Let’s face it: people spend hours scrolling social feeds. Why not turn that scroll into a shelter-to-home journey? Our 2024 National Foster Survey spotlights social media as a powerhouse for foster recruitment. Here’s how to post smarter—and fill more foster homes faster.
Shelters that ramp up their social media activity see real results: high activity organizations posting 10 or more times per week place a median of 350 pets in foster care, while low activity shelters posting just 0–4 times manage only 151 placements. Those hitting a middle ground of 5–9 posts weekly fall in between, with about 210 pets placed. Consistency pays off—when you show up regularly in your community’s feed, your community shows up for your pets. While this survey was specific to foster programs, it’s possible that the activity could affect placements overall, including adoption.
The survey analyzed not just how often organizations post on social media, but how frequently they mention fostering—and the results are striking. Organizations that didn’t mention fostering at all in a week had a median of 130 pets placed. Those that mentioned fostering just once or twice a week placed a median of 266 pets and organizations that mentioned fostering three or more times a week saw that number jump to 326. The key takeaway? It’s not just about posting regularly—it’s about consistently weaving foster messaging into your content.
Take a moment to audit your current cadence: can you increase from four posts per week to seven? More importantly, track your Foster Mention Index—how many of those posts directly highlight foster care? Organizations that frequently mention fostering tend to place more pets, and the more often you talk about it, the more likely your audience is to act.
“You should be talking about fostering all the time on your social media,” says Finnegan Dowling, Shelter Program and Engagement Manager for Mutual Rescue. “And there’s so many different ways.”
Speaking of those ways, it’s not just about how often you post—it’s about what you say. Here are some ideas for foster-friendly content that sparks action:
- Real-time foster features: “Meet Milo—he’s snoozing in a foster home this week! Want a short-term foster adventure?”
- Behind the scenes stories: Show the messy, funny, heartwarming moments of a day in foster care.
- Multi-photo carousel posts: feature a small group of similar pets who are or were in foster care, with a quote about them from each of their fosters
- Available for adoption or foster: Featuring a pet for adoption who’s also a candidate for foster? Mention it! Link directly to your foster interest form with each post.
Remember, social media is just one piece of the puzzle. It should complement other foster recruitment strategies like email campaigns, in-shelter signage, staff and volunteer engagement and community outreach. Used together, these efforts can help you unlock your community’s biggest untapped resource: their hearts and homes.