2. Use hashtags relevant to your cause.

One useful aspect of Instagram for philanthropies is the #hashtag. The app uses hashtags to categorize topics and allows up to 30 different tags on each post. While we don’t recommend you use this many tags, consistently using hashtags has a positive correlation to the number of likes and comments on a post and the number of followers your organization has. Users can monitor popular hashtags and find your posts via those links. Vice versa, your nonprofit can also observe what hashtags followers often use and employ the most popular ones in its own posts.

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Nonprofits can also utilize hashtags to crowdsource images, raise cause awareness and increase donations. Hosting an event? Have followers use a hashtag with their pictures. You can later crowdsource those pictures using the hashtag to create a slideshow, respond to posts or print the pictures out to showcase. If you want a specific mission to take flight, attach a hashtag to it and followers can see similar posts within the cause and join in. Finally, increase your fundraising by using a hashtag to encourage giving. Check out how DoSomething.org used Instagram hashtags to promote their gun-free college campus campaign.