What Are Google Ad Grants for Nonprofits?

Google Ad Grants is a program specifically designed for nonprofit organizations, offering a free membership that includes access to a monthly advertising budget on Google.com. The program provides nonprofits with up to $10,000 per month to invest in advertising, allowing you to appear in prominent positions on Google search results.

Understanding the Significance

1. Enhanced Visibility: A study by TechSoup reveals that 83% of nonprofits consider visibility as the most significant benefit of using Google Ad Grants. In a world where online visibility translates directly to outreach, the importance of being prominently displayed in search results cannot be overstated.

2. Increased Website Traffic: Google Ad Grants have the potential to drive substantial traffic to nonprofit websites. Research indicates that Google Ads account for 88.62% of the desktop search engine market share in North America in 2024. By leveraging Google Ad Grants, you can tap into this vast audience.

3. Cost-Effective Advertising: Google Ad Grants provide a monthly budget for nonprofits to use on AdWords advertising. An article by Classy mentions that this budget can be as much as $10,000 per month. For nonprofits often operating on tight budgets, this is a cost-effective way to boost your online presence.

Eligibility Criteria

Google Ad Grants are available to nonprofits that meet certain eligibility criteria. Organizations must hold valid charity status, have an active website with substantial content and agree to Google’s nondiscrimination and donation receipt policy.

Implementation Strategies

1. Keyword Research: Your nonprofit should conduct comprehensive keyword research to identify the terms most relevant to your mission. Google’s Keyword Planner is a valuable tool for this purpose.

2. Compelling Ad Copy: Crafting compelling ad copy is essential. According to Google, a well-crafted ad can significantly improve the chances of engagement.

3. Landing Page Optimization: To convert clicks into meaningful actions, optimize your landing pages. Google emphasizes the importance of relevance between ad content and landing page content.

4. Monitoring and Adjusting: Implementing Google Ad Grants is not a set-and-forget process. Continuous monitoring and adjustment of ad campaigns based on performance data are crucial to maximizing impact.

Realizing Success

Numerous nonprofits have harnessed the power of Google Ad Grants to advance their causes. And you should too. Organizations like Save the Children have seen a substantial increase in online donations and engagement due to strategically implemented Google Ads campaigns.

In conclusion, Google Ad Grants is a valuable resource for nonprofits aiming to navigate the digital landscape effectively. By understanding its significance and implementing thoughtful strategies, you can leverage this initiative to amplify your voice, reach a broader audience and drive meaningful action. And if you’re seeking assistance, we are available to support every aspect, from campaign creation and keyword research to compelling copywriting and more, ensuring that your nonprofit can make the most of your Google Ad Grants.

If you’re ready for a helping hand, get in touch with one of our experts.

Let’s get creative

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What is digital marketing?

Digital marketing is the powerhouse behind online initiatives in the digital realm. This includes, but goes beyond, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Social Media Marketing (SMM). These components form the core of a holistic approach to marketing in the digital landscape. With 66% of marketers increasing company trust and 80% raising brand awareness with digital marketing tactics, digital marketing is something you can’t ignore.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO is the art of refining your online presence to enhance organic visibility on search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. Imagine someone searches for terms related to your business – will your website shine? Unlike traditional ads, SEO involves strategic efforts, not just budget allocations.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

SEM is where marketing dollars are strategically invested. This involves purchasing pay-per-click (PPC) ads visible on search engine results pages. Terms like retargeting, geotargeting and demographic targeting are second nature in an SEM strategy. It’s about investing wisely in specific keywords and ads to secure a premium spot in the paid section of search results.

Social Media Marketing (SMM)

SMM unleashes the power of social media to boost brand presence, engage audiences and drive website traffic. Whether through paid social media ads targeting specific demographics or through organic posts, a dynamic strategy ensures a comprehensive social media and marketing approach.

The why: benefits of digital marketing

Now, why should one invest in a comprehensive digital marketing strategy? The benefits are monumental!

• The right SEO, SEM and SMM campaigns offer great opportunities for your organization to grow awareness and website traffic. Don’t forget to do your research and understand best practices when launching campaigns!
• Digital marketing is cost-effective, measurable and targeted. Think of all the people you can reach based on their interests and online buying habits! Do create targeted audiences that match your current buyers’ personas.
• You can reach people at the start of their journey and then make changes as you go. Don’t forget to evaluate your performance and make adjustments to ultimately improve your conversion rate.
• Interact with your prospects or current customers. Do get to know them better and learn exactly what they are looking for to help drive engagement and create brand loyalty.

Digital marketing is the linchpin to establishing a brand’s online presence. From SEO and SEM to social media marketing, a tailored approach elevates brand awareness.

