Worthy vs. Cringeworthy: Social Media Influencers and Nonprofits

June 2026

Cringe vs. Sincere: Influencers Who Give

Credit: Bravo TV

Ciara Miller

Anyone who’s ever had an Instagram account knows that social media suffers from a dearth of authenticity. Celebrities, influencers and even your own friends are selling something — their lifestyle, a product or the idea that their life is somehow better than it is. But there are opportunities for nonprofits to combine forces with influencers to produce sincere, engaging content that reaches new audiences.

Collaborations with influencers run the risk of being labelled “cringe” and inauthentic, which can be avoided by being thoughtful about the individual you choose and their audience. MrBeast, for example, makes YouTube content about his own philanthropic work — but with mixed reactions. On the other hand, Summer House’s Ciara Miller made a splash when she redirected her audience to donate to the Girl Scouts instead of commenting on a recent scandal.

One of the main differences between these two examples is their approach. MrBeast favors flashy, expensive donations and international projects, while Ciara chose a cause close to her heart. Donors are more inspired by personal connections and stories — because they want to help people, not boost someone’s brand.

Authenticity Leads to Nonprofit Influence

Photo illustration by Caroline Hughes/DragonImages

Successful influencer campaigns for nonprofits hinge on choosing the right influencer at the right time.

The right influencer for your nonprofit will have dedicated followers who are aware of the issue your organization addresses, and content that aligns with your mission. You would not, for example, hire a fast fashion influencer to speak about an environmental nonprofit’s work.

The best influencer will be an individual who could also be a member of your target audience.

They should be someone who:

  • Lives in the area your organization operates
  • Is or could be affected by your nonprofit’s work
  • Is the same age as your target demographic
  • Regularly posts about the issue your nonprofit addresses

Like any other strategy, an influencer campaign should be tied to strong messaging and guided by clear goals. The ultimate goal of an influencer campaign is for your nonprofit to become an influencer itself.

Remember the days when you could say something clever on Twitter or Facebook and it would spread like ripples from a pebble you tossed into a pond? Get over it. Those days are gone and they’re not coming back. The social media system no longer is a pond, and it takes more than a pebble to make an impression.

Momentum’s social media guru, Davin Turkewitz, says if your nonprofit seeks influence, then use influencers. He explains:

“Influencer partnerships don’t just improve social media performance; they also support tangible organizational goals, including one that’s notoriously hard to tackle on social media — driving donations. Creators mobilize audiences quickly around your campaign, and if they’re in line with your mission, they already have an audience sympathetic to your cause.”

Learn more here from Davin’s blog.