What if your nonprofit doesn't need to post more, it just needs to post better?
Nonprofits are constantly told they need to be more active on social media. Post consistently. Create more Reels. Follow the trends. Keep feeding the algorithm.
But what if doing more isn't actually the answer?
In this episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia sits down with Reuben Harney, founder of Motus Reach, to challenge the idea that nonprofits need to constantly create content to succeed on social media.
Reuben shares his philosophy of “posting less, but better” and explains why focusing on real people, real stories, and meaningful outcomes can create stronger engagement without adding more work to already-busy nonprofit teams.
Drawing from his work with Family First, a Jersey-based charity, Reuben shares how a more focused and sustainable social media strategy helped increase engagement while reducing the organization's content workload.
We talk about how nonprofits can uncover compelling stories within the work they're already doing, collect testimonials without overwhelming staff, and turn those stories into content that inspires supporters to actually take action.
We also dig into the difference between engagement that simply looks good and engagement that genuinely advances the mission—and why nonprofits should stop posting simply because they feel like they have to.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- Why posting more doesn't necessarily lead to better social media results
- The difference between being active on social media and having an actual social media strategy
- Why real names and real stories can be more powerful than generic impact statistics
- How to find compelling nonprofit stories without creating more work for staff
- How to gather testimonials while respecting the people your organization serves
- Why a sustainable content strategy can outperform an aggressive posting schedule
- How to connect storytelling with fundraising and supporter action
- Which social media metrics nonprofits should actually pay attention to
- How to distinguish engagement that looks impressive from engagement that actually moves your mission forward
- What small nonprofits can realistically accomplish with limited time and resources
- What nonprofits should stop doing on social media
- How to build a content strategy around impact instead of algorithms
A Few Key Takeaways
You don't have to be everywhere.
Being constantly active on social media isn't the same thing as having a strategy. For nonprofits with limited time and resources, a smaller number of thoughtful, strategic posts can be more effective than trying to keep up with an endless content schedule.
People connect with people.
Numbers can communicate scale, but individual stories can help supporters understand the human impact behind those numbers. Reuben's approach centers on real people and real stories to help organizations communicate their impact more meaningfully.
The best content doesn't have to create more work.
Nonprofits already have stories happening every day. The challenge is creating simple systems that allow program staff to capture those moments naturally instead of making communications teams constantly chase down content.
Engagement isn't the end goal.
Likes and comments can feel good, but nonprofits ultimately need supporters to take meaningful action. The goal is to connect storytelling to what you want people to do—whether that's donate, volunteer, share, subscribe, or simply pay attention.
About Reuben Harney
Reuben Harney runs Motus Reach, a social media management agency that works exclusively with charities.
His approach focuses on real names, real stories, and posting less but better. Through his work with Family First, a Jersey-based charity, Reuben grew their engagement by 272% in under five months while developing a streamlined content strategy designed to increase engagement and support without creating an unsustainable workload for the nonprofit team.
He works with a small number of charities at a time, helping organizations communicate their impact, build trust, and make it easier for supporters to understand and act on their mission.
Learn more: MotusReach.com
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