Let’s drive engagement and enhance your digital marketing footprint!

Let’s get creative

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If you answered “no” to any of these questions, odds are your website isn’t helping your organization and may even be working against your mission.

Your website should be one of your nonprofit’s most helpful marketing and administrative tools. If it’s not, you’re only selling yourself short. Investing in a site that’s everything it should be might be the farthest leap you make all year.

Still on the fence about whether your site is up to snuff? Let’s talk about things a great nonprofit website should do.

1. It should represent your org. in the right light.

Other than your social media pages, your website is usually the first place potential supporters or grantors will go to learn about you.​​ An outdated or messy site is one of the fastest ways to damage your org.’s credibility and send visitors packing. On the flip side, an appealing, well-designed site conveys your trustworthiness and reliability.
Meanwhile, engaging design elements—like eye-grabbing visuals or a compelling short video embedded on your homepage—are also great for grabbing people’s attention and sending them further down the funnel, like to your donations page or blog.

2. It should be easy to update.

Unless you’re a computer person or have one on staff, keeping an older site current by adding new visuals, creating pages, inserting text, etc., can be difficult without knowledge of coding or web design. If that’s not high on the list of things you have time for, you’d be better off with a modern site with easy drag-and-drop, point-and-click features. These sites do all the work on the front end so that whoever’s in charge of your website doesn’t need to be a tech expert—it’s all plug-and-play.

Plus, with a plug-and-play site, you’ll no longer need to worry about mobile optimization. Your pages and content will automatically look good on handheld devices. With over 80% of modern web traffic happening on smartphones and tablets, staying functional on a small screen could be just what your site needs for a boost in traffic and clicks beyond your homepage.

3. It should be secure and supported.

Data security is a concern for organizations and donors alike. It’s important to choose a web provider that takes security seriously and who’ll roll out periodic updates to ensure your website’s functionality stays current. But apart from support behind the scenes, live customer support for you and your staff from a helpful expert—in case any questions or problems arise—is a must-have. Need help adding a video to your homepage? Someone should be there to show you how. Plenty of so-called “free” website builders advertise DYI like it’s an advantage—until you realize that making updates is complicated and help is hard to come by. You may even end up paying for functions you thought were free, but in reality, simply weren’t explained well.

4. It should make everything easier.

Is your current site making your life easier in tangible ways? Well, it should be. Any nonprofit website worth its silicon should have built-in, fully integrated features—aka, not third-party plugins you have to pay extra for (although they should be compatible with the ones you already have should you choose to keep them). These features should streamline things for you and your supporters. Things like:

• On-site donation processing with the ability to accept multiple payment types.
• Built-in event management so you can track attendance, send reminders or even handle guest meal preferences with online event registration.
• Email marketing tools with automation (for example, imagine creating an engaging welcome email that automatically sends to anyone who signs up for your mailing list).
• Intuitive donor management tools so you can see who gave, how much, when, etc.—all from one dashboard.
• A simple and clear marketing analytics dashboard with instant report generation so you can track the progress of campaigns, fundraisers and web engagement down to the click.
• The ability to easily create customized, branded landing pages for separate campaigns and initiatives.
• Cloud-based storage so anyone in your organization who needs access to data has it.

Nonprofit websites have evolved a lot over the past five-plus years, becoming much more capable and powerful. While they’ve always been essential from a marketing standpoint, today, websites are like an extension of your staff—yours should be one of your best team members.

5. It should communicate your message and inspire action.

If you’ve managed to bring someone to your website, you’ve already done something right. But that’s only half the battle. If you want them to click around (no pun intended)—and even better, engage with your organization through a donation, mailing list subscription, event sign-up, etc.—you need to give them what they came for: Info about your mission.

The instant someone visits your website they should be hit with visual and storytelling elements that spark engagement and lead them down the funnel. Things like:

• Clear calls to action (think well-placed buttons and an eye-leading layout)
• Compelling (and high-resolution!) photos and imagery
• A quick-hitting mission statement
• Client testimonials or success stories
• Videos
• Blog post previews
• Event descriptions
• Etc.

These elements should be presented in a way that makes navigating your site easy and intuitive while directing people to pages you want them to see. The result? People will stay on your site longer, visit multiple pages and perform actions you want them to take.

The Gist

Your nonprofit’s website is more than just a digital business card; when it’s geared-up to work on your behalf, it’s a powerful tool with the potential to be one of your biggest supporters. Investing in an up-to-date site with modern design features and capabilities will make managing your org. and accomplishing your mission a whole lot easier. You’ll attract more web visitors whom you can convert to supporters; launch more capable and effective marketing campaigns and save time and resources so you can focus on what matters most—your mission.

