Facebook and Instagram valuable not only for reach, but for supporter retention and brand trust.

How Facebook and Instagram ranking actually works now

A stronger version of this article should move away from old EdgeRank language and explain the current reality more accurately. Facebook ranks content based on signals and predictions about what each user is most likely to find relevant and valuable. Instagram similarly uses multiple ranking systems across Feed, Stories, Explore, Reels, and Search, using signals like likely interest, relationship, recency, and content performance.

That matters because nonprofits should not optimize for outdated hacks. They should optimize for content quality, audience relevance, strong creative, and consistent interaction. If a post is useful, emotionally clear, and appropriate for the format, it has a better chance of being distributed than content created mainly to game the system. Instagram has also highlighted originality and recommendation quality as important for helping creators reach new audiences.

How nonprofits should use Facebook differently from Instagram

A major improvement for this article is to stop treating Facebook and Instagram as if the same strategy works equally well on both. On Facebook, nonprofits often do best with community-centered posts, updates that encourage conversation, event content, link posts with clear value, native video, and posts that give supporters a reason to comment or share. Meta’s nonprofit resources emphasize meaningful conversations, questions, and engagement with audience concerns.

On Instagram, nonprofits should focus more on visual storytelling, short-form video, mission moments, carousels, creator-style communication, and content people are likely to save, share, or watch through. Instagram’s own ranking explanations point to different systems across Feed, Stories, Reels, and Explore, which means content format and intent should match the surface where it appears.

What nonprofit content tends to perform better on Meta platforms

Nonprofits usually perform better when content is specific, emotional, and useful. That includes beneficiary or community stories, volunteer highlights, real impact updates, event reminders, educational posts, quick myth-versus-fact posts, donor gratitude, and short videos that make the mission feel real. Clear creative also matters. Meta’s nonprofit and ad creative guidance recommends focused messaging, one main idea, and a clear value proposition.

Strong content also fits the platform. On Facebook, that may mean a post that invites discussion or shares a community update. On Instagram, it may mean a Reel with a strong opening, a carousel that teaches something quickly, or a Story sequence that makes people tap through. The more naturally the content fits the platform experience, the better chance it has to earn attention and engagement.

How nonprofits can improve Facebook marketing organically

To improve Facebook marketing, nonprofits should focus on posts that start conversations and help supporters feel involved. Ask relevant questions, respond to comments, publish updates people care about, and create posts that supporters would reasonably want to share with their own community. Meta’s nonprofit guidance specifically recommends promoting meaningful conversations and showing people you are paying attention to their concerns.

It also helps to publish more consistently around clear themes. For example, a nonprofit can rotate between impact stories, campaign updates, event promotion, educational posts, and supporter appreciation. This creates familiarity while keeping the page useful. Facebook distribution guidance also makes it clear that content reach depends on how relevant the post is expected to be for each audience, not on a simple fixed formula.

How nonprofits can improve Instagram marketing organically

To improve Instagram marketing, nonprofits should create content people can understand quickly and feel something about immediately. Reels can help with awareness and discovery. Carousels can help explain issues or tell short visual stories. Stories can strengthen day-to-day connection with supporters. Feed posts can reinforce brand identity and campaign moments. Instagram’s official guidance on algorithms and reach makes clear that different ranking systems shape performance across these surfaces.

For nonprofits, the strongest Instagram content often shows real people, real work, and real outcomes. Instead of posting generic graphics only, mix in behind-the-scenes moments, volunteer clips, campaign milestones, event content, and mission-centered visuals. This makes the account feel more human and more worth following.

Common Facebook and Instagram mistakes nonprofits should avoid

One major mistake is relying on outdated platform advice. This article currently references older platform behavior and older audience numbers, which weakens its usefulness. Another mistake is posting the same content in the same format everywhere without adapting it to Facebook versus Instagram. Since ranking and recommendation systems differ by surface and context, platform-native content usually performs better.

Another common mistake is publishing content that talks only about the organization instead of the audience, mission, or outcome. Meta’s creative guidance stresses clarity and a single main message. Posts that are too broad, too promotional, or too unfocused are less likely to connect.

How to measure nonprofit Facebook and Instagram marketing success

Nonprofits should measure social performance against real goals, not just surface-level engagement. Useful metrics include reach, video views, watch time, shares, saves, comments, link clicks, event responses, fundraising actions, and follower growth quality. Meta’s nonprofit and performance guidance emphasizes measurable marketing and outcomes rather than posting for activity alone.

It also helps to look at what content themes are working. Are impact stories driving more shares? Are Reels helping discoverability? Are community-focused Facebook posts getting stronger comment quality? The goal is to learn what moves supporters closer to awareness, trust, and action.

FAQ

How can nonprofits improve Facebook marketing?

Nonprofits can improve Facebook marketing by creating posts that encourage meaningful interaction, sharing relevant updates, responding to comments, and publishing content that is useful to their community instead of posting only promotional messages.

How does the Facebook algorithm work now?

Facebook uses ranking systems that consider signals and predictions about what content each user is most likely to find relevant and valuable. It is no longer useful to think about Facebook reach as a simple old EdgeRank formula.

How does the Instagram algorithm work?

Instagram uses different ranking systems across Feed, Stories, Reels, Explore, and Search. Important factors include likely interest, relationship, recency, and how users interact with content across the app.

Should nonprofits post the same content on Facebook and Instagram?

Usually not. The core message can stay consistent, but the format should be adapted. Facebook often works better for community discussion and updates, while Instagram is stronger for visual storytelling, Reels, Stories, and saveable or shareable content.

What kind of nonprofit content works best on Instagram?

Content that is visually clear, emotionally relevant, and easy to engage with tends to work best. That can include Reels, carousels, behind-the-scenes posts, impact stories, volunteer highlights, and campaign updates.

What is the biggest mistake nonprofits make on Facebook and Instagram?

One of the biggest mistakes is relying on outdated tactics instead of creating relevant, platform-specific content that people genuinely want to engage with. Another is posting generic content with no clear value or emotional hook.