Non-Profit Marketing Ideas

Marketing a non-profit can be a challenge when you’re working with limited resources. However, with a little research, you can find numerous ideas, tips and resources that can help your non-profit gain exposure and become more successful. Check out the non-profit marketing ideas below for tactics your non-profit can use today.

Take a look at Google AdWords for NonProfits

At first glance, this might seem counter-intuitive because Google AdWords is a pay-per-click service and most will say an expensive proposition to invest in. While that might be the case for most businesses if your AdWords campaign is not managed correctly, non-profits can actually take advantage of Google AdWords for free. Yes, FREE. Of course, Google puts certain limits on how the service can be used, but here’s the scoop overall:

The program is called Google Ad Grants and the first thing you’ll want to do is see if you’re eligible. One requirement is that you hold a valid charity status. Review the Google For Nonprofits site for definitions of charity status to make sure. If you check out the website and see that you DO qualify, you still have to play within their rules in order to get and keep this grant:

• Your ads will be entirely text-based (no videos or images).
• Ads appear only on Google search results pages, in positions below the ads of paying advertisers.
• All campaigns must be keyword-targeted.
• Your maximum cost-per-click (CPC) will be $2.00 USD.
• You’ll receive $10,000 USD of in-kind AdWords advertising each month.

Be sure to check out the eligibility page to make sure you qualify and that you understand how to say in compliance to keep the grant. You may want to find someone to manage this for you; while not difficult, you can easily lose it if you’re not careful.

Leverage social media for your non-profit

Connecting on a personal level is more important than ever for non-profits, as you compete for people’s attention and financial support. Social media management won’t cost you anything but time, but to be effective, it needs to be managed correctly. Decide how you want to use social media and what you’re looking to accomplish. According to Sprout Social, here are a few ways to measure success:

• Engaging community
• Retaining donors
• Acquiring donors
• Generating brand awareness
• Building thought leadership

Make sure you’re sending out the right message for your target audience. If you already have a marketing strategy, reference it to understand who you’re trying to communicate with, and how they consume information. It’ll make a substantial difference as to whether you’ll get strong engagement or not. Not every social network is right for your audience, so use your time wisely and find the ones most appropriate for your target audience. Be sure to measure what you’ve done and what the outcome was to be effective.

Why non-profits should use email marketing

Email marketing is a great way to engage donors and volunteers because the people on your list are the ones who raised their hand and said it was OK to communicate with them. Mailchimp created an email guide for non-profits that you should check out for best practices. It’s free for a limited number of users; after that, you need to pay for the service; all the more reason to keep a clean, accurate email list. Constant Contact offers discounted pricing for non-profits and has a robust system to work within. There are other email services that offer discounts for non-profits; do you homework and choose the one that’s right for you.

Invest in content marketing as part of your marketing strategy

Content is a significantly impactful way of connecting with potential new donors, as well as keeping current donors engaged. Consider an onsite blog to keep people connected to your website. Do the research to understand what kind of information people are looking for, and highlight that content in your blog. Blogs can attract and engage visitors on your website, so this is one area you’ll wan to invest in. Not sure how to start and maintain a blog? Check out articles with blogging ideas to get you started. To keep it going, invest the time in creating a content strategy for your non-profit; the payout will be huge.

Keep your website engaging and up to date

Your website is, for many, the first place people engage with you. What does it say about you, who you are, and what you’re trying to accomplish?  Does it speak to potential donors?  Does it support existing donors?  Would it attract volunteers?  Your website should be an information resource for your cause and services.

Marketing is a critical part to a non-profit’s success. The above are just a few non-profit marketing ideas. If you’re unsure about how to proceed to make the most of your efforts, consider hiring a marketing professional who understands how to manage and measure your marketing efforts to get the best results.