Ready to see how powerful your website can be?

Schedule a free demo

Learn more

The post Five Essential Features of an Effective Nonprofit Website appeared first on Firespring.

So, what are the prime uses for email marketing for nonprofits? Let’s delve into the moments when email really hits its stride:

1. Welcoming supporters

When someone volunteers, donates or even signs up for your mailing list, it’s a great idea to welcome them to your community with an engaging, informative email. Why? Research suggests that this is the optimal time for your nonprofit communications to be received. Welcome emails have up to four times the open rates and five times the click-through rates compared to regular emails, according to Experian.

But remember, timing is crucial: For maximum engagement, aim to send that first email within 24 hours. This is where email automation tools shine in nonprofit email marketing. You can draft and schedule welcome and other types of emails in advance, setting up workflows that trigger their delivery when a certain action is taken. Say goodbye to missed opportunities!

Upgrade your website with built-in email marketing automation.

Check it out

2. Fundraising appeals

Regardless of your campaign or theme, your fundraising appeal emails should always include a compelling case for support, a concise summary of the funding benefits and a clear call to action. Pro tip: Directly link your call to action to a fundraising page for immediate donations. That way, supporters don’t have to navigate away from your site.

While you might feel like a bother sending reminder emails, remember that not everyone reads your first message. This explains why open rates tend to skyrocket with follow-ups—up to 40% according to some research. The ideal number of follow-ups tends to be two to three.

3. Advocacy

A successful advocacy email generally has two main objectives: To prompt someone to take an action, like contacting a legislator, and to encourage a donation. For best results in nonprofit communications, clearly state what you’d like the reader to do and ensure the necessary information and action links are easily accessible or “above the fold” (an old printing term that means “near the top,” take that to your next Trivial Pursuit game).

4. Thank-yous

While it might seem obvious, it’s worth stating: Always remember to express gratitude. Regularly tell your supporters how much they mean to you and your cause, and keep them updated on how their donations are being used. It’s not just the polite thing to do; it’s also a great way to generate engagement, since thank-you emails have an open rate of around 67%. Want to make it easy to remember to say thanks? Add donors to an automated email delivery list. Then aim to send your thank-you emails within 24 hours.

5. Success stories

People love a good story, especially when they’re part of it. Email makes it easy to share your organization’s successes with donors and highlight their role in these achievements. This can be done via monthly e-newsletters, thank-you emails or quarterly progress reports.

Bonus

Another idea to consider: Drip campaigns. These are a series of emails designed to achieve a specific goal, like re-engaging lapsed donors or onboarding new supporters. If you’re unfamiliar, learn more about how email drip campaigns can be a potent marketing tool in your arsenal.

Now that you know these email marketing tips, give us a holler if we can help you manage your email marketing strategy. And if you want to capitalize on convenience, our Firespring email marketing automation platform integrates directly into our nonprofit websites, allowing you to easily capture email addresses, segment your audience and automate the most relevant messages for each subscriber. With our powerful automation and personalization features, you can create and send email campaigns that reach the right person at just the right time.

Ready to level-up your email game?

Schedule an email marketing consultation

The post Nonprofit Email Marketing: The Top 5 Emails Every Nonprofit Should Be Sending appeared first on Firespring.

In other words, you need people to give—both time and money. How much you get can be significantly impacted by the way you ask, especially the words that you choose for your CTAs (calls to action).

Whether it’s on your website, in an email, an ad or a social media post, a call to action is the very spot where you ask somebody to do something (e.g., Donate Now, Volunteer, Connect With Us). It could be a button, a hyperlink (linked text, no design), a clickable image—whatever its form or shape, it’s the very place where you want to turn an onlooker or prospect into a donor or volunteer. CTAs are hugely important because they’re where the magic happens; they’re where you grow your cause.

Any successful nonprofit uses clear and effective calls to action in order to move their audience to act, and as easy as it is to fall back on Learn More and Click Here, that language is not the most compelling or effective. Let’s talk about what is.

To create clear CTAs that will actually convert, try writing them with these four tips in mind:

1. Use actionable language.

There’s a reason it’s referred to as a call to action. Action=active. Strong verbs that inspire your visitors, like “feed,” “fight” and “invest” create meaning for your end user—they draw them in to be a part of something bigger than themselves, and they imply that their action is going to make an impact.

A few other good active words: Change. Transform. End (something like hunger or violence). Create. Support. Join. Deliver. Save. Adopt. Give. Provide.

