Rethinking your charity’s outreach
As a society, we take on more digital information than ever in day-to-day activities. Advancements in marketing and technology have meant this information is increasingly tailored to the people who see it. With the endless amount of curated information competing for the same spot on timelines, search results and news feeds, the bar for personalisation in online messaging is set high. But what does this mean for the charity sector?
For a lot of charities, the go-to for spreading the word of their fundraising is still through traditional methods such as pamphlets, approaching people in the streets or email marketing. While these still hold merit they do, however, limit outreach to those donors with a direct line of contact, and are much easier to be missed or be ignored. Essentially, they fail to convert potential supporters into donors.
Creating clear, visible campaigns has never been more important to attract new donors. Something as simple as changing the online user experience on websites to re-targeting paid-for adverts could be the subtle difference that’s needed to respond to donor behaviour changes.
In order to remain relevant, charities must adapt and this means embracing digital changes. Similarly, the current climate means that many charities are already pushed to their limits. Without the upgrade to new systems, they may find themselves struggling to survive.
To say the playbook for engaging supporters has changed would be an understatement - charities now face a whole new set of challenges and they shouldn’t be afraid of enlisting outside assistance.
Attracting visitors
In Barclays’ “The Future of Giving” report, it is reported that 87% of charities now receive donations through their website, and 48% of donors are now digital. This data shows clearly that getting potential donors to visit your charity’s website is a major first step.
But developing an effective website can be an expensive and time consuming task, even for experts. So for those only starting out, tackling this challenge can be a daunting task.
Getting the right skills into your team and having access to the resources to create and manage a successful website can be a major burden. So, it’s first important to understand the type of approach that’s effective online.
Whereas a few years ago advertising was about being seen by as many people as possible, now however, a more targeted approach should be taken. The focus now be on being seen by a slightly smaller pool, but by the right people. Those who are more likely to be interested in donating and, as a result, much more relevant to the charity should be regarded as a priority.
Using online advertising services, ads can be targeted at the demographics that are statistically most likely to give. Whether this is people who already donate to other charities or are simply interested in those people the charity supports, a more tailored audience can be found.
When thinking about how to effectively get messaging across, getting into the mindset of a potential supporter can help understand how they would naturally come across a charity. For example, a charity which fights for animal testing rights and wants to increase its funds could look to target people who consciously shop for ethical products. This too helps when thinking about how to present or share stories that donors will resonate with - it’s about understanding the backbone of why they donate.
The most direct way to ensure content is seen by those who are interested in donating, though, is through retention and going straight to the source of existing donors. Charities considering upgrading or changing their digital efforts should engage their current donors in conversation. Understanding what works for the people who already donate will make it easier to connect with them in the future.
Loyal supporters are more likely to continue giving, and charities are sure to benefit from involving them in change, with their continued support, and also by attracting new backers in the process.
Providing responsive messaging
Developing a detailed understanding of your supporters is a key part of building trust. By being responsive, charities can build loyalty and touch on new developments in mainstream news that will bring more attention to a cause, or quickly get the word out about campaigns.
Whereas with traditional methods of communications, any changes in messaging could take a long time by printing new material or training volunteers on new points, changing digital communications is clearly much faster. Social media alerts can reach whole follower bases instantly, and are quick and simple to share around. Similarly, instead of relying on multiple groups for different processes, the ability to have a smaller internal team involved with changing messaging means that content focuses can be more fluid.
Being responsive with your cause will also provide a sense of transparency about the good things that supporters' money is helping, and provide reassurance that charities are staying on the pulse of issues at hand. While this does not mean the core messaging should change, the context and stories that come along with it become more fluid to fit whatever the landscape around it needs.
When viewed through a more practical scope, keeping the content that is being put out fresh stops it from blending in or becoming lost amid the changing information. New angles or advertisements can catch the attention of online browsers and provide new shareables or talking points for people to get involved with.
To use a cliché: content is king, and if charities are able to continuously update and refine their content, online donors are more likely to notice and engage with it. Developing an expectation or having a source of timely information will keep donors coming back to learn and engage with that content and a cause they are passionate about.
Worth spending money
Across all industries, purse strings are being tightened, and the third sector is no stranger to this. However, charities shouldn’t be put off spending money in this way. In fact, the best investment they can make is freeing their team’s time to focus on value-adding activities.
Removing legwork from effecting donor activity can enable staff to focus efforts on building relationships and developing new campaigns to raise awareness. Done correctly, this investment can produce increased donations.
Embracing digitisation brings a whole new skill set into the charity sector workforce. Being able to offer added learning and new skills as part of employment, whether paid or voluntary, will make postings much more attractive, and will lead to longer tenures or greater participation. More skilled volunteers are naturally of greater benefit to the campaigns they work on and by providing more fulfilling experiences, retention also increases. Before long it becomes an upward spiral of benefits for everyone involved.
Of course, when it comes to advertising, there is a financial cost involved, but there are plenty of grants out there. One such grant is from Google Ads, which can provide up to £7,500 a month to charities in pay-per-click advertising. When weighed up against the handsome amounts available, the criteria are not unattainable for many charities who are online already, and with some expert insight, required targets can be achieved.
To save time it is also possible to outsource applying for different grants or setting up and managing campaigns. While it can be demanding to undertake the research which should be done first to ensure only trusted experts are selected when choosing a partner, particularly to ensure they can meet the charity's ethos, the benefits are well worth it. Allowing hands-on digital experts to get involved to supercharge campaigns, track the success of new content and view donor demographics takes a huge strain off fundraising teams.
