Four Steps to Content Marketing for Today’s Nonprofit

As a nonprofit, how do you promote your organization’s message and increase brand awareness? Two words=Content Marketing.

Regardless of the size, industry, or vertical, every nonprofit can benefit from a proper content marketing strategy. From recruiting volunteers to strengthening donor relationships, content can take your organization to the next level!

The best content marketing campaigns combine a balance of messaging, imagery, and a call to action. The more content you create to distribute through various channels, the wider audience you can engage. Discover the four easy steps to create an awesome content marketing campaign:

1. Establish Tone & Messaging

Every organization should have a unified voice. The same tone and voice should be applied across all content published by the organization. This content can take on multiple forms to accomplish a variety of goals including demonstrating the need for continued support, reminding donors of the impact they’ve made through gifts, and educating supporters about new initiatives.

Individual experiences and personal stories can help strengthen your mission and goals. An emotional appeal tends to resonate with prospective donors and is more likely to motivate them to take action. Alternatively, focus on your supporters’ concerns or passions to engage them and increase awareness. Highlight the impact of your organization and how donors’ gifts are used to support the mission.

2. Develop Your Website & Blog

Grow the number of prospective donors in your database by collecting emails. Ensure that there is a noticeable area on your homepage and website that captures email addresses. Today, most donors prefer to give online so why not ensure you have the best platform to capture their gifts!

In order to maintain a conversation with visitors on your website, encourage them to subscribe to your blog. Blogs should contain fresh, relevant content. Frequent posts can help search engines find your website, attract prospective donors to your site, and build deeper connections with supporters.

3. Send Relevant Emails & Newsletters

As a main communication channel, newsletters can be a valuable asset for growth and fundraising. Determine a newsletter frequency that works best for your organization and stick to it. Include social share buttons to draw awareness to your cause on multiple channels. Remember that your newsletter is a source for information and thought leadership-not another campaign tool.

Focus on building relationships with current donors and supporters with the most effective communication. By segmenting your list, you can approach the right people with the right message. Remember, not everyone has the same connection to your organization, so tailored messaging to separate groups can help personalize the experience overall.

4. Leverage Social Media

Visual storytelling: the most powerful way to create an emotional connection with viewers. Human interest stories lend themselves to organic engagement and are most likely to be shared by followers.

Engage supporters with visual content on your various social media channels to compel them to donate. Share infographics about your mission, photos taken at events, testimonials from volunteers, behind-the-scenes videos, and more.

Don’t forget to post about your donation page and encourage followers to start a fundraising page (or Facebook birthday fundraiser) of their own!

If leveraged correctly, content marketing can be a powerful tool for your organization. It not only drives your organization’s ability to gain new supporters and increase fundraising, but it also helps strengthen relationships with current donors. With these best practices and the right tools, you can take your nonprofit to new heights!