Of course the word “donate” is clear and concise and almost always appropriate when you’re making an ask, but if all your CTAs say “Donate Now,” your org could come across as a little money-hungry. Try branching out and using words that inspire and suggest that your organization is committed to creating meaningful, lasting change, not just empty pockets.

2. Be concise.

You don’t have a lot of space to get your point across, especially if you’re constricted by space (say in a button, an email or a small ad). So, choose your words wisely. When I’m writing CTAs, I like to keep them to two words, maybe three, max. Instead of “Subscribe to Our Monthly Newsletter,” you might say, “Stay Connected” or “Get Updates.” Instead of “Follow Us on Social,” you could simply say “Connect” or “Follow” with your linked social icons below. You want to describe a clear action but in as few words as possible.

The only exception might be if you include a call to action within a piece of content (a blog post or web copy) and use a hyperlink; then you can highlight a phrase or a longer string of words, like we’ve done in previous blogs.

3. Be consistent.

Think through your user flow: If you’re sending someone an email about a new event and you’d like them to “Register Now,” don’t send them to a landing page where the CTA is “Please Donate.” If you run an ad on LinkedIn inviting your audience to “View Webinars,” don’t send them to a landing page with a list of your webinars and a CTA button that asks them to “Sign Up” for your email list.

Wait, what? Make that make sense. To your user, it doesn’t. When you write your CTAs, it’s important to think through the user flow from the first touch all the way through to the thank-you or confirmation page and be sure you’re using words that connect from one touchpoint to the next. If you make the language confusing or inconsistent, people will get nervous/scared/bored and bounce.

4. Don’t be afraid to ask more than once.

If you’re running a fundraising campaign, you should have a call to action on a landing page that asks people to donate—but you don’t have to stop there! You can also include call to action buttons throughout your entire website. Having the same call to action multiple times throughout an appeal can help drive more results. It’s reinforcing and, to the point above, consistent.

The only caveat: Refrain from asking for more money right after someone has just donated. You may ask them to follow you, volunteer, sign up for emails, or attend an event, but keep that “Donate Now” button off your thank-you page and/or thank-you emails—it smacks of greediness and feels a little tone-deaf, as if you view your donors as human ATM machines rather than actual people you want to build a relationship with.

These tips are a good place to start—but there’s so much more that goes into creating landing pages that can legit turn your website into a converting machine. With the right know-how and strategy, you can improve the performance of your landing pages and CTA buttons—and the great news is, we have a webinar for that.

Register for our free webinar, “Convert Supporters with Powerful Landing Pages” to really tap into the power and potential of your website and to improve your conversion rates beyond your highest expectations.

Register today

The post Your Nonprofit Website: How to Create Calls to Action that Convert appeared first on Firespring.

If you’ve undertaken the heroic task of crafting a statement that’s focused, compelling and well-written, the last thing you’re probably eager to do is change it! That said, there are circumstances when tweaking—or even fully revising—your mission statement is the right decision, and one that’ll pay off in the long run in terms of success and donor engagement. So let’s talk about those times, and how to change your “blurb” without falling off the proverbial best-seller list.

1. Why would we need to change our mission statement?

Although your mission statement lives statically in the land of your marketing materials, your organization is constantly growing, evolving and shifting. Sometimes, even your starting goals and priorities are subject to change. This means your mission statement needs to be adaptable, too.

For example, did you know the March of Dimes was originally founded to serve polio victims? In 1979, when the virus had been obliterated in the U.S. by the Salk vaccine, the organization changed its mission to focus on birth defect prevention, premature birth and infant mortality.

As we stated in our earlier blog post Nonprofit Marketing: How to Craft a Concise Mission Statement, “Your mission statement is never set in stone. It can (and probably will) morph, change and adapt to your growing organization.”

2. How often should we change our nonprofit’s mission statement?

Like most things in life, this really depends. Some nonprofits will never need to change their mission statement, as “who they are” will largely stay the same over time. On the other hand, your organization may need to revise its mission statement next week, then again in a year or two, to reflect evolution.

Simply being aware of your mission statement at all times is crucial, since it’s essentially a living synopsis of your organization by which people will judge you. We recommend that board members, personnel and even volunteers pitch in and deep-dive on your mission statement every year (and obviously, during times of major transition). Not with an eye to change things, but to at least see whether it reflects your org in the mirror.

Signs you have a strong mission statement.

Maybe your original mission statement never really “clicked” from the get-go—perhaps due to being rushed, poorly written or just an afterthought altogether. If that’s your sneaking suspicion, but you aren’t sure if you’re just overthinking, check out Nonprofit Hub’s checklist for identifying solid mission statements.

