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Businesses of all sizes are turning to digital marketing to promote their products and services. With people relying on their desktop computers and mobile devices to pay bills, communicate with colleagues, play games and more, it makes sense for companies to take their marketing campaigns online.
Aside from promoting brand awareness better, digital marketing is more cost-effective than its traditional counterpart. It also helps the business reach out to a broader range of potential customers.
Non-profit organisations (NGOs) are no exception in benefitting from a good digital marketing strategy, with more people shifting their preference to online donations. By implementing an effective online strategy, NGOs can bring in potential donors and volunteers, expand their cause and help more people.
The question is: what components make up an effective digital marketing strategy?
Website
Your organisation’s website is vital for your digital marketing strategy. It should be informative, well-designed and fully integrated with the rest of your online marketing platforms. Use it to create content that you can share across other digital outlets.
People stay on websites longer if they load fast on mobile devices. In fact, Google has rolled out an algorithm that allows mobile-friendly sites to rank higher on search results. By optimising your website to load faster on mobile devices, it has a better chance of being found by potential donors.
Search Engine Optimisation
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is a cost-effective way of attracting traffic to your website. An effective SEO strategy optimises your website’s content so that your site ranks on the first page of Google. When you’re findable, your target audience, potential volunteers and the people you’re aiming to help can easily get in touch with you. Many NGOs may not think they have the resources to develop an effective SEO strategy by hiring in-house staff. Fortunately, reliable SEO companies are available to provide support to improve an NGO’s online reach and clicks.
Although there are several technicalities involved with SEO, the most important part is the creation of quality content. When your content is engaging, visitors are more likely to share the link to others which, in turn, increases traffic to your site. Come up with topics relevant to your cause and make sure your content – blog entries, infographics, videos or a combination of these components – can pull in your target audience and encourage them to spread your word.
Social Media
It’s estimated that a majority of Internet users spend over two hours a day on social media. This is why organisations head to platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to reach a wider audience. Social media sites also allow non-profits to learn trends that encourage more people to donate.
Not all social media platforms are relevant to your cause, so take the time to understand your target audience and the sites they commonly use. Schedule content regularly to engage your audience and make yourself as visible as possible on their timelines. Also, respond to comments and tweets as soon as you can to sustain loyalty.
E-mail Campaigns
E-mail helps you promote informational content and donation appeals on a more personal level. For effective e-mail marketing, segment your audience into different lists and create campaigns specific to those people.
You’ll want to create a hook at the start of your email to encourage your audience to read on. Consider sharing an emotional story or infographics about data related to your cause. Keep your e-mails short and add a call to action to encourage your subscribers to make a donation.
Digital marketing is a cost-effective method that helps non-profit organisations reach a broader audience. When implemented effectively, it engages your target audience, spreads the word about your cause and encourages donations. Consider maximising key components of digital marketing to promote your cause and motivate people to take action.