STRATEGY
At Skigital, we know the importance of a strategic marketing plan.
SEO
Having a website is important and equally important is getting people to the website.
DESIGN
Make sure those first few seconds make a huge impact with great design.
BRANDING
We find out the key components of your business and translate that into sales.
SOCIAL
Think of social media sites as electronic word of mouth that allows users to feel connected.
CONTENT
Create and share valuable content to attract and convert prospects into customers.
STRATEGY
At Skigital, we know the importance of a strategic marketing plan.
SEO
Having a website is important and equally important is getting people to the website.
DESIGN
Make sure those first few seconds make a huge impact with great design.
BRANDING
We find out the key components of your business and translate that into sales.
SOCIAL
Think of social media sites as electronic word of mouth that allows users to feel connected.
CONTENT
Create and share valuable content to attract and convert prospects into customers.
Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines
SOCIAL MEDIA CASE STUDY
Overview
Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines is the oldest non-profit horse sanctuary in the United States, founded in 1888 and dedicated to providing lifelong care to aged, abused, and injured horses.
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With more than 350 horses on its waiting list and a mission rooted in compassion, transparency, and education, Ryerss serves both retired companions and rescues brought in by organizations such as the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and the Large Animal Protection Society (LAPS).
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Their audience includes donors, volunteers, equine enthusiasts, and community members who want to support ethical, lifelong animal care. Their longevity, mission, and commitment to humane treatment set them apart in the nonprofit space.
The Challenge
Ryerss Farm partnered with Skigital to elevate its social media presence. Their goal was to reach beyond the community and share their mission and the emotional connection the people felt towards their residents.
The farm wanted to:
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Show the daily lives of their horses
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Highlight their mission in a modern, engaging way
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Increase visibility to attract donors, volunteers, and supporters
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Build a sustainable content rhythm that didn’t overwhelm their small team
Their TikTok account had potential but needed some help growing.
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The Strategy
Skigital developed a clear, repeatable TikTok strategy centered around authenticity, education, and emotional storytelling.
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1. Daily Life Content
Focused on simple, heartwarming moments that give viewers a window into sanctuary life.
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By showcasing the unique personalities of individual horses and the tender care they receive from staff, we created authentic content that resonated with animal lovers and advocates alike.
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2. Mission-Driven Storytelling
Highlighted the farm’s history, values, and unique position as the oldest nonprofit horse sanctuary in the country. Posts like “Oldest Non-Profit Horse Sanctuary in the USA” became top performers.
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3. Strategic Posting Cadence
Established a consistent schedule of 4 videos per month, ensuring steady engagement without overwhelming the team.
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4. High-Impact Content Themes
We rotated through proven categories:
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Daily life
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Fun facts
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Volunteer and team highlights
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Event promotions
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Educational moments about rescue and care
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5. Trend-Aligned Nonprofit Content
We leveraged national holidays and nonprofit-relevant dates – leading to major spikes in reach, including the standout National Nonprofit Day post.
Execution
Our team built a streamlined workflow:
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Monthly content planning
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On-site content capture guidance
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Editing optimized for TikTok’s algorithm
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Captions crafted for storytelling + discoverability
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Strategic use of trending audio when appropriate
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Monitoring performance to refine future content
We optimized each video for retention, clarification, and emotional resonance – the key drivers of nonprofit success on TikTok.
Highlights & Supporting Data
Ryerss Farm experienced major, sustained TikTok growth after implementing Skigital’s mission-driven content strategy. The results show clear momentum, consistent engagement, and strong alignment between storytelling and audience behavior.
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Ryerss Farm’s TikTok following grew by over 100%+ in one year, reflecting a strong response to mission-aligned storytelling.
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Total annual growth reached +107%, showing that consistent, authentic content drove sustained momentum rather than short-term spikes.
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Quarterly growth continued at +16.4% in Q1, proving the strategy remained effective beyond the initial rollout.
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Engagement increased across all metrics, with more likes, comments, shares, and saves as viewers connected emotionally with the horses and the sanctuary’s mission.
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Mission-driven posts created the largest reach surges, especially heritage-focused and nonprofit-aligned content.
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The National Nonprofit Day post generated the biggest single-day follower spike, contributing a significant percentage of that month’s total growth.
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Overall performance demonstrated that authenticity, education, and emotional resonance can dramatically expand a nonprofit’s visibility and deepen community engagement.
Business Impact
The growth on TikTok strengthened Ryerss Farm’s ability to:
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Reach new supporters and donors
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Increase awareness of their mission
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Highlight adoptable sponsorship opportunities
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Recruit volunteers
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Build long-term community engagement
A stronger social presence directly supports their ability to care for more horses and expand their impact.
Conclusion
Ryerss Farm’s TikTok growth shows what’s possible when mission-driven storytelling meets consistent, strategic content. By focusing on authenticity, education, and the emotional connection people feel towards the residents, Skigital helped transform their social media presence into a powerful tool for awareness and community engagement.
The results speak for themselves: steady follower growth, viral moments tied to meaningful content, and a stronger digital foundation that supports their long-term mission. As Ryerss continues to care for horses in their golden years, their social platforms now reflect the heart, history, and impact of the sanctuary – and give supporters a front-row seat to the daily lives of the herd.