A good mission statement, at its core, should do three things: 1) use language your constituents use 2) be emotionally stirring and 3) communicate your purpose through a single, powerful sentence. Bad mission statements, on the other hand, use jargon your constituents can’t understand, are too cold and logical or somehow fail to articulate the “why” in your purpose. If you recognize any of these attributes in your current statement, it might be time to make a change.

3. What events should definitely trigger a rewrite?

If evaluating your mission statement periodically is a smart idea, then are there specific circumstances that should always get your copywriter’s fingers twitching? Here are a few we think are worth your attention:

• After or during a change in programming. If your organization adds, subtracts or changes significant programs and service offerings, it might be a good idea to revisit your mission statement, too.
• When your resources have changed. Your nonprofit mission statement should, to a degree that is reasonable based on timing, accurately reflect your organization’s scope and abilities. If not, you risk making promises too big to keep. If you’ve bitten off more than you can chew, for example, it may be better to scale back than to promote overly grand ambitions.
• You’re rebranding. While it’s not always the case, sometimes a rebrand is a great excuse to reinvent or refresh “the blurb on the back of the cover” of your organization. Done thoughtfully and carefully, it might even give your marketing a boost.

Now, let’s talk about tips for how to put your new mission statement into practice.

Changing your nonprofit’s mission statement: other things to consider.

In many cases, producing a new mission statement isn’t as easy as just rewording a sentence on your website and marketing materials. Depending on the scale of the change and where your mission is stated, there could even be legal ramifications to consider. Namely, if your nonprofit is a 501(c)(3) organization, your new mission statement must remain consistent with tax-exempt requirements specified in the Internal Revenue Code. Once your org has drafted a new statement and ensured its consistency for tax-exempt purposes, you’ll also need to ensure your board of directors will formally sign off. Additionally, you’ll need to inform the IRS of your new mission when you file your annual return (Form 990).

Legalities aside, it’s also important to be conscientious about debuting your new mission statement to the public and your constituents. Be ready to field questions, address criticisms or even navigate a few naysayers (the only thing in life as certain as change is how much people fear it). Of course, everything might go smoothly, too. You never can tell! We recommend formally announcing the change via your website, newsletter, a press release, email marketing and/or social media pages. If you deem it appropriate, clearly explain your reasoning behind the shift and how it will benefit the people you’re working to serve.

Out with the old, in with the new.

Then—and this is important—make sure your new messaging replaces outdated copy anywhere it can possibly hide: You don’t want less-than-fresh materials to create conflicting marketing messages and confuse your audience. This includes your website above all, which should probably be the first thing you update to reflect the “new you.” Remember, your website is still the most important source of information about your organization for most donors, including Millennials.

Conclusion

As sure as the seasons change, so will your nonprofit’s priorities, goals and target audiences—sometimes by a little, and sometimes by enough to make you almost unrecognizable. Don’t be afraid to let your mission statement accurately reflect the organization you are today, as well as who you strive to be in the future. If done conscientiously, your audience and supporters will appreciate your commitment to staying on the pulse of the issues, being transparent and showing adaptability. Approach changing your mission statement from a marketing and PR perspective, so you can avoid confusing your audience or creating conflicting marketing messages by mistake. Just remember—you got this.

Need help with your mission statement?

Give us a buzz

The post Should You Change Your Nonprofit’s Mission Statement? appeared first on Firespring.

In addition to the new I.M.P.A.C.T categories, the awards debuted five new awards such as: Most Valuable Mission, Most Innovative Model, Most Impactful People, Best Collaboration, and Most Transparent. “After five successful years of producing the go-to list of the ‘Top Impact Companies’ it was time for Real Leaders to expand its mission by growing an impact awards community that preserves its integrity while scaling its impact.” said Kevin Edwards, Real Leaders’ General Manager.

The 2024 list features a mix of respected impact brands of all sizes and from a variety of industries with companies such as: Brandless, Generate Capital, Cotopaxi, and Every Man Jack. See Impact Awards Ranking.

“We are thrilled to be recognized by Real Leaders among many other value-aligned companies,” said Firespring Founder/Chairman Jay Wilkinson. “We are focused on (and passionate about) accelerating the prosperity of our clients in order to collectively do more good in the world.” Firespring’s mission goes beyond increasing its bottom line by using its people, products and profit to do more good and create positive impact.

A special “Real Leaders UNITE” awards celebration will be held in San Diego on February 6, 2024 to honor the winners.

ABOUT REAL LEADERS

Real Leaders is the fastest-growing community for impact leaders backed by a global media platform dedicated to driving positive change. Founded in 2010, Real Leaders recognized and advocated that businesses take more responsibility to be as cognizant of their impact on employees, society, and the planet as they are on their bottom line. Real Leaders is an independently owned certified B Corporation and member of the UN Global Compact. Our mission is to unite farsighted leaders to transform our shortsighted world.

