Crafting a Holistic Digital Strategy
Your nonprofit likely has an overarching strategy: a plan to execute your organization’s mission, vision, and goals in hopes of making each of those things a reality. Your strategy likely involves networking, planning fundraising events, and making sure your team has the right people and positions, but if it doesn’t include a defined digital component, there is likely much that your organization is missing out on. For quite some time and now more than ever, a thoughtfully considered and intentionally executed digital strategy has become a non-negotiable, so let’s spend a bit more time looking at the why, what, and how.
Why You Need a Good Digital Strategy
Before spending time crafting your digital strategy, it is worth explicitly looking at some of the reasons why this is worth your time. Underlying each of the following reasons is the simple truth that this is the new standard for all types of organizations, so it’s important that nonprofits don’t fall behind. Beyond that, here are a few reasons your digital strategy truly matters to your organization’s success.
First, digital methods are far more effective in raising awareness and reaching wider audiences than their traditional counterparts. Through the use of social media, targeted ads, etc. it becomes feasible to reach hundreds, thousands, and even millions more people than was previously possible.
A good digital strategy is also proven to both increase donations and improve donor retention. Offering these newer methods of giving (like easy to set up recurring donations, text-to-give, and giving through apps like PayPal or Venmo) offers a convenient way for donors to contribute with minimal effort.
Lastly, though it does take a significant initial effort, once these digital tools are being utilized effectively, it will significantly reduce your team’s workload. Things like payment processing, monitoring donations and changes, and gift acknowledgments can be automated, giving your team time to focus on other important tasks.
What Might Be Included
There are clear benefits as to why you should focus your efforts on establishing a good digital strategy, but before you spend time doing so it’s important to consider the tools that are available and how or why each may be used.
Below is a list of tools that you may want to have in mind when you begin crafting your organization’s digital strategy, as well as a brief explanation. This list is not comprehensive but should provide a good starting point for your team’s discussions.
1. Social Media
This is perhaps the first thing that comes to mind for many, and it is certainly important. Though each platform (think Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) serves a slightly different purpose and should be used differently, all provide an opportunity for free communication with donors and potential donors and for the organic spreading of your message as they share your content and message with those in their own networks.
2. Branded donation page
You likely understand the importance of a good website for your nonprofit, but if you’re using a digital giving platform you should ensure the branding there matches your website. Consistent and cohesive branding builds trust with donors and increases their likelihood of giving (and then giving again).
3. Google ads
Historically quite expensive, Google Ads are a crucial strategy for ranking higher on a Google results page. The company now offers what they call Google Grants—an application-based program allowing nonprofits to apply for up to $10,000 in Google Ads to help them reach their audience. These can be particularly helpful for big and small organizations alike, allowing the opportunity to reach a wide, far-reaching market or hone in on their local communities.
4. Give through apps like Venmo, Paypal
Set your organization up to receive donations through these platforms, as they are quick and easy way for donors to give.
5. Text-to-give
Text-to-give is another easy-to-use digital method of giving that has picked up steam in recent years. By just sending a quick text, potential donors can have all of the information they need to give to your nonprofit (and even set up a recurring gift).
6. Recurring donations
Enabling recurring donations is one of the quickest and easiest ways to receive consistent donations and identify the donors who are most interested in helping your organization further its mission.
7. Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding platforms are easy to access and allow you to generate momentum (and donations) around a specific cause. These also have the potential to “go viral,” increasing awareness of your organization.
How to Create Your Digital Strategy
Before beginning the process, remember this:
“Your nonprofit’s overarching goals, marketing goals, budget, other constraints, and technology infrastructure will inform your digital strategy. Your digital strategy defines how you use online marketing.”
Also, keep in mind what tools you have at your disposal and what is realistic for your organization to plan to use and familiarize yourself with their varying purposes.
Now, it’s time to begin crafting your organization’s unique digital strategy:
1. Ask yourself some questions.
- What are your goals in creating a digital strategy? Are you trying to raise a certain amount of money? Raise awareness of your mission? Grow your audience?
- Who is your audience? It’s important to get specific in terms of who you are targeting with your new strategy. Consider your current donor demographics, who you’ve had success within the past, and who you’ve struggled to reach. What tier donors are you trying to pursue with it?
- Do you have constraints? Think through things like budget, personnel, or stakeholders that may want to weigh in.
- What will your team need to execute the plan? Be realistic and consider what is currently missing and what new tools or resources need to be put in place to successfully achieve your goals.
2. Craft your strategy.
Once you’ve determined what you already have and what you need for your organization’s digital strategy, it’s time to develop the actual communication plan. Perhaps the most important thing to remember in doing this is that although you will likely plan to utilize several different tools, that does not equate to several different strategies. Your strategy should be one plan that utilizes several tools in a cohesive and complementary way in order to achieve your goals.
3. Follow through and execute.
It should go without saying that steps one and two are fully dependent on step three — actually executing the plan. All of the hard work and planning should lead to this, when you get to put your new plan out there and see how your audience responds.
4. Measure success and adapt as needed.
It’s unlikely that your first attempt at this will render complete success, so it’s important to measure success and make changes to your plan as needed. What works for one organization might not be the best strategy for yours, and vice versa. Success in this realm does not mean perfection on your first try, but rather getting the ball rolling and adjusting as needed to continually improve your organization’s outcomes.
So, although each nonprofit’s plan may look different, there are a few common traits everyone’s should share — they should be holistic (allowing a number of platforms to work together), specific to your organization’s needs, and adaptable as your needs change or certain aspects of it seem to work better than others. Whatever your strategy may look like, at Atticus we believe that diving headfirst into this digital space is crucial for the success of your business, and we would love to partner with you as you use these new tools and resources to further the mission and vision of your organization.
Your nonprofit likely has an overarching strategy, which involves networking, planning fundraising events, and making sure your team has the right people and positions, but if it doesn’t include a defined digital component, there is likely much that your organization is missing out on. For quite some time and now more than ever, a thoughtfully considered and intentionally executed digital strategy has become a non-negotiable.
