Illinois Association of Museums - Social Media Secrets for Attracting Quality Museum Volunteers

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Social Media Secrets for Attracting Quality Museum Volunteers

13 May 2025 7:06 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

By: David Bellm, Illinois Association of Museums Volunteer

Recruiting volunteers has always been an important challenge for museums. Fortunately, today’s digital platforms make the task far easier than it used to be. No matter what type of volunteer you’re looking for, the job of reaching potential candidates is vastly more efficient using today’s many social media platforms.

But, like most tools, there are ways to use them more effectively. This is especially important in the process of recruiting volunteers. Museums looking to reach potential volunteers now compete with more distractions than ever, as people of all ages are more saturated during both their free time and working hours. It takes the right approach to cut through the media clutter that bombards most people, so you can reach the individuals you’d like to see lending a hand to your organization.

With that in mind, here are some terrific ways museums can use social media to more effectively recruit volunteers.

Choose the Right Platform

Each platform has its own unique audience and specializes in particular types of media. You’ll get the best results by choosing platforms that are most likely to attract the types of volunteers you’re looking for, while also aligning with the kinds of content you’re most comfortable creating.

For example, Instagram tends to attract a relatively young audience, and the platform is built primarily around photos and other visual media. TikTok is similar in that regard but focuses on lively, short videos. In contrast to these two, Facebook has a somewhat more mature audience, and the platform allows a wider range of content types, including short videos that are similar to those on TikTok.

Although it’s beyond the scope of this article to give a detailed rundown of the pros and cons of all the different social media platforms, such information is easy to find online. Take some time to get to know the strengths of each platform, and choose ones that give you the best combination of attributes for your purposes.

And remember, you don’t need to post on all social media platforms. In fact, trying to use too many at once can dilute your efforts to the point where you don’t have a strong presence on any of them. Experts recommend choosing just two or three platforms that align well with your goals and can accommodate the types of content that suit your organization.

Tell Stories

Human beings are genetically wired to respond to stories, so it’s a proven, effective way to capture people’s attention. Stories make it easier for potential volunteers to relate to your organization and picture themselves being a part of it. Authentic, behind-the-scenes content like this is an excellent way to show what volunteers are doing and celebrate their efforts.

And don’t fret over whether you have anything worth turning into a story. Any project or event that involves volunteers is a potential story to support your recruiting efforts. In particular, focus on the different types of volunteers involved, how they contribute, and what they enjoy about working with the museum.

Emphasize the WIIFM (“What’s In It for Me?”)

Although many people have specific benefits in mind when they consider volunteering for a museum, it often helps to connect the dots and really drive home what people will get out of the experience. This can be the tipping point that gets potential volunteers past their initial reservations about giving their time, enabling them to justify sacrificing other things to get involved.

To that end, one particularly strong benefit to emphasize is any potential career benefits, such as résumé building, networking opportunities, and skill development. Then top that off with things like free admission to events, discounts, and behind-the-scenes access to exhibits — all of which can be powerful incentives for volunteering. Then put the cherry on top with nice little details like that free hoodie volunteers get.

Focus on the Fun

Although volunteers do a lot of work, there’s usually plenty of fun to be had as well. Museum volunteer opportunities naturally attract groups of like-minded individuals engaged in collaborative activities, so socializing and camaraderie are built into the experience. This aspect of volunteering can be an extremely powerful draw, so it should definitely be a foundational element of your recruiting efforts.

Start by continually sharing candid photos of happy volunteers laughing, working together, and celebrating. This type of positive energy consistently featured in your social media can really jump-start your recruiting efforts. And while you’re at it, encourage your volunteers to post their own photos too, so your audience gets the story from multiple sources.

Highlight the Difference Volunteers Make

While there are a wide variety of reasons why people volunteer, everyone wants to know they’re contributing to something worthwhile and making a difference. So don’t be shy about sharing the contributions your volunteers are making and the overall effect they’re having. This can be done in practically any type of media, including photos, videos, and story-based posts.

Start by sharing specific ways volunteers are helping the museum become more successful — welcoming guests, assisting with programming, sharing their knowledge with families, and more. Then expand by showing how volunteers are serving the local community through efforts such as educational outreach, accessibility initiatives, and local collaborations.

