Summer can feel like a quiet season for nonprofits — but with the right strategy, it doesn’t have to be a slow one.

As temperatures rise and supporters’ routines shift, many organizations wonder if it’s even worth posting on social media during the summer months. But the truth is, staying visible and connected now can make a powerful difference when your fall campaigns roll around.

By creating a simple, thoughtful summer strategy, you can deepen relationships, experiment with new content ideas, and lay the groundwork for greater year-end success. 

Here’s why a summer game plan matters — and how you can build one that works for your team.

Why You Need a Summer Strategy

1. Avoid the "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" Trap

Even when audiences are vacationing or offline more often, disappearing completely from their feeds can hurt long-term engagement. Consistency builds trust. By showing up with light, valuable content during the summer, you remind your supporters that your mission is ongoing — and that they're a part of it.

2. Leverage the Slower Season to Experiment

With less pressure and fewer competing campaigns, summer is the perfect time to test new content formats. Try a short-form video series, interactive polls, or user-generated content challenges. The lower stakes allow you to gather insights that can strengthen your approach for busier seasons.

3. Prepare for a Stronger Fall

Momentum doesn’t happen overnight. By investing in audience engagement now, you’re priming your community to respond more enthusiastically when you launch major campaigns in the fall. Think of summer as your “soft launch” to build relationships and energy ahead of your biggest fundraising pushes.

5 Elements of a Summer Social Media Game Plan

If the idea of planning summer content feels overwhelming, good news: It doesn’t have to be complicated! Focus on these five elements to create a strategy that’s both effective and manageable:

1. Set a Seasonal Goal

What’s one thing you want to move forward this summer?

• Grow your email list?
• Boost registrations for an upcoming event?
• Increase awareness around a new initiative?

Choosing a simple, measurable goal helps guide your content choices and keeps your efforts focused.

2. Create a Content Series

Series give your audience something to look forward to — and they make content planning easier for you.
Try themes like:

• Meet the Team Mondays: Introduce staff, volunteers, or board members.
• Summer Impact Stories: Highlight the tangible difference your supporters are making.
• Supporter Spotlights: Feature community members or partners who help fuel your mission.

3. Reuse and Repackage Your Best Content

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Look at past high-performing posts, blogs, or videos, and find ways to repackage them:

• Turn a blog post into a series of quick LinkedIn carousels.
• Update old impact stories with fresh visuals.
• Reshare popular quotes or testimonials with new graphics.

4. Plan Lighter, Feel-Good Content

Summer is a great time to lean into positive, heartwarming content.
Share:

• Behind-the-scenes peeks at your staff or programs.
• Thank-you messages to donors and volunteers.
• Fun facts or milestones your organization is celebrating.
  
  

5. Schedule and Automate Wisely

Batch-create your posts ahead of time and use scheduling tools to maintain consistency without tying up your time. This way, you and your team can also take real breaks and enjoy the summer — without going silent online.

Quick Tips to Boost Summer Engagement

• Ask Questions: Use polls and questions to invite easy audience interaction.
• Run Mini-Challenges or Giveaways: Create simple, mission-related summer contests.
• Share Micro-Stories: Post quick updates or "mission moments" to keep supporters connected to your impact.

Small, consistent actions add up — and they keep your mission at the center of your audience's attention even during slower months.

Summer Success Sets You Up for Fall Impact

You don’t need an elaborate, multi-platform campaign to stay connected with your community this summer. A simple, intentional social media plan helps you stay visible, deepen relationships, and set the stage for bigger impact when the busy fall season arrives.

By showing up with consistency and heart — even when it feels like no one’s paying attention — you're building the kind of trust and momentum that fuels lasting change.

Summer isn’t a downtime. It’s your quiet advantage.

About the Author

Brynne is a social media strategist for NGOs and purpose-driven businesses.

Working with NGOs, thought leaders, and policymakers in DC for the last decade, she specializes in getting people to care about complex issues that might otherwise get ignored.

Her team at Cause Fokus uses empathy-based marketing to turn passive audiences into loyal advocates.