In today’s distracted world, nonprofits compete for attention like never before. Which means that sticking to old-school marketing is a surefire way to watch your donations slip away while missing out on an entire generation of potential donors.
Instead, leveraging proven digital marketing strategies and tips, your nonprofit can accelerate growth and create a community of supporters. Instead of navigating new platforms and algorithms on your own, we’ve created a guide to enhance visibility and drive donor engagement.
The result?
You speak to donors where they spend most of their time, make it easy to take the next step and build an active team of people who share your organization’s mission with their audience. One day, one message at a time.
Let’s dive in.
Marketing Tip #1: Clearly Define Goals & KPIs
Setting specific goals gives your marketing strategy direction and purpose. When you know exactly what success looks like, you can measure progress and fine-tune your efforts to reach your targets faster. With testing a key to long-term marketing results, your goals act as a ‘North Star’ to keep your team focused and on track.
Nonprofit Marketing Action Steps
1. Identify Objectives. Outline 2-3 specific, measurable goals, such as “increase online donations by 20% in the next quarter” or “gain 500 new newsletter subscribers within six months.”
2. Set KPIs. To measure success, choose metrics like website visits, email open rates, social media engagement, or donation page conversions.
3. Define Timelines. Set deadlines for each goal to track progress and hold your team accountable.
4. Leverage Data. Integrate tools like Google Analytics to monitor your KPIs and adjust your tactics.
Marketing Tip #2: Tell Compelling, Narrative-Driven Stories
The key to standing out? Striking an emotional cord that turns passive scrollers into active supporters. When people
can relate to their donations’ real-life impact, they’re more likely to engage, share, and contribute to your cause. Ensure every piece of content tells a story.
Nonprofit Marketing Action Steps
1. Create a Content Calendar. Plan a weekly schedule for blogs, social media posts, emails, and videos to ensure a consistent flow of content.
2. Highlight Success Stories. Gather testimonials from those who have benefited from your cause. Share these stories on your website, social media, and newsletters.
3. Use Visuals Wisely. Pair stories with photos, infographics, or short videos to make them more engaging.
4. Add Clear CTAs. At the end of each piece, include a clear call-to-action, such as “Donate Now,” “Join Our Newsletter,” or “Volunteer Today.” Be clear and specific, and include more than you think is required.
Marketing Tip #3: Optimize Your Website For Conversions
Most nonprofit websites are leaving donations on the table. From cluttered user experiences to overly creative design that works against them, it’s a problem. Instead, a clean, user-friendly website leaves a positive impression and makes it simple for visitors to take action. The more seamless the experience, the more likely they are to donate.
Nonprofit Marketing Action Steps
1. Easy Navigation. Ensure key sections (About Us, Donate, Volunteer, Contact) are accessible from the homepage. Use straightforward labels and a clean menu design.
2. Speedy, Mobile-Friendly Design. Test your website’s loading speed and mobile responsiveness using tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test. Optimize images and compress files to improve loading times.
3. Prominent CTAs. Add buttons like “Donate Now” or “Subscribe” on every page. Ensure forms are short and straightforward to encourage conversions.
4. Ongoing Testing. Use A/B testing tools to experiment with different landing page designs, CTAs, and content to determine what combination of designs and copywriting are performing best.
Marketing Tip #4: Leverage Email Marketing
While social media platforms control who sees your nonprofit’s content, email marketing lets you communicate directly with your audience. Get this right, and you’ll develop an ongoing relationship with email subscribers who look forward to reading (and sharing) your email content while boosting donations.
Nonprofit Marketing Action Steps
1. Segment Your List. Group contacts into segments like donors, volunteers, event attendees, and newsletter subscribers. Use a tool like Mailchimp or Constant Contact for easy segmentation.
2. Use Personalization. Address each recipient by first name and tailor the content to their interests or previous interactions with your nonprofit.
3. Automate Campaigns. Set up automated email sequences for new subscribers, donors, or volunteers to keep them engaged. For example, send a welcome email, followed by impact stories, and then a call-to-action to donate.
4. Track Performance. Monitor open rates, click-through rates, and conversions to optimize future emails. Adjust subject lines, content, or CTAs based on what performs best.
Marketing Tip #4: Use Video Marketing to Boost Reach
There’s a reason nearly every social media platform has prioritized video. Video content is dynamic and memorable, helping you convey your mission’s impact in a way words alone can’t. It’s a proven method to boost engagement, drive traffic, and motivate people to take action.
Nonprofit Marketing Action Steps
1. Plan a Video Schedule. Aim for at least one short video per month. Start with behind-the-scenes footage, event recaps, or personal stories of those impacted by your work.
2. Invest in Quality. While professional videography is great, smartphone videos can also be powerful. Focus on clear audio, good lighting, and authentic storytelling.
3. Repurpose Like a Pro. Share videos across your website, YouTube, social media, and in email newsletters. Break down longer videos into short clips for social media teasers.
4. Include CTAs. Add a clear call-to-action in the video and description, such as “Donate Now” or “Learn More on Our Website.”
Marketing Tip #6: Implement Google Ad Grants
Google Ad Grants allow you to reach a wider audience without a hefty marketing budget. By bidding on relevant keywords, you can drive more targeted traffic to your site, increasing the chances of conversion.
Nonprofit Marketing Action Steps
1. Apply for Google Ad Grants. If you haven’t yet done so, apply for the program at google.com/grants.
2. Choose Relevant Keywords. Use the Google Keyword Planner to identify terms related to your cause that have a decent search volume but aren’t overly competitive.
3. Create Compelling Ads. Write concise ads with a clear call-to-action, linking to relevant landing pages on your website.
4. Monitor and Adjust. Regularly review the performance of your ads. Adjust bids, add new keywords, and refine ad copy based on what’s generating clicks and conversions.
Marketing Tip #7: Host Virtual Events and Webinars
Virtual events allow you to engage your community and showcase your mission without geographic limits. They’re a great way to build relationships, educate supporters, and drive donations. By using all of the strategies above, you can hit all-time registration highs and increase conversions when you make a donation pitch.
Nonprofit Marketing Action Steps
1. Choose a Platform. Use Zoom, Facebook Live, or YouTube Live to host virtual events.
2. Promote Across Channels. Announce the event at least two weeks ahead of the event through your website, social media, and email campaigns.
3. Use a Landing Page. Create a landing page where attendees can register, providing their email for future updates and engagement. Landing pages differ from websites since they minimize distractions and promote one offer.
4. Automate Engagement. Send a thank-you email post-event, including a recap video or key takeaways. Include a CTA to donate, volunteer, or join your next event.
5. Leverage your audience. Create templates and emails that your audience can customize to post on their social media channels or email lists.
Amplify Your Impact. Convert More Donors.
By implementing these 7 digital marketing tips, your nonprofit can boost conversions and strengthen its community. At the core of every successful nonprofit is a community of people who willingly share your mission with their friends, family, and audiences.
However, mastering these strategies takes time, expertise and the right tools. Most of all, it takes a commitment to optimizing, which can be hard when you’re busy running your organization.
Instead, Slamdot is here to help. With our hands-on experience in nonprofit marketing, we’ll help you develop a customized digital strategy that drives results.
Whether you need a website overhaul, social media management, or email campaign support, request a Fast Quote today, and we’ll discuss how we can help!
