Do you run a nonprofit organization? If yes, stumbling upon this article will prove to be quite informative. You may be missing out on the enormous possibilities nonprofit digital marketing provides.
It can be tricky when it comes to knowing how to market nonprofits. The reality is many charities work with stringent budgets. Money comes from donors towards causes, not marketing. Yet, the fact is that nonprofits need to generate awareness to get people to donate.
Online marketing for nonprofits provides a robust and powerful way to achieve this. Post-pandemic statistics show an increase in digital marketing for nonprofits. 65% of marketers accelerated the use of such strategies to increase engagement. In 2018, 50% of nonprofit website traffic came from tablets and mobiles.
Let’s explore the impact of digital marketing on the growth of nonprofit organizations.
Increase Brand Awareness
The strength of digital marketing lies in its power to reach a broad audience base. All you need are simple yet effective digital marketing for nonprofit strategies. The benefits to the organization include:-
- Attracting funding from well-wishers who are critical to the success of the organization
- Awareness creation by opening up the nonprofit to global audiences. There is no limitation in accessibility or time
- The ability to engage, inform and educate with the right nonprofit digital strategy
- Better online visibility with nonprofit digital marketing
- A chance to create authority and credibility amongst target audiences.
Please ensure to follow the proper steps when creating a digital marketing strategy for nonprofits. This includes:-
- Establishing clear goals of what you hope to achieve for the organization. That should tie in with the points above. Make sure you have clear metrics in place. You will need them to measure the success of the digital marketing campaign.
- Identifying your target audience through proper research
- Creating key messages that will resonate with the target audiences. Remember, you are not selling a tangible product or service. The donor does not get anything in return for what they give to the organization. Thus, you must show value by appealing to the emotions of the target audience.
- Spread the word about the organization with the right digital strategy for nonprofits.
Do you know that 55% of social media users who engage with nonprofits will take some positive steps? 59% will donate cash and 53% will volunteer their time. 52% will donate items or food while 43% will attend a nonprofit organization related function. So, don’t ignore the power of digital marketing to your charity.
Establish Industry Authority and Credibility
The nonprofit sector shares a lot of similarities with for-profit organizations. The reality is that there is a lot of competition. Many other nonprofit organizations are targeting the same audience as you. That is why nonprofit online marketing is becoming more popular.
But, it is important to be strategic to break above the clutter. Your nonprofit website is a powerful tool that can help with this step. Remember, many people will do research before donating to charities. And one of the first places they get information is the nonprofit website.
Take advantage of nonprofit SEO Tactics to ensure good rankings on the search engines. These include:-
- Relevant, focused content that is engaging and informative
- High page speeds
- High authority backlinks
- Good page experience like easy navigation
- Mobile Optimization
- Page security
- Targeted keywords
- Local SEO, etc.
Correct implementation of the SEO tactics will drive organic traffic to your website. Remember, 93% of online experiences will start on search engines. Search engines are responsible for up to 300% more traffic to websites than what you get from social media platforms. You will also establish authority and credibility in the industry.
Cost-Saving Aspect
Nonprofit organizations cannot compete in the analog advertising landscape. As we said, the dependence on donor funding restricts budgetary availability. But nonprofit digital marketing can be free or requires minimal spending. Platforms like websites and social media are free.
Even if you decide to spend on advertising, there is greater control over the budget. With very little money, it is possible to get a lot of exposure. The organization can focus its efforts on brand-building and awareness creation. The result is more people know about the nonprofit. Organization. With the right messaging, fundraising and getting donations becomes easier.
Better Adaptability
Organizations, including nonprofits, must adapt to changing behaviors of modern audiences. With the internet and technological innovations, analog media is less prevalent. Think about it, how often do you buy a newspaper, for instance? We can bet the answer is not very often. Why should you when all the news is available on your internet-connected devices?
Like any other, nonprofit organizations must adapt, so they do not lose touch. A solid nonprofit digital marketing strategy must take into consideration such factors. So, if your target audience is on social media, go there. Share relevant, engaging content that is sure to generate interest.
Keep up with engagement by responding to comments, sharing, liking, and retweeting. You will have a robust feedback system. One that will give invaluable insights into what the target audiences think and want.
You also get a place that allows for real-time communication. Constant and continuous communication will be a powerful tool for building long-term relationships.
Stand Out From Peers
We already hinted at the amount of competition in the nonprofit sector. True, it may not be competitive in the strict sense of capitalism. But the point is clear. The nonprofit must find a way to stand out to attract donors. And online marketing for nonprofits provides an effective way to stand out.
- Location-based marketing lets you go right to where the target audience is. Take the example of geofencing to reach supporters using geographic data.
- Text fundraising utilizes mobile device capabilities to reach supporters. It removes dependence on digital platforms. Thus, you can avoid the clutter of avenues like social media.
- Google for Nonprofits avails Google Ad Grants of up to $10,000 advertising value.
- Email marketing allows for direct targeting right into the stakeholders’ inboxes. This increases the open rates, thus, higher chances of recipients getting your communication.
Nonprofit digital marketing increases convenience in getting donations. Take the example of YouTube for Nonprofits. It allows the organization to collect right from the platform. You only need to embed the donation button on your channel. It helps avoid inconveniencing donors by redirecting them to another site to donate.
Facebook fundraising is another example. A 2021 report shows that people raised $5b through Facebook donation tools. The social media platform has also released tools that non-profit organizations can use to maximize their efforts.
By ensuring smooth processes, the organization can create a seamless experience. All this can have a significant impact on how much you collect in donations.
Final Thoughts
Online marketing for nonprofits is convenient, practical, and cost-saving. The organization has access to a broad audience base. Work on developing proper messaging and strategies. Now sit back and watch the impact of nonprofit digital marketing. One thing is for sure, it will elevate the organization to new heights.
