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BroadVision Marketing Blog

Content Marketing And Non-Profits: A Great Combination

Posted by Jaco Grobbelaar on Fri, Oct 13, 2023 @ 01:00 PM

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When it comes to content marketing and non-profits, nothing else is as effective. They may be non-profit but they still must "market" their message.

For some, combining "marketing" and charitable originations seems contradictory and somehow crass. But, strictly speaking, marketing is simply promoting what you have to offer. And most non-profits have much to offer!

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We May Be a Non-Profit, But We Still Need Resources and Money

While some folks might shy from using the term "marketing" for what non-profits must engage in, the fact is that, profit or no, organizations need money to function. And, more to the point, non-profits need money to achieve their collective missions.

And, as we noted already, marketing can be defined as simply promoting something.

According tGoogle, marketing is:

“the action or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising.”

If one where to leave off the "selling" component, the definition still serves sufficiently to describe the basic essence of marketing. Consequently, what every non-profit, for-profit, employee or prospective date or spouse engages in at some point, is marketing.

The BalanceSMB website goes a step further with this explanation:

"Nonprofit marketing is the use of marketing tactics by a nonprofit organization, that promotes the message and the organization. Marketing is particularly important for a nonprofit organization, as they usually need ways to market their cause to volunteers who would want to help and to donors that will give to their cause."

So, with that clarified, we need to ask: What are non-profits promoting?

Essentially, two things:

  1. They must promote the vision behind their mission in order to engage and win the support of prospective donors, sponsors and volunteers.
  2. And they must promote their ongoing need for funding. The two are usually intertwined, especially in the case of donors and sponsors, but the major tool for accomplishing this is marketing.

The larger challenge for non-profits then, is to determine the best marketing approach and strategy to achieve these objectives.

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Traditional Advertising, Direct Mail, and Social Events

While there is certainly nothing wrong with these tactics, the fact is that the Internet, social media and the rise of new generation of media users has shifted the efficacy of marketing.

There was a time when even the concept of "content marketing" was unknown. At least by that terminology. However, content has always been "king', even in the traditional marketing realm.

And, for a variety of reasons, these approaches are still effective, valid and likely to be the norm in the world of non-profits for years to come. 

But content marketing can offer a nitro-charged impact on the collective marketing efforts of any non-profit, if executed properly. And it can work in tandem with the more traditional tactics in what is sometimes known as a cross-channel, or multi-channel, strategy.

The folks at WordStream describes it as follows:

Multi-channel marketing is the practice of using multiple channels to reach customers. Also known as cross-channel marketing, multi-channel marketing also makes it easy for customers to complete desired conversions on whatever medium they are most comfortable with. Multi-channel marketing lets the user decide, giving them a choice.

In today’s modern marketing era, there are many channels a business can take advantage of in order to reach potential customers. These channels include:

Retail store, PPC, Website, Direct mail, Email, Mail order, catalog, and Mobile

However, for the purposes of this post we want to focus on some tips for using content marketing as a main component of your existing marketing strategy.

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The Power of Content Marketing for Nonprofits: Strategies and Benefits

In today's digital age, the importance of effective marketing cannot be overstated. This holds true not only for businesses but also for nonprofit organizations that aim to make a positive impact on society.

Nonprofits can benefit greatly from content marketing, a strategy that, when used correctly, can help them raise awareness, engage with their audience, and drive their mission forward.

Here are some of the benefits for nonprofits using content marketing and examples of content marketing strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

The Benefits of Content Marketing for Nonprofits

  1. Increased Visibility and Awareness: One of the primary benefits of content marketing for nonprofits is the ability to increase their visibility and raise awareness about their cause. By consistently producing high-quality content, nonprofits can educate their audience about the issues they address and the solutions they provide.

  2. Engagement and Trust Building: Content marketing allows nonprofits to engage with their audience on a personal level. Through blogs, social media, and other content channels, nonprofits can foster a sense of trust and authenticity, which is crucial for gaining supporters, donors, and volunteers.

  3. Donor and Volunteer Recruitment: Content marketing helps nonprofits connect with individuals who are passionate about their cause. By sharing compelling stories, success stories, and testimonials, nonprofits can inspire individuals to get involved, whether it's through donations or volunteering.

  4. Cost-Effective Fundraising: Content marketing can be a cost-effective way for nonprofits to fundraise. Instead of relying solely on traditional fundraising events, they can use online campaigns, email marketing, and social media to reach a broader audience and collect donations more efficiently.

  5. Educational Resources: Nonprofits often focus on addressing complex social issues. Content marketing allows them to create informative and educational content that helps the public understand these issues better. Whether it's through whitepapers, infographics, or webinars, nonprofits can be a source of valuable information.

Effective Content Marketing Strategies for Nonprofits

  • Blogging: Nonprofits can maintain a blog on their website, where they share stories, updates, and educational content. For example, an environmental nonprofit could regularly publish articles about the importance of conservation, climate change solutions, and ways individuals can make a difference.
  • Social Media Engagement: Utilizing social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, nonprofits can share visual content, videos, and infographics to connect with their audience. For instance, a children's charity might post heartwarming stories about the kids they've helped on their Instagram page.
  • Email Campaigns: Nonprofits can use email marketing to communicate with donors, volunteers, and supporters. Email newsletters can provide updates on the organization's activities, share success stories, and invite readers to get involved.
  • Video Marketing: Video content, especially short-form video, is incredibly engaging, and nonprofits can leverage it to tell their story effectively. For example, an animal rescue organization can create videos showcasing rescued animals' journeys from hardship to happiness and share them on YouTube and social media.
  • Case Studies and Success Stories: Sharing real-life success stories of individuals or communities positively impacted by the nonprofit's work is a powerful content marketing strategy. These stories can be featured on the organization's website and shared on social media.
  • Webinars and Virtual Events: Nonprofits can host webinars and virtual events to engage their audience and share knowledge. For instance, a mental health nonprofit can organize webinars on coping strategies or provide resources for individuals in need.
  • Interactive Content: Quizzes, surveys, and interactive content can be used to engage the audience. For example, a nonprofit focused on education can create an interactive quiz to help users assess their knowledge of global education issues.
  • Collaboration and Partnerships: Nonprofits can collaborate with businesses, influencers, or other nonprofits to expand their reach. This might involve co-hosting events, running joint campaigns, or cross-promoting each other's content.