ABOUT FIRESPRING

Firespring provides strategic guidance activated through creative solutions in marketing, printing and technology to help businesses and nonprofits prosper. The company serves thousands of brands, businesses and nonprofits in all 50 states and all over the world and is proud to be recognized as a leader in generating positive community impact.

The post Real Leaders®️ Unveils Its 300 Top Impact Companies List of 2024 appeared first on Firespring.

For nonprofits, the stakes are high when considering a rebrand. Altering your organization’s name, logo or mission statement can potentially be a game-changer, helping to overcome obstacles or revitalize an image. However, these changes can also backfire if implemented for the wrong reasons.

Let’s delve into the world of rebranding: exploring when it can be beneficial, and when a more subtle approach—like a shift in marketing strategy—might be in order.

First, let’s clarify what nonprofit rebranding means.

Marketing vs. branding.

Marketing consists of activities aimed at promoting an organization and achieving its objectives, such as digital advertising strategies or social media campaigns. Branding is all about how your audience perceives and identifies you. Your brand identity is made up of various elements like your name, logo, mission statement, website, color scheme, voice and personality. Modifying any of these elements constitutes a “rebrand.”

Why should nonprofits tread carefully with rebranding?

On one hand, adjusting aspects of your brand identity is a way to evolve, adapt to a changing marketplace or grow closer with your target audience.

But remember, audiences form expectations based on certain aspects of your organization, like your name and logo. People often resist change, and altering too much or the wrong element can jeopardize the connection with your established audience and the investment it took to build it.

So, when are the potential risks of a rebrand worth it? Let’s examine a few scenarios when rebranding might not be the best strategy:

In the wake of a PR crisis. A rebrand immediately following a public relations issue can seem like an attempt to sweep problems under the rug. A better approach might be to focus on damage control through marketing and messaging until the situation stabilizes.

 

If your visuals feel outdated. This situation might require minor updates, not necessarily a full refresh. Refreshing your website, logo and other identity elements can rejuvenate your marketing efforts when they’re in a slump.

 

Upon the arrival of new leadership with a new vision. Change is inevitable, but a complete overhaul to accommodate an enthusiastic new director is seldom necessary and often counterproductive. Marketing consistency is key! More subtle changes through less risky marketing tactics are probably a better bet.

So when should you consider rebranding?

There are instances when a rebrand is just what the doctor ordered—provided it’s done for the right reasons. History is full of successful rebranding stories, and your organization can be the next one. Here are some situations when a rebrand might be your best option.

Your organization has evolved into something different.

Nonprofits often start with a specific mission, only to morph into something entirely different. If your current brand doesn’t reflect your mission, a rebrand involving a new name, logo makeover, fresh mission statement or a mix of these might be in order. Your brand strategy should mirror not your past, but reflect your present.

Your current brand doesn’t encapsulate all you do.

If you’ve expanded your services, operations, geographical reach or started catering to a more diverse audience, your brand should keep pace. If your organization has outgrown your name, logo, mission, etc., it’s time to rebrand in a way that aligns with your new size and scope. Outgrowing your brand is a positive issue to have, and is one of the best reasons to rebrand.

Your brand is forgettable.

Successful brands are instantly recognizable. If your brand is forgettable—say, due to not having a consistent logo and design across the board—then a rebrand might be in order. This can help your organization become memorable and build loyalty. If you’re unsure, a branding agency can help you create a cohesive brand identity that truly reflects who you are.

People don’t understand what you do.

Upon seeing your name, reading your mission statement or spotting your logo, people should instantly understand who you are and what you do. If that’s not the case, consider rebranding ASAP. We live in an era of shrinking attention spans and fierce competition. People don’t want to work to understand you. The best brands have a simple but relevant logo, consistent colors and design, a compelling message and a clear mission. If these elements aren’t working together to create a robust brand for your organization, it’s probably time to initiate the rebranding process.

In conclusion

Rebranding is a significant move that can change how your organization is perceived and how it connects with your audience. It’s not a decision to rush into, but when done for the right reasons and executed well, it can invigorate your organization, making it more relevant, memorable and in sync with your mission and offerings. The secret to a successful rebrand is understanding how your organization has evolved, knowing what your audience needs and ensuring your brand accurately reflects who you are now.

Get help with your rebrand

The post Exploring When to Rebrand (or when not to): A Guide for Nonprofits appeared first on Firespring.

But let’s start at the beginning before we get too in the weeds about conversion, so we know we’re all on the same page.

What are landing pages?

