Social media success for nonprofits: tools to save time and increase impact
It is 2025 and being on social media as a brand/business is no longer a ‘nice to have’ but a dire necessity. Regardless of the industry you operate in, being active on social media is a must. Around 64% of the world’s population is on social media, so the chances that your target audience is active on at least one platform are extremely high.
For mission-driven organisations, social media offers the perfect platforms to connect with supporters, raise awareness about important issues, and educate the public, all without the need for a big marketing budget. However, managing social media effectively can be time-consuming and challenging, especially for nonprofits that operate with limited resources.
Fortunately, there are numerous social media tools available that can simplify the process, enhance your online presence, and help you make the most out of your social media marketing without requiring a big team.
Below, we will explore some of the best social media tools that are particularly well-suited for nonprofits and NGOs. These tools are designed to streamline various aspects of social media management, from scheduling and posting content to analysing performance and creating compelling visuals. By incorporating these tools into your social media marketing, you can save time, increase engagement, and ultimately, grow your audience and further your organisation’s mission. Let’s dive in and explore how you can leverage these tools to boost your social media impact.
Criteria for choosing the right social media tools
Choosing the right social media tools for your nonprofit or NGO is essential for managing your online presence effectively and efficiently. You must consider the following key criteria when deciding which tool/service fits best for you:
1. Budget-friendliness: Nonprofits often operate with limited funds, so opting for tools that offer maximum functionality at minimal cost is essential.
2. Ease of Use: The tools should be intuitive and user-friendly, enabling staff and team members to use them without extensive training.
3. Features and Functionality: Tools that offer comprehensive features such as scheduling, analytics, and content creation are more preferable as compared to single-purpose services.
4. Scalability: Ensure the tool can grow with your organisation’s needs, accommodating an increasing number of social media accounts or users. Most tools offer affordable pricing for 1-3 users, but costs can rise significantly when you need to add more users. Be mindful of this potential price jump when choosing a tool, especially if your team may grow in the future.
5. Integration: The ability to integrate with other tools you already use, such as email marketing platforms or CRM systems, can streamline your workflow and enhance audience engagement.
Top social media tools for nonprofits and NGOs
Now that you understand the importance of social media tools and what to consider when choosing one for your organisation, let's explore some of the best tools on the market, along with my personal insights after trialling, testing and researching each of them.
1. Buffer
Buffer is one of the most established social media tools available, and after testing it, I can see why it's still a popular choice. What really stood out to me is how simple and intuitive the interface is. It’s ideal if you're looking for a hassle-free experience when scheduling and posting content across multiple platforms. The ability to schedule posts in advance across all platforms and manage different social media channels from one, comprehensive dashboard is a big win.
While Buffer’s free plan is limited (up to three platforms and ten scheduled posts), I found it perfect for getting started, especially if your organisation is small or you're just dipping your toes into social media management. If you want to do more, such as tracking analytics or working collaboratively, the paid plans are quite affordable, starting at just £3.80 per month. However, if you need in-depth analytics or more engagement tools, you may find Buffer's lower-tier plans a bit too basic.
2. SocialPilot
What I appreciated most about SocialPilot is how well it caters to small teams. During my testing, I found its team management feature to be a game-changer. You can assign specific roles to each team member, which is great for nonprofits where different people may handle content creation, publishing, and reporting. I liked the flexibility of being able to control who has access to sensitive data, like analytics or direct messages—something you don't always find in other tools at this price point.
The Suggested Content feature was also quite impressive. In a fast-paced social media environment, staying relevant is tough, but SocialPilot took a lot of that burden off the shoulders by automatically surfacing trending content based on specific keywords or hashtags. It can save you hours of manual research, which is crucial when working with limited time or resources.
The platform’s design is a bit more utilitarian, which might not appeal to users looking for a visually sleek experience and I didn’t find it to be the most simple to navigate. But in terms of functionality, especially for managing multiple users and accounts (3 users and up to 20 with the £35.70 per month plan), it’s a solid investment for small teams.
3. Later
If your organisation focuses heavily on visual content, especially for Instagram, Later is a tool worth considering. From my research, Later really stands out with its visual content calendar, which allows you to see how your posts will look on your feed before you publish them. This feature might seem minor, but I found it particularly useful for maintaining a consistent brand aesthetic, something that can make or break your Instagram presence.
The ability to track campaign analytics in real-time is another big highlight. It allows you to tweak strategies quickly, which is invaluable when running short-term awareness campaigns. I also appreciated how Later lets you monitor brand mentions and repurpose user-generated content—an easy way to boost engagement without creating new posts from scratch.
That said, while Later is great for Instagram-focused strategies, I felt its functionality for other platforms like LinkedIn or X wasn’t as robust as tools like Buffer or SocialPilot. If your nonprofit is heavily Instagram-centric, this tool is fantastic, but for a broader multi-platform approach, you might feel limited. Later’s Growth plan, which is geared towards small teams, is priced at about £34 per month and allows 3 users across 3 social media accounts.
4. Loomly
Loomly quickly became one of my favourites during testing, mainly because of its user-friendly design. Many social media tools can be overwhelming with their cluttered dashboards and endless options, but Loomly’s clean interface makes managing content a breeze. I particularly liked its post builder, which offers collapsible post ideas and a way to organise different content types easily.
While Loomly provides all the standard features like post scheduling, analytics, and multi-platform posting, what really sets it apart is the
access to thousands of royalty-free images via Unsplash. This can save you the time and effort of sourcing high-quality images, which is often a challenge when working with a limited marketing budget.
For nonprofits, Loomly’s Base plan (around £24 per month) is reasonably priced and supports up to 10 social accounts, making it a good choice for small teams. If your organisation relies heavily on collaboration tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams, the Standard package, which integrates with both, could be the one to go for.
Conclusion
After testing these tools, it's clear that while most offer similar core functions, the right choice really depends on your specific needs. For example, if you’re just starting out and need a straightforward, affordable option, Buffer is great for its simplicity. If team collaboration and content curation are priorities, SocialPilot might be a better fit. Later is perfect for Instagram-heavy strategies, while Loomly excels in simplifying content creation with an intuitive design and useful extras like access to Unsplash images.
Ultimately, each tool has its strengths, and my recommendation is to trial a couple of them to see which aligns best with your nonprofit’s workflow and goals. You can’t go wrong with any of these, but the nuances in their features can make a big difference depending on your needs.
If you're interested in getting started with social media, looking to improve your performance on the platforms or have any questions, feel free to contact us for guidance and support.
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Siddhant Patni
Account Manager
