It’s an exciting endeavor to begin a nonprofit! For starters, clearly define your goals and objectives. Follow this up by clarifying your nonprofit’s purpose and mission. Finally, identify your target audience and your key messages. These are critical components, that when laid out, will guide you in moving forward with staff selection, sponsorship solicitations, volunteer recruitment, and establishing a digital presence through a website.
When building a website, first plan the structure: determining the pages and sections you want to include. Next, choose a domain name that reflects your nonprofit’s name or mission and have it registered. Select a website platform (WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, or Weebly) that matches your nonprofit’s needs and technical capabilities.
Ensure that content on each page of your new website is compelling, clearly communicating your mission and the ways people can get involved. Incorporate features like donation processes and volunteer sign-ups.
Optimize your website using SEO strategies so search engines like Google will most likely serve up your website in the search results. Once you’re ready, launch your website and promote it through different channels such as social media and email newsletters.
Learn more about starting a nonprofit website in our WEBSITES page.
First of all SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. Improving SEO means optimizing your website–its structure, design, layout, and most importantly, its content to increase visibility and ranking on search engines like Google. This also means using relevant keywords within high-quality content, optimizing on-page elements, building reputable backlinks, and providing a positive experience for your website visitors. Improving SEO results in your website having a better chance of appearing higher in search results, attracting more visitors, and achieving your goals.
Learn more about Search Engine Optimization for nonprofits in our SEO page or browse our RESOURCES section for more information.
SEO is important for your nonprofit because it helps increase visibility, attract organic (non-paid) traffic, and reach your target audience. By optimizing your website for search engines, you increase the chances of appearing in relevant search results, driving more visitors to your site and increasing opportunities for achieving your nonprofit’s goals.
No, SEO is an ongoing process. Search engine algorithms and user behavior evolve over time, so it’s important to regularly monitor and adapt your SEO strategy. Continuously updating your website’s content, monitoring performance metrics, and staying informed about industry trends will help you maintain and improve your SEO over the long term.
Yes, you can improve your nonprofit’s SEO even without extensive technical expertise. While some technical aspects may require assistance, many SEO practices can be implemented by following best practices, conducting research, and using user-friendly tools and platforms. Additionally, consulting with SEO experts or hiring professionals can provide guidance and support in implementing an effective SEO strategy for your nonprofit.
In a nutshell, Digital Marketing refers to the promotion of products, services, brands, or businesses using digital channels such as websites, search engines, social media, email, and mobile apps.
It involves strategies such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing, (SEM), Social Media Marketing (SMM), content marketing, email marketing, influencer marketing, and analytics. All these strategies aim to reach and engage target audiences, drive website traffic, and achieve business goals.
Digital Marketing leverages the internet and digital technologies for advertising, customer engagement, and data-driven decision-making to ultimately achieve an organization’s goals.
For a more detailed discussion, visit our Digital Marketing pages. You can also learn more from our RESOURCES section.
As a digital marketing agency specializing in serving nonprofits, we completely understand your frustration with getting overpriced quotes to fix what’s supposed to be wrong with your website.
At Nonprofit Digital Mentor (NDM), our goal is to provide transparent and cost-effective solutions for our clients. We believe in offering value-driven services that align with your nonprofit’s objectives and budget.
Always following a client-centric approach that prioritizes your needs, here’s how we can help:
You receive a complimentary website analysis that provides insights into issues and improvement areas. We then present you with clear recommendations and customized solutions tailored to your budget. A dedicated team of creatives and techs assigned to you will discuss with you and implement the necessary fixes.
Let’s schedule a consultation to discuss your needs and provide a detailed proposal.
Ad Grants are a program that Google offers to eligible nonprofit organizations, providing them with free advertising credits to be used on Google Ads. These enable nonprofits to increase their online visibility, reach a broader audience, and effectively promote their causes.
The nonprofit itself typically manages the Ad Grants. As your nonprofit digital mentor, we can coach you in effectively utilizing your Ad Grants. Our services may include assistance in creating and optimizing ad campaigns, conducting keyword research, helping you monitor ad performance, and providing continuous management and strategic guidance.