Understanding the difference between landing pages and homepages is one of the keys to better marketing results.

Homepages are like the front door to your organization on the web. They’re essential for cultivating your first impression, conveying big-picture information (like your mission) and directing traffic between different parts of your website, such as your donor page or events calendar. You send people to your homepage when you want to introduce them to who you are.

Landing pages, on the other hand, are specialized marketing tools created with a specific purpose: to encourage people to act. They’re where calls to action in your marketing materials—a Learn More button on a digital ad, a QR code on a direct mailer or a link in a social media post, for example—come alive and result in conversions.

Landing pages are ideal because they can be built around a clear and direct purpose, then tailored with supporting visuals, copy and functionality to drive home your message. Imagine a donations page containing compelling photos, your latest video and client testimonials alongside a digital payment form.

Here are five typical purposes for a landing page:

1. Get a visitor to click to another page on your website (or someone else’s).
2. Get a customer to make a purchase or donation.
3. Get a prospect to give permission for you to follow up by email, phone, etc.
4. Get a follower or fan to share or tell a friend.
5. Get an interested party to learn something.

Why do we need landing pages?

Why not just send people to your homepage? Because when it comes to obeying calls to action, people have limited patience and short attention spans.

A lot of brands and businesses lead people to their website’s homepage instead of a specific landing page—but that’s like the difference between driving someone to a general neighborhood (and making them find the right address) and Ubering them right to someone’s front door. It’s a lot easier on your rider (er, online visitor) to get them right where you want them rather than asking them to navigate around themselves.

If you want someone to perform a task—say, make a donation—your best bet is to make sure it’s easy to do while eliminating competing distractions. For example, instead of making users click to your homepage then navigate to your donations page, why not send them straight to a donor landing page designed with the engaging elements and payment option we discussed earlier?

This specificity and customization are why landing pages are powerful marketing tools that are proven to increase conversion rates; they’re straight-up terrific at promoting clear calls to action. For example, Hubspot found that among forms of marketing, landing pages had the highest conversion rates for lead generation since they were so effective at getting people to enter their contact information.

To get you the results you want, include these five important landing page design elements:

1. A clear and engaging headline

This should tell the user what the page is about in a concise but compelling way. It’s also a good idea to complement the text that brought the user to that particular page so there’s a seamless flow and familiarity.
When someone clicks on an ad, an email or any other link to get to your landing page, it’s best if the message and language in both places match. (Close is good, exact is best.) This way, they won’t pack up and go home before they even look around. Consistency is key to creating a good user experience. You want to build a seamless flow from point A to point B.

2. A brief but descriptive subhead explaining the page’s purpose

Here’s where you can give visitors details about why they’re there and what you want them to do. It’s not necessary to write paragraphs; people won’t read it all. But you do want to be engaging and provide clarity and direction.

People don’t typically read word for word on the web; they like to scan. Use bullet points to drive your main message home with easy-to-read, clear language. If you feel like long copy is necessary, make it obvious that people can and should scroll down—and encourage them to do so. But for best results, use text that quickly describes the action that you want your visitor to take on that page.

3. A clear call to action with a prominent button

Your goal for this page is conversion—you want visitors to click that button. Make your call-to-action specific (Buy Now or Sign Up rather than just Submit) and design the button so it can’t be missed (big, colorful, surrounded by plenty of white space). Be specific about what you want your visitors to do, keep the text short and choose active words.

4. Compelling images that help tell your story and tug at heartstrings

Don’t leave the heavy lifting to the text; images and videos that evoke emotion and draw a user into the page speak louder than words, so choose wisely. Remember to marry the image with the text—together they should clearly tell your story and explain the course of action you want someone to take.
Nonprofits: As nice as your mission statement is, it’s typically not going to be the thing that gets a prospective donor over the finish line. This old adage remains true: A picture is worth a thousand words. And on your landing page, it may well be worth a new donor.

5. Influential testimonials

Nothing speaks louder than comments and reviews from satisfied customers or happy donors. Third-party credibility can help boost conversions. Integrate quotes from social media, testimonials and data into your landing page (e.g., “2K people have already downloaded this eBook.”) to make your business or organization even more trustworthy.

One last thing to mention: Eliminate all top navigation from your landing pages. This keeps your user on the page and the focus on the call to action. Your single goal on any particular landing page is to get them to click on that button. You can provide options for navigating to other pages later.

Make your landing pages work for you

Landing pages are the gateway to your website. All the different touch points you have with your audience, whether it’s through email marketing, social media, direct mail pieces or other marketing tools, should get people right where you want them and motivate them to engage, whether it’s to make a purchase, register for an event or sign up for emails.

