How Can Charity Comms Connect With Younger Audiences?
Charities are rethinking how they show up online. By sharing authentic, human experiences, they’re driving deeper engagement and lasting impact. Tom Fishenden, Freelance Charity Communications Consultant, explores charity communications and how good causes can be championed through creative approaches.
Charities have a unique opportunity to embrace social media and innovative content formats in ways that may have traditionally felt off-limits. While charity communications are often seen as serious, or “stuffy,” there’s no reason why they can’t be fun and engaging. Of course, sensitivity is key, but that doesn’t mean charities shouldn’t experiment with new approaches. New strategies may prove key in connecting with younger audiences in fresh and impactful ways that once seemed harder to achieve.
Charities have long been recognised for their commitment to important causes, but now, more than ever, they can use platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to tell stories that highlight their mission while engaging the audience in a way that feels relevant to their daily lives. By embracing social media and other new content formats, charities can break away from the traditional, often serious tone of their messaging and instead create content that speaks directly to the interests and attention spans of younger generations.
Real stories for real audience connections
For charities, balancing emotional storytelling with authenticity is key. It’s all about giving people ownership over their stories and how they’re shared. Real stories are crucial for forming meaningful connections with audiences. Charities, particularly those in sensitive areas like domestic abuse, may face challenges due to identification restrictions. However, in my experience, the power of a real story can still cut through – even when protective measures like pseudonyms are used. The story remains authentic, even if the name is different.
People don’t connect with rhetoric. They connect with other humans. Emotional connections are built through stories, not just words. By sharing lived experiences, charities can create authentic and relatable content which connects with people on a far deeper level.
Effective storytelling
In terms of measuring the effectiveness of storytelling, it’s all about momentum. When more people engage with a charity, it increases the organisation’s capacity to carry out its day-to-day mission. That mission has measurable deliverables, both quantitative and qualitative, that show the true effectiveness of storytelling campaigns.
Success is not just about donations – it’s about building a community of engaged individuals who are passionate about the cause. Metrics like increased donations, social media shares, and overall engagement show how well the message is resonating. But even more important is the feedback from supporters, volunteers, and beneficiaries, which helps charities understand how deeply their campaigns are impacting real change.
Innovative storytelling in action: Mind’s TikTok channel
A great example of innovative storytelling is Mind’s TikTok channel. The mental health charity has found a way to combine real-world references and relatable content with a fearless approach to challenging those in positions of power on the issues that matter most to their audience. It’s a great case study in how greater risk appetite can lead to even greater reward.
The evolution of charitable communications
The work of charities is grounded in people. Their communications need to reflect that. Tools like AI can be valuable in supporting their efforts, but real stories from real people should stay at the heart of every charity. Those are where real connections happen.
Join us in London at SocialDay’s Social Media Fest, 20-22 May, to hear from Tom Fishenden and other experts as they examine the public and charity sectors, and how to bring social value to social media. socialday.co.uk
