5 Marketing Strategies To Grow Awareness For Your Mission
The more people are aware of your nonprofit’s mission, the better. By educating more people about your cause, your nonprofit can increase grassroots support for your cause, earn more in donations, and help more individuals affected by your target issue find support.
Of course, to spread the word about your cause, your nonprofit needs the right marketing strategies. In this guide, we’ll explore five marketing methods that help nonprofits reach larger audiences and connect with prospective supporters who are receptive to their message.
1. Access free Google resources.
Search engines like Google see millions of users every day, especially when it comes to people exploring their local areas. After all, how many times have you used Google Search or Maps to find something “near you”?
You can get your nonprofit on the map by creating a Google My Business profile. A Google My Business profile creates an informational card about your organization whenever someone searches for it on Google. For example, here’s a Google My Business card for the nonprofit Erika’s Lighthouse:
Creating a Google My Business profile is free, and the account is easy to maintain. You just need to add your name, address, website, and any other information you want to share with potential visitors. By maintaining this free account, you can increase your visibility, appear more trustworthy, and make connecting with your cause easy for supporters.
Google My Business helps you connect with people who specifically search for your nonprofit. Through another free Google program, the Google Ad Grant, you can promote your cause to new prospective supporters when they search keywords relevant to your nonprofit.
The Google Ad Grant provides participating nonprofits with $10,000 in monthly ad credits, allowing them to create and promote any of their web pages for free. To apply for the Google Ad Grant, follow these steps:
Check your eligibility. Applicants must be registered nonprofits. Additionally, government organizations, healthcare-related organizations, and educational institutions are not eligible.
Create a Google for Nonprofits account. If your organization meets the above criteria, you can create a Google for Nonprofits account. Along with allowing you to apply for a Google Ad Grant, Google for Nonprofits also provides nonprofits with free access to Google Workspace applications.
Submit your website for review. Prepare your website for Google’s review by ensuring your site contains valuable content related to your website, has limited commercial activity, and meets technical standards, such as having fast load times and no broken links.
Both new Google My Business accounts and Google Ad Grant applications take time to review. Be prepared to wait up to a few weeks to receive verification or approval.
2. Try influencer marketing.
Online influencers are individuals who have a significant fan base on their platform of choice. For instance, this might be measured in Instagram followers, Facebook fans, or YouTube subscribers.
Over the last few years, more nonprofits have seen the power influencer marketing has in spreading awareness of key issues, especially when it comes to connecting with millennial and Gen Z donors. Influencers you partner with can leverage their fan base to get involved with your cause, creating an upswell of support for your nonprofit.
When you first think of influencers, your mind might go to internet celebrities with millions of fans. In reality, influencers come in all shapes and sizes, and chances are that there are local influencers who are willing to partner with your nonprofit.
Assess potential influencers not just on the size of their fan base but on how receptive that fan base will likely be to your cause. Work with influencers in your area whose followers have values and interests that align with your nonprofit’s mission. For example, an environmental conservation organization may work with influencers who advocate for sustainable living and post about eco-friendly practices and products they use.
3. Partner with local organizations.
Your nonprofit can do more when you work with other organizations in your local area. Businesses, clubs, advocacy groups, and other nonprofits can all be essential partners in spreading cause awareness and building community support.
When it comes to working with corporate partners, many nonprofits usually arrange sponsorships. However, local businesses can also support your nonprofit’s marketing efforts. This is called cause marketing, and 360MatchPro provides this useful definition of the term:
“A collaboration between a for-profit business and a nonprofit organization to promote the nonprofit’s cause or mission. [Or,] a campaign organized by a for-profit business in support of an issue.”
Nonprofits that approach businesses will follow the first definition, but you can also set up your website to encourage businesses to take the initiative to market your cause. Set up a sponsorships or corporate partners page on your website that explains what your nonprofit is and how businesses can support you. Add a contact form to this page so interested organizations can easily get in touch with you.
4. Host an event.
In the nonprofit sector, recent trends point to the importance of cementing support in your local community. As such, consider hosting events to introduce your organization to your neighbors and inspire grassroots support for your cause.
When planning an event, consider:
Your target audience. Who in your local community do you want to reach through your events? Remember that you can always host multiple events catering to different groups. For example, you might organize a neighborhood picnic day to connect with families with children and a late-night gala to speak with adults in your community in a more formal setting.
Activities. The activities at your events should be engaging but also inspire conversation about your cause. Some nonprofits may be able to plan activities that get event attendees directly involved with their cause, such as an animal shelter hosting a dog walking event. In contrast, other organizations might plan routine speeches and announcements throughout their events to discuss their missions.
Logistics. Consider your event’s budget, location, and volunteer needs. Additionally, consider your guests’ accessibility needs. All event venues should have ramps and seating, and outdoor spaces should have adequate shade and water available.
As part of your marketing, create a post-event survey that asks guests for feedback on your event. Make sure to ask how they heard about your event so you can assess your marketing strategy and invest in the most effective channels.
5. Host an active blog.
Getting Attention’s guide to nonprofit advertising explains how there are two types of marketing: inbound and outbound. So far, we’ve primarily focused on outbound marketing, which includes marketing messages that you push out to a potential audience using paid channels. For example, a social media advertisement is considered outbound marketing.
In contrast, inbound marketing is content your nonprofit creates to attract supporters to your organization. For example, you might conduct research on your target issue and create a valuable blog post presenting your findings. Prospective supporters curious about your cause might stumble upon this content and end up becoming supporters.
There are many types of effective inbound content you can create, but the most practical option for most nonprofits is maintaining an active blog. You can post anything related to your nonprofit’s mission, and regular updates will show visitors that your organization is active, healthy, and doing valuable work.
Lately, nonprofits and businesses alike have been considering the role of generative AI in marketing, especially when it comes to writing blog articles. A few simple dos and don’ts for AI include:
Do use AI to supplement your marketing efforts by using it to brainstorm ideas, create outlines, and catch basic grammar and spelling errors.
Don’t use AI to write your content as AI writing lacks originality and often includes factual errors.
Do experiment with multiple AI tools as multiple companies have rolled out unique AI solutions, meaning your nonprofit has options.
Don’t input sensitive information into AI tools since there is always the potential for data leaks.
Your nonprofit’s blog is a place to show off your expertise, educate supporters, and share interesting facts and inspiring stories. As such, AI can be a helpful tool in getting started, but ultimately, it should be members of your nonprofit telling your story.
When it comes to marketing your cause, your nonprofit likely has access to more free tools than you might’ve assumed. Reach out to other individuals and organizations to make spreading awareness a team effort. Plus, don’t underestimate the power of free resources for getting your nonprofit seen online.