Need assistance in creating pages that get the job done? You’ve “landed” in the right spot—let’s connect here where you can drop some details about how we can help.

Create Landing Pages that Convert

The post 5 Ways to Make Your Landing Pages Work for You appeared first on Firespring.

Obviously, these aren’t the only social media channels to choose from. What about LinkedIn, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, WeChat WhatsApp … ? You get the picture.

Today, we’re here to illustrate that when it comes to social media marketing for nonprofits, it’s not about being everywhere, it’s about being strategic. By following some basic principles, your org can use social media to grow—with less wheel-spinning than you’d get from taking a blind approach.

Here are some tips we recommend if you want to use social media to grow your supporter base, attract donors, boost your brand and promote your organization’s overall success.

Commit to the long haul

Our first piece of advice? Be prepared for a marathon, not a sprint. Research consistently shows that social media can yield significant benefits for nonprofits, but these rewards don’t come overnight. It requires a commitment to the long haul and the drive to strive for improvement.

Success isn’t about one viral post that earns a thousand likes. While such moments are welcome, they’re not the end goal. Instead, social media success lies in gradually building a loyal follower base. With consistently high-quality content, you can foster a connection with your followers that extends beyond the confines of social media, encouraging them to engage more deeply with your organization.

Focus on two or three platforms

In the vast ocean of social media, it’s easy to feel the pressure to make a splash everywhere. But we advise against spreading your efforts too thin. Instead, focus on two or three platforms that align best with your target audience and organizational goals. By concentrating your energy, you can delve deeper into the platform’s unique features and trends, allowing you to tailor your content for maximum impact. This approach makes your social media management more manageable and more effective.

Experiment with paid media

The next tip is to not shy away from paid media. The social media landscape has become so crowded that relying solely on organic reach may limit your impact. The good news is that even a small investment in boosted posts or paid ads can often generate a substantial return. Start with a small budget, analyze the impact and adjust your strategy based on the insights you gain.

Use the available tools

Our fourth piece of advice is to make full use of the tools at your disposal. Platforms like Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, offer a suite of free or affordable features specifically designed to make nonprofit social media management easier. These tools can help you manage events, solicit donations and even enable peer-to-peer fundraising.

But it’s not just about fundraising. Meta’s Ads Manager, for instance, allows you to deep-dive into your audience segments, enabling you to launch incredibly tailored campaigns with built-in calls to action. These tools let you decide how much you’re willing to invest to ensure your message is seen by viewers in your specified area over a certain amount of time. Furthermore, all of these platforms offer a powerful array of video and photo editing tools. These tools allow you to create beautiful, compelling content with little more than a smartphone camera, making it easier than ever to engage your audience visually.

Go beyond your comfort zone

Finally, don’t be afraid to push beyond your comfort zone. For instance, did you know that videos earn 12 times more shares than text and images combined? Furthermore, viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to just 10% when reading it in text. While venturing into video content creation may seem daunting, it’s a powerful tool that’s impossible to ignore in today’s digital age. Start experimenting with video using the built-in features of various platforms, and before you know it, you’ll be creating compelling video content that resonates with your audience.

Reach your supporters where they live

In addition to these five tips, it’s crucial to remember to reach your audience where they are. For many nonprofits, Facebook is the go-to platform as it’s popular among Baby Boomers and Gen X. However, don’t neglect the younger audiences who represent future donors. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are increasingly popular among younger generations who often use social media to advocate for causes they believe in. Understanding the demographics and preferences of your target audience can help tailor your social media strategy for maximum impact.

Focus on engaging content

Lastly, remember that quality trumps quantity when it comes to content. Rather than churning out posts to meet a quota, prioritize creating content that contains value for your audience. This approach will engage people on a deeper level and foster a stronger connection with your organization.

Furthermore, don’t forget to engage with your audience often. For every hour you spend posting, spend at least 20 minutes liking, sharing or commenting on other people’s content, responding to messages and comments, or participating in group discussions. Think of social media as being about building reciprocal relationships—not just releasing one-sided content.

TL;DR

To wrap it up, making the most of social media for your nonprofit isn’t about racing to the finish line, it’s more like a marathon. Pick your favorite platforms, experiment with paid media and don’t be shy about trying new things, like video. Make the most of the tools offered by each platform, and remember, it’s all about quality, engaging content. Stay connected with your audience and meet them on their turf. With a bit of grit and creativity, you’ll see your nonprofit’s reach and overall success shoot up.

Ready to learn more? Join us for our monthly Social Media 101 webinar, where we cover the basics of social media usage for the nonprofit world.

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The post Social Media Marketing for Nonprofits: Tips for Success appeared first on Firespring.