Plugging Your Nonprofit Into The Internet
If you run or are part of the management structure of a nonprofit organization, then being able to make the best use of the different resources at your disposal is crucial. It’s not just about money, manpower, or physical equipment, either. Your online presence is a resource, too, and by putting more into it, you could stand to get more out of it, too.
Use the power of positive proof
Simply put, people are a lot more likely to put their trust in the brands that they see more often, especially if they see them being supported by other people. Make sure that Google redirects to your nonprofit when people are typing in relevant search queries by investing time in search engine optimization. Build a social media presence and be active in replying to followers who comment or ask questions. You want the brand to be as visible and as easy to recognize as possible so you have to make some noise.
Use media to your advantage
It’s not just social media you should be leveraging, but the power of all forms of media. People consume more media through the internet than they do on TV, via newspaper, or any other medium these days. If your nonprofit is involved in something big and socially relevant, for instance, you should consider looking for guest spots on relevant podcasts to help get the word out there. Otherwise, you might want to look into producing videos for YouTube showing precisely what the donations go towards.
Fundraise directly through the site
Fundraising efforts are often a big part of running a nonprofit and you might organize several events or even have an ongoing fundraising program going on throughout the year. However, it’s not difficult to take those fundraising efforts and take them online either. Nonprofit organizations can accept donations with ease simply by connecting a merchant account to the organization and hosting a payment portal on the site. Whether you simply keep the donate button visible at all times or you use the website to sell items in exchange for a donation, you could be missing out on a valuable fundraising strategy.
Stay in touch with your supporters
Most people who give to fundraisers do it because they believe in the cause they are donating funds to. However, that doesn’t mean that the warm sensation of contributing isn’t a powerful emotional motivator, too. It’s one that you can better utilize by making use of email building tools to keep track of and send updates to people who have donated in the past. You can update them on exactly how they have helped the nonprofit, making them feel the benefits of their donations, while also subtly encouraging them to keep you in mind and, perhaps, contribute again in the future.
If you feel like your nonprofit’s efforts as stalling, then a great focus on the role of the online world could be exactly what it needs. Hopefully, the tips above give you a few ideas on how to plug it in.