When it comes to animal shelters and rescues, Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms to use.

Shelters can easily communicate with their followers and inform them about the latest animal updates, donor needs, and forever home placements. It is also a great place for animal lovers to find shelter pets that need a home.

Social media is a natural fit for shelters

You may not realize it, but most commercial businesses pay a fortune for the ‘free’ exposure that shelters and animal rescues get from their accounts.

Shelters get that extra exposure because of the way Facebook works.

The most important thing to know about Facebook is that more interactions from followers will increase the reach of a post.

When people like or comment on particular posts, more of that content will show up in their friends’ newsfeeds. This is because Facebook uses an algorithm to promote posts that have higher interaction rates.

Luckily for animal shelters and animal rescue groups, animal posts tend to get a lot of attention. Cute cat and dog posts get a lot of likes and shares on social media. Stories about hurt or abandoned animals with happy endings are also popular.

Get more likes and shares with these tips

1. Post pictures or videos of the animals in your shelter or rescue. Posting photos or videos of the animals in your shelter or rescue can create a sense of attachment to the animals and help potential adopters feel more connected to your organization.

2. Post pictures or videos of happy adopters and their new pets. When it comes to pet adoption, a picture is worth a thousand words.

3. Specific requests perform better than generic requests. Asking for donations on behalf of a specific animal that is sick will get much more reaction than a generic ‘help the animals’ plea. Always include a photo and details about the animal. Provide updates on how the situation progresses. Don’t forget to hashtag!

The same goes when asking for specific items for supporters to donate.

4. Humor and honesty get more reactions on social media. Posting something funny, or admitting your faults or mistakes, can get more reactions. Had a rough day at the shelter? Someone get out of their cage? Let everyone know that not every day at the shelter is paradise.

5. Ask for advice. Everyone has an opinion (and many will share it whether you ask or not.) If you’re stuck on how to make your Facebook page more engaging and relevant, solicit feedback from your followers.They can help you brainstorm new ideas and improve the effectiveness of your posts by sharing their thoughts, insights, and experiences.

A few types of questions you can ask include:

• What is your favorite type of cat or dog, and why?
• How many pets do you have?
• What was your first pet?
• What types of treats do your pets like best?

Bonus Tip: Encourage your volunteers to post updates about their involvement on their own profiles, and by tagging the shelter or rescue on posts related to animals.

Animal shelters and rescues must continually communicate with the public in order to be successful. Facebook is a great tool to show off animals for adoption, tell people about your organization, and let followers know about fundraisers and events.

Fun and happy posts open the door for more serious messaging to break through to followers. Keep a balance between informative/fun/promotional posts, and your followers will end up seeing the majority of your content without you needing to spend a dollar!