And don’t forget, like most things in social media, a good picture is worth a thousand words — or more. Make visuals a key element in this kind of storytelling.

Show How the Museum Appreciates Volunteers

Volunteering can, of course, provide a wide array of rich rewards. But when you get right down to it, the job is still ultimately unpaid work. And that’s why it’s especially important for museums to show volunteers that the gift of their time and effort is very much appreciated.

Ideally, your social media should show gratitude as much as recruitment. Fortunately, there are practically unlimited ways to do so. You can post photos from volunteer appreciation events. Or set up a recurring series of appreciation features, such as a Volunteer of the Month. And don’t forget shout-outs for volunteers’ birthdays, accomplishments, and milestones.

Collaborate With Others

One of the best ways to amplify your reach in any social media effort is by teaming up with other like-minded people and organizations. By doing so, you not only bring your message to a wider audience, you also get a boost in credibility that comes from the endorsement of someone your audience respects.

Start by looking for local influencers who align with your organization’s mission. Invite them to the museum, encourage them to volunteer for a day and share the experience with their followers. Also team up with schools and colleges that are a good fit for your museum’s subject matter. Collaborate with them to highlight the career-related benefits of your organization. And don’t forget local community organizations. Local nonprofits, service clubs, and other groups can be a rich resource of experienced volunteers.

Post Regularly

Consistency is one of the most important elements of any communications program, and it’s especially vital when trying to recruit volunteers via social media. If you post only sporadically, or only when you’re in dire need of volunteers, you risk missing strong potential candidates simply because they missed the relatively brief window you were posting about it.

Aim for at least four posts a week, and mix up the different types of media and styles of posts. Doing this keeps your museum and your volunteer program top of mind with your audience. It also establishes your museum as reliable and active in the community.

Don’t Forget to Ask

When focusing on all the various elements of social media, it’s easy to overlook one of the most fundamental techniques for recruiting volunteers. And this technique happens to be one of the most effective of all — asking for volunteers!

If you continue posting content highlighting volunteers without actually asking people to sign up, many potential volunteers may assume that all the volunteer slots are taken and your museum doesn’t need any more help. So tell your audience regularly about the volunteer positions your museum needs. And don’t beat around the bush. Direct calls to action make your intentions clear. For example, “We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers for our upcoming family day! Interested? Click the link in bio to apply!”

And that brings us to our final point.

Make It as Easy as Possible to Apply

We live in a busy world, and most people struggle to find time to get everything done each day. So, respect their time by removing as much friction as possible from the volunteer application process. Always be sure to add a link to your volunteer application in your bio and posts, and make any forms as clear, quick, and easy as possible.

The initial signup can be as simple as a checkbox that says, “I’d like to volunteer! Please contact me,” and then a field for an email address or phone number. This minimal approach can help remove any hesitation people may have about jumping in and getting involved. From there, it’s up to you. Contact the person quickly and keep things moving.

Final Thoughts

Many organizations think of social media primarily as a tool for promotion, but it can and should be much more than that. When it comes to attracting new volunteers, these platforms are a powerful tool that’s unrivaled among recruiting methods. By using social media to build community, spark inspiration, and invite your enthusiastic audience to be part of your museum’s story, you can build a highly effective, deeply engaged volunteer force that can work wonders.

Sources:

VolunteerMatch – “How To Recruit Volunteers Using Social Media”

https://blogs.volunteermatch.org/how-to-recruit-volunteers-using-social-media

Soapbox Engage – “6 Social Media Best Practices for Engaging More Volunteers”

https://www.soapboxengage.com/blog/2098-6-social-media-best-practices-for-engaging-more-volunteers

Constant Contact – “Engage, Inform, Recruit: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media to Recruit Volunteers”

https://www.constantcontact.com/blog/social-media-to-recruit-volunteers

Media Cause – “Social Media Best Practices for Nonprofits: A Comprehensive Guide”

https://mediacause.com/social-media-best-practices-for-nonprofits

Wild Apricot – “The Ultimate Social Media Guide for Nonprofits”

https://www.wildapricot.com/blog/social-media-guide-for-nonprofits

Feathr – “Building a Nonprofit Social Media Strategy: 5 Steps and Tips”