How Content Marketing Aids Non-Profits in Achieving Three Key Objectives

Though content marketing is most often associated with for-profit businesses and organizations, it is also used by non-profit and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to get found online.

Your non-profit, I can assure you, has a mission.

Can you guarantee that the general public is aware of your mission?

This is where content marketing enters the picture.

Read this first if you’re not sure what content marketing is or why it’s important.

Sales and marketing are frequently treated as two separate entities by for-profit and non-profit organizations alike.

Despite the fact that non-profits and NGOs do not sell anything, they do raise funds and must be found in order to achieve their objectives.

When both types of businesses work together and ensure that the “sales” (or fundraising) and marketing teams are on the same page, they have a much better chance of succeeding.

Even if you run a small non-profit and your fundraising and marketing “teams” are made up of just one person, reviewing the steps below can help.

In the end, your non-profit or NGO’s main goals are to spread the message of your organization, raise brand awareness, and help rally supporters around a cause.

All three can be aided by content marketing. Here’s how to do it.

Promote the Message of Your Organization

Make sure you understand the time-ask effect before you promote your organization’s message.

People are more likely to have a positive reaction when asked to donate their time, which elicits an emotional response that they will likely remember, than when asked to donate money, according to studies.

Of course, your non-profit will need monetary donations to survive, but it’s best to start with the emotional response, which will motivate donors to give more than they would if they were asked to donate directly.

Your non-profit or NGO’s content marketing should mention the possibility of monetary donations, but make sure it also mentions the opportunity for time donations.

It would also be beneficial to provide the opportunity to donate other personal resources, such as expertise, that will benefit your non-profit in the long run.

Finally, when it comes to spreading your organization’s message, the goal should be to cultivate a giving mindset – one in which donors don’t feel obligated to contribute solely with money.

Boost Brand Recognition

To begin increasing your brand awareness, the general public must first be aware of your existence and understand your organization’s objectives (hence the importance of promoting your organization’s message).

Do you recall the ice bucket challenge?

It could happen to you next!

When you set a goal to increase brand awareness, you’re also setting a goal to increase traffic to your site, increase donations (revenue), gain your audience’s trust, and establish yourself as an industry authority.

You may be able to focus on one goal at a time, or you may be able to hit two (or three, or four) birds with one stone.

To begin, you’ll need to figure out what kind of content you’ll use to promote your business:

Video.
Webinars.
Ebooks.
Email.
Podcasts.

Some brands may be able to function with all of the above; however, others may prefer to concentrate on one or two.

Regardless of the focus of your non-profit or NGO, you should implement at least two of the content marketing strategies listed above to help raise brand awareness.

There are many “styles of content consumption” just as there are many “styles of learning” in a classroom – hands-on, teacher-led.

If your brand is accessible across multiple platforms, you’ll almost certainly see an increase in donations.

Assist in rallying supporters for a cause

As the number of places and platforms where your brand is visible grows, so does your authority.

If you consistently produce high-quality content, you’ll have an audience that not only trusts you, but also shares it with others — whether through retweets, shares, or good old-fashioned word-of-mouth.

Obtain Emails

It’s critical that you stay in touch with anyone who might be interested in your cause.

If someone visits your website, make sure you have a way to get them to share their contact information so you can continue the conversation.

The more email addresses you collect, the more potential donors you’ll have.

If you use a platform that specializes in working with non-profits (such as Salesforce), you’ll find a wealth of documentation and non-profit-specific programs on how to acquire emails and use them wisely as a non-profit.

Recognize your target market

Conduct audience surveys for your target constituencies at least once a year (donors, volunteers, anyone on your mailing list).

“Life moves pretty fast,” Ferris Bueller taught us. You might miss it if you don’t take a few moments to look around.”

This isn’t to say that your supporters aren’t on board.

People’s feelings and behaviors change as the world changes.

In fact, the priorities of your company may shift.

Use annual surveys to determine what your target audiences value and what motivates them to act.

Ensure that your content is relatable

Knowing who you’re writing for will help you figure out how to make your content more relatable.

People are naturally inclined to help others, but they also lead busy lives and may need to be reminded of opportunities to do so.

Making relatable content should be a part of your content marketing strategy.

You’ll gain more supporters for your cause if your videos, webinars, podcasts, and other materials include descriptions or examples of opportunities that the average citizen can relate to or participate in.

Allow for the creation of user-generated content

User-generated content goes hand in hand with making your content relatable.

Not only will people rally around your cause if you give your donors the option to show their support for your cause by posting with a hashtag, but you’ll also raise brand awareness.

It’s a win-win situation!

Encourage users and followers to add their own personal message to the hashtag to make them feel more connected to your cause.

The Remainder

Non-profits and NGOs can and should benefit from content marketing just as much as for-profit businesses.

When you see “content marketing tips and tricks,” don’t keep scrolling – read!

Work as a team to promote your organization’s message, raise brand awareness, and rally supporters using a variety of platforms to maximize your “sales.”