Content marketing offers a myriad of benefits for nonprofit organizations. It provides a platform for nonprofits to increase visibility, engage their audience, build trust, and recruit supporters.

By implementing effective content marketing strategies, nonprofits can efficiently promote their mission and inspire positive change. Whether it's through blogging, social media, email campaigns, or interactive content, nonprofits can use these strategies to reach a wider audience and make a lasting impact on the world.

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Using Content to Educate, Inform and Engage

Actually, using content marketing in non-profit promotion efforts isn't all that new. However, much of the activity has been by happenstance or merely random and unstructured. Many organizations don't even realize that many of their marketing tactics actually fall under the umbrella of "content marketing."

Dr. Gloria Horsley is Founder of the Open to Hope Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping others deal with grief and loss. She stated in an article in Forbes.com,

"...I've learned many things about marketing, including new platforms and technologies that enable reaching our target audience in a much more effective way.

As content marketing has grown in popularity among business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) companies, I've also realized how extremely valuable the right type of content is for nonprofit organizations in order to educate, inform and engage with donors, volunteers and those we intend to help."

Dr. Horsley continues in her article to highlight a number common content marketing mistakes made by non-profits including:

  • delivering content that lacks educational value,
  • transferring existing print content online, and
  • failing to focus on high-quality writing.

A recent article at Medium pointed out some of the online tactics that certain non-profits are implementing to optimize their Instagram content efforts. 

According to the author

"Thanking donors. One of the things that nonprofits seem to not do enough is thank their donors. By thanking donors, you involve your followers in the behind-the-scenes processes and strengthen the relationship with long-term donors. Plus, on a human level, it makes people feel appreciated for their efforts."

And another,

"Engaging with their audience by asking questions. Questions spark conversation about your content. With more conversation comes more engagement, and with more engagement, thanks to most social media platforms’ algorithms, you will be able to reach more people. Asking your followers questions is a must for high engagement."

In that spirit, here are some tips on improving your own non-profit content marketing tactics.

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Some Helpful Tips and Best Practices for Non-Profit Content Marketing

1. Define and articulate the "how and why" for your nonprofit

Author Ann Gynn at Content Marketing Institute notes:

"Your organization’s mission and purpose aren’t the same. If you don’t distinguish between the two, your content marketing doesn’t stand a chance at being effective. A mission is your organization’s reason for existing – your why. A purpose is your organization’s way to implement its mission – your how."

2. Acknowledge the efficacy of content marketing to drive staff buy-in

Not everyone is easily convinced that an integrated content marketing strategy is effective or needed. But the fact is that 95 percent of donors and members consider content created by nonprofits as trustworthy. Which means they read it and believe it.

In addition, 47 percent consume three to five pieces of content before taking an action such as signing up, donating, or volunteering. And 51 percent rely on your content to research your organization and make purchasing or donation decisions.

3. Don't avoid or overlook proven and effective channels for content distribution

While some might not hold social media in high regard, the kicker for content marketing is that social media, search engine optimization (SEO), and email marketing are the top three channels for driving content distribution.

And when it comes to social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube are the top three most utilized. But keep in mind that another "best practice" is to be agile, flexible and ready to shift when the changing seas of social media dictate.

4. Remember to engage your website in content distribution with your blog

Many for-profit businesses make this mistake, as well, and that is either undervaluing or neglecting the power of regular blog posts. While it is easier to have someone write up a brief highlight or update, the value of a blog post lies in the depth and relevance of the topic.

For example, long-form blog posts can often generate as many as eight or nine times more visits from search traffic than short (under 1000 word) pieces. People will and do read engaging, relevant and informative posts. 

5. Document and manage your content marketing strategy

Again, this is a common oversight of businesses and is more so among non-profits. Those with documented content strategies are the most effective. In fact, over 50 percent of those surveyed have said as much. Like many other plans, strategies and initiatives, if it isn't written down it is just an idea.

Along with documenting your strategy plan, assigning one staff member to oversee and manage the process is key. As Winspire has noted,

"Nonprofits that are the most effective at content marketing have someone in place to direct the initiative. 86% of nonprofit marketers who rated themselves as 'Most Effective' have someone who oversees content marketing."

 

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Getting Help With Your Non-Profit's Content Marketing Strategy

You may already know that implementing content marketing can boost traffic for your non-profit, but did you know that achieving your content marketing objectives takes time? Unfortunately, it won't happen with a few blog posts or some other great content.

People will need to consume your content for a while before they contact you. Yet, without your content compelling them to contact you, your goals may never be met.

The good news is that you don't have to figure out alone. In fact, one of the best investments you can make with your marketing budget is to partner with a solid firm like BroadVision marketing.

Click the link below so you can make an informed decision, or call BroadVision Marketing at 707-799-1238.

 

 

 

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Topics: Online Communities, Social Media, Content Marketing Strategy, content distribution, distribution channels, trust building, blogging strategy, short form video

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