As a non-profit organization, you are often working with limited resources.
This can make it difficult to decide on whether you should invest in marketing.
Luckily, in today’s digital age, it is possible to create a digital marketing plan for non-profits that will help you reach your goals without breaking the bank.
1. Define your audience.
The first step in any marketing plan is to define your audience. You can’t create an effective digital marketing plan if you don’t know who you’re marketing to.
Your audience is the group of people who are most likely to support your nonprofit. This may include current donors, potential donors, volunteers, and other stakeholders.
Your audience may be different depending on the type of digital marketing you’re doing. For example, your audience for a social media campaign may be different than your audience for an email marketing campaign.
Take the time to define your audience in as much detail as possible. The more you know about your audience, the more effective your digital marketing will be.
2. Set specific goals.
The second step to creating a digital marketing plan for your non-profit is to set specific marketing goals.
Your goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). This means that each goal you set should have a specific number attached to it and a deadline for when you want to achieve it.
For example, let’s say that your non-profit wants to increase donations by 20% over the next six months. Your goal would be to increase the number of donations you receive by 20% within that time frame.
To achieve this goal, you could create a digital marketing plan that includes things like email marketing, social media marketing, and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising.
3. Create a content calendar.
Once you have your content topics, you can start building out your content calendar.
A content calendar will help you to plan your content in advance and make sure that you are always posting consistently.
You can use a content calendar to plan your blog posts, social media posts, emails, and even your website content.
This will help you to ensure that all of your content is being used to meet your goals and that you are not missing any opportunities.
If you’re thinking of hiring content creators to scale your efforts, using an employee turnover calculator can help you assess the costs and benefits before making the decision.
4. Share authentic stories.
One of the best ways to attract people to your non-profit is to share success stories.
You can share stories from your team members, people who have benefitted from your organization, or even stories of your donors.
When you share stories, you’re not only showing the impact your organization is making, but you’re also showing the human side of your non-profit.
People are more likely to connect with your non-profit and donate if they see the faces behind the organization.
5. Use compelling videos and images.
When you’re creating content for your digital marketing plan, think about what will be most engaging to your audience.
Videos and images are some of the most engaging types of content. They’re also a great way to show your audience what your non-profit is all about.
Use videos and images to tell your story, show off your work, and highlight the people you help. You can also use them to create awareness about the issues your non-profit is working to solve.
For example, if you’re a non-profit that helps animals, you could create a video that shows what a day in the life of an animal in a shelter is like. This could help to create empathy in your audience and inspire them to take action.
When you’re creating videos and images, make sure they’re high-quality and professional. This will help you to make a good impression and build trust with your audience.
6. Create a call-to-action.
A call-to-action (CTA) is a button or link that directs website visitors to take the next step. That could be signing up for an email list, donating to your organization, or starting a fundraiser.
The key to a good CTA is to keep it simple. You want to make it clear what you want the visitor to do next. You also want to make it easy for them to take that action.
CTAs should be prominently displayed on your website and in your social media posts. You can also use them in your email marketing.
7. Automate your social media.
Social media marketing is a big part of nonprofit digital marketing. It allows you to connect with your supporters, share your mission, and spread the word about your cause.
But managing social media can be time-consuming. In order to be successful, you need to be active on social media, post regularly, and engage with your followers.
One way to save time and make your life easier is to automate your social media. There are many social media scheduling tools available that allow you to schedule your posts in advance, so you can set it and forget it.
This will free up your time to focus on other aspects of your nonprofit digital marketing plan.
8. Share your content.
You need to get the word out about your organization and your mission. Sharing content on social media is a great way to do that. You can use social media to share information about your organization, your cause and the people you help.
You can also use social media to share your blog posts, videos and other content you create. This will help you reach new people and get them interested in your cause.
There are a lot of different social media platforms out there, and you don’t need to be on all of them. In fact, it’s better to focus on just a few social media platforms and do them well than to be on all of them and not have time to keep them up to date.
Facebook is a great place to start. It’s the most popular social media platform, and it’s where a lot of people go to learn about causes and organizations they care about.
9. Use analytics to improve your strategy.
Data is a powerful tool in the world of digital marketing. By tracking your campaigns and analyzing the results, you can gain valuable insights into what’s working and what’s not.
This will allow you to make data-driven decisions about your marketing strategy, and it will help you to continuously improve your results over time.
Some of the key metrics you should be tracking include website traffic, conversion rates, email open and click-through rates, social media engagement and more.
By tracking these metrics and analyzing the results, you can gain a better understanding of your audience and how to reach them more effectively.
10. Engage with your audience.
Engagement is one of the most important parts of any digital marketing strategy, and that includes non-profit digital marketing.
Engaging with your audience helps to build trust and loyalty, and it can also help you to get feedback on your campaigns and projects.
Make sure to respond to comments on your social media posts, and ask questions to encourage interaction.
You can also use polls and surveys to get feedback from your audience, and you can even ask for user-generated content to share on your social media profiles.
The more you engage with your audience, the more you’ll get out of your digital marketing efforts.
11. Use Facebook ads.
Facebook ads are an excellent way to reach people who are interested in your non-profit and what you have to offer.
You can use Facebook ads to promote your content, events, and even to encourage people to donate to your cause.
One of the best things about Facebook ads is that you can target them to specific groups of people. This means that you can make sure your ads are only being seen by people who are likely to be interested in your non-profit.
This can help you get the most out of your ad budget and ensure that you are reaching the right people with your message.
12. Use email marketing.
Email marketing is a great way to keep in touch with your donors and supporters.
You can use email marketing to send out regular updates about your organization, upcoming events, and new initiatives. You can also use it to ask for donations, and to thank your donors for their support.
Be sure to segment your email list so you can send targeted messages to specific groups of people. For example, you could send one email to your regular donors, and another to people who haven’t donated in a while.
You can also use email marketing to promote your social media profiles, and to encourage people to share your content with their friends. This is a great way to increase your reach and get more people involved with your cause.
13. Use a professional website.
If you want to bring in donations and volunteers, you need a professional website. Your website is the first thing potential donors and volunteers will see, and it’s important to make a good first impression.
Your website should be visually appealing, easy to navigate, and mobile-friendly. It should also include information about your organization, your mission, and your programs, as well as a way to donate and a way to get involved.
If you don’t have a website, or if your website is outdated, it’s time to invest in a new one. A professional website is one of the most important digital marketing tools for non-profits.
Conclusion
Digital marketing is a great way to get the word out about your non-profit organization. It may seem like a lot of work, but once you get started, you will see the impact it can have on your organization.