For many charity teams, you will be deep in the throes of finalising the all-important Christmas campaigns which raise millions for the sector every year. But have you thought about how you’re going to moderate the increase in activity?

Spoiler alert, Social AF does not believe that all your donors want to be ignored. In fact, every time we see feeds of excited donors being left on read, we shed another tear. So if you’re planning an online campaign and haven’t given this a thought yet, read on

Prepare

• Anticipate higher traffic: Christmas campaigns often generate more activity, so ensure you have enough moderators to handle the increased volume of comments and messages. Review past activity, performance and resources, and plot these findings against what you’re doing this year. Spot the gaps in your calendar and plan accordingly. Engage with a moderation agency early on if you think there are gaps you cannot fill internally.
• Adapt your answer bank: Ensure you have answers for questions linked to your campaign, have easy-to-access links, defined escalation procedures and a well-defined process to address any technical issues. 
• Prepare for potential issues: Despite the best planning, things can go wrong. Have a crisis management plan in place, with clear steps for how to handle a social media backlash, negative press, or unexpected technical issues.

Protect your community like a pro

• Block scammers: We often see a spike in scams over Christmas. These include fake donation links, ticket sales, merch and phishing attempts. Even the all-curing magic herb sales seem to increase at Christmas. Be vigilant and be online often. 
• Address and manage negativity quickly: Be prepared to address any negativity, including complaints or off-topic discussions, and guide the conversation back to the campaign’s goals. Remember to utilise the hide and block functions for comments which do not serve you.

Engage and THANK

• Respond to positive contributions:  Please, please do not let people go unthanked when they’ve stated they’ve donated to your online campaign. We know that letters or emails may come after, but they’ve gone out of their way to donate and comment, the least you can do is acknowledge it. Ideally, this will come in the form of a written thank you, but depending on resources even a ‘love’ or a ‘care’ reaction will leave a better impression. Personal responses can make participants feel valued and encourage further engagement.

Monitor and utilise data to make adjustments

• Monitor Trends: Keep an eye on the types of interactions occurring, and use data to adjust your strategy in real time. If a particular post is gaining traction, ensure you have enough moderators to manage the increased engagement. Equally, if the messaging is falling flat or causing wider problems do something about it. 
• Analyse Sentiment: Use tools to gauge the sentiment of comments and messages. If the overall mood shifts, be prepared to pivot your content or messaging to address concerns or reinforce positivity.
• Review organic activity: Christmas campaigns often attract media attention. Be ready to moderate comments that might arise from external coverage away from your campaign feeds.

Celebrate successes

• Thank your supporters…again: As the campaign draws to a close, consider adding a collective thank you comment to your ad to share the current status of the campaign. A heartfelt message can strengthen relationships and set the stage for future campaigns.

If you would like any help with social media moderation Social AF can help. Social AF’s Social Media Moderation service can be utilised for paid-ad campaigns, organic page content, Facebook Challenge marketing and emergency cover.

We can provide moderation on a full-time or out-of-hours basis (Monday to Friday 5 pm until 9 pm, Saturday to Sunday 9 am until 9 pm) and work with charity partners to define the most appropriate timeframe.  

Our team of experienced comms professionals will protect your brand reputation, enhance your ROI and increase positive engagement by building authentic relationships with the public. So if resource is a concern for you, or if you’re keen to make an investment designed to improve outcomes, get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.