Our team has expertise in digital marketing strategies and understands the specific requirements and guidelines set by Google for Ad Grants. We can help your nonprofit maximize this valuable resource by developing custom-campaigns that represent your organization’s goals, increasing awareness, driving website traffic, and maximizing the impact of your online advertising efforts.
Contact us today for immediate and detailed assistance with managing your Ad Grants.
Selling items on your nonprofit website could be a great fundraiser. Here’s what you first need to know about e-commerce for nonprofits:
- Eligibility: Determine if your nonprofit organizations is eligible since nonprofits may have specific regulations and requirements when it comes to selling items online. Check first with your local government.
- E-commerce Platform: Choose an e-commerce platform (Shopify for Nonprofits, WooCommerce, Classy, DonorPerfect) to sell your merchandise online. Go for platforms that offer nonprofit-specific features or discounts.
- Fundraising Focus: Align your e-commerce efforts with your fundraising goals. Incorporate products that showcase your mission or cause.
- Transparent Communication: Clearly communicate the purpose behind selling items on your website. Explain how the proceeds will be used to further your nonprofit’s mission.
- Compliance and Legal Considerations: Be sure to comply with any applicable laws and regulations related to e-commerce, tax obligations, privacy, and data protection.
- Engaging Product Descriptions: Craft compelling and persuasive product descriptions that highlight the value of the items you’re selling and how they relate to your cause.
- Integrating Donation Options: Offer customers the option for customers to make additional donations during the checkout process.
- Marketing and Promotion: Develop a marketing strategy to raise awareness about your online store. Aside from your website, leverage the power of social media, newsletters, and email campaigns, to promote your products.
- Building a Community: Encourage and foster community engagement around your e-commerce efforts. Feature testimonials and use social media to create a space for your supporters to connect, share, and advocate for your cause.
- Impact Measurement: Regularly assess the success of your e-commerce initiatives by tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) such as sales revenue, conversion rates, and customer feedback.
Always remember, as a nonprofit, your e-commerce efforts should align with your mission and support your fundraising goals.
Feel free to consult with a NDM to make the most of your online sales efforts.
You can buy a domain name and web hosting from two different companies. This will require you to point your domain name to your web hosting company. DNS settings must be edited to accomplish this.
On the other hand, you may purchase your domain name and web hosting from the same company and this will not require you to change your domain name settings. Additionally, it is easier to manage and renew the two services from one dashboard.
Domain names can be bought separately from top domain registrars like Domain.com, Network Solutions, GoDaddy, or Namecheap.
Before anything else, make sure that you have clearly defined goals for why you want to use social media in promoting your cause. Next, select the social media platforms where most of your audience is found. Once you’ve identified the target platforms, create your accounts and share visually engaging content. Use the platforms to interact with your nonprofit’s followers and make sure to utilize analytics to redefine and streamline your social media marketing strategies.
One of the cornerstones of a strong email marketing campaign is to build a quality subscriber list. After establishing solid, targeted contact lists, craft concise and impactful emails that draw in the readers. Make sure to segment your audience for targeted email messages and regularly analyze and optimize each email marketing campaign.
Top of the list of strategies for digital advertising is leveraging Google Ad Grants. Also, focus on targeted social media advertising–this could be organic or paid. With organic advertising, create compelling content that highlights the reasons why people should support your nonprofit organization. Finally, leverage partnerships for shared promotional efforts. Partner with other organizations that align with your values.
Track KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) such as website traffic, social media engagement, and conversion rates. Use analytics tools for in-depth analysis and make data-driven adjustments. Free analytics tools include Google Analytics and Google Search Console.
Do It Yourself
DIY digital marketing is certainly doable, especially if you have the personnel who is willing to commit time and effort to learn the ropes. However, it is often more cost-effective and time-efficient to get a professional with years of experience to do it for you. But their services can be pricey. Click Professional Referrals, if you want to work with a professional who charges below market rates for nonprofit organizations.
