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Fundraising Resources That the Pros Use

If you’re new to crowdfunding or don’t have much experience with it, setting up a fundraising fundraiser can seem overwhelming or confusing—especially if you’re on a deadline and haven’t had time to do much planning. GoFundMe makes the process of creating a fundraiser fast and easy, with many tools and resources you can turn to for guidance along the way. We’ve pulled together some helpful fundraising resources and tips to help you maximize your chances of success.

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Social media, email, and blogs

Social media and email are vital to the success of your fundraiser. Spreading the word of your fundraiser through Facebook, Twitter, email, and personal websites or blogs is the best way to gain momentum, engage supporters, and reach your fundraising goal. Start by connecting with family and close friends first. From that inner circle, work outward. When people in your larger circle see that others have already donated, they’re more likely to make a donation.

  • If you don’t have a Facebook account, sign up and start building your network. You can also create a Facebook page for your fundraiser. Check out our blog post Facebook Fundraising 101 for tips.
  • Set up a Twitter account so you can start tweeting about your fundraiser. Use hashtags to get your posts seen by like-minded people, and create your own hashtag. Read Twitter fundraising tips for more ideas.
  • Build a fundraising team and assign specific people to tackle the social media portion.
  • Use your social media profiles and your fundraiser page to write fundraising updates to help keep your supporters engaged.
  • When it comes to reaching out via email, it can be difficult to know what to say. Try using these fundraising email templates to help you reach your goal faster.
  • Create a blog or website about your cause using WordPress, Medium, or Tumblr and use it to share updates. Fundraisers paired with blogs tend to catch the attention of local media.

Photos and videos

People are drawn to compelling images. High-quality photos can make a huge difference for your fundraiser, helping you tell your story and build empathy. Our data shows that people who post more than one photo raise about twice as much as those who post only one. Videos can also make your fundraiser come alive. They can emotionally engage viewers, motivate them to donate, and reach people you wouldn’t reach by any other means.

    • Images are a key part of any crowdfunding fundraiser. For more help, read How Images Can Lead to Fundraiser Success.
    • Photos are equally as important as words when it comes to telling a story.
    • Use photo and video editing apps and sites like iPhoto, iMovie, and Fotor for filters, effects, cropping, and more.
    • Videos are powerful fundraiser tools. Luckily, you don’t have to be a pro to create a meaningful fundraising video.
    • Take video length into consideration. Buzzsumo research shows that optimal length for Facebook videos is 60 to 90 seconds.
    • At this time, only YouTube or Facebook videos can be added to a GoFundMe fundraiser. Here’s a quick YouTube Guide to Uploading Videos.

Offline fundraising

Hosting fundraising events is a great way to give your fundraiser momentum and bring in more support for your cause.

  • Old-school printed flyers are an effective, low-cost way to raise awareness of your fundraiser and bring potential supporters to your GoFundMe fundraiser page. Make a custom fundraiser URL for simplified sharing.
  • If you aren’t comfortable using social media, don’t fret,  there are other ways to raise awareness. Read our blog post Online Fundraising Without Social Media to find more than 40 ways to share news of your fundraiser offline.
  • Add your own twist to traditional fundraising events such as bake sales, car washes, walkathons, dinner parties, and more. Check out our Fundraising Event Ideas page.
  • From educational events to social media contests, there’s no shortage of unique ways to drum up support. For more ideas, read 15 Ways to Skyrocket Awareness for a Cause.
  • Make sure to bring a mobile device or tablet with you for easy mobile giving to your fundraiser at your fundraising events.  

We’re here to help

If you have any questions about receiving donations, editing your fundraiser page, or just have general inquiries, you’ll find the answers as well as other useful resources in the GoFundMe Help Center. You can always get help from our Customer Care team via email, 24/7.