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How to launch a successful fundraising campaign with digital marketing

Digital marketing is particularly effective at driving awareness, and a digital fundraising campaign will attract donors and increase donations.

Sarah Latham

3 minute read

April 27, 2023

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Digital marketing is particularly effective at driving awareness, and a digital fundraising campaign will attract donors and increase donations.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the Coronavirus pandemic, it’s that pivoting to a digital-first strategy is key to keeping marketing activity afloat. This has been especially true for the charity sector. With face-to-face fundraising events being cancelled and an increase in demand, a significant number of charities reported a huge loss of income following the pandemic.

While the move to digital fundraising tactics was a necessary one, charitable organisations are continuing to see the benefit of including digital campaigns in their overall fundraising strategy. Not only are digital campaigns not restricted by a physical location, they also make fundraising a lot more accessible to a wider range of people.

An effective digital fundraising campaign can attract donors, increase donations, and ultimately raise awareness of your cause. If you’re not sure where to start, here’s how you can employ digital marketing tactics for a successful fundraising campaign:

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Start with a game plan

As with any other strategy, you’ll want to start with planning your fundraising campaign from the ground up. This includes identifying who your audience is and choosing the right channels for reaching them. You’ll also want to use this stage to determine your budget and time frame. If you’re working to a particular deadline, then this could also influence which digital channels are going to be most effective for your campaign.

Set up a fundraising page

The key to a good digital campaign is removing any unnecessary barriers for your audience. Donating online should be as straightforward as possible. You should make sure that donations can be made in one place, typically through a fundraising page, and all your channels should point to that location. If your current website doesn’t have a way to make payments, there are many reputable donation sites that you can choose from, such as JustGiving and Virgin Money Giving. These can be used to create donation buttons that can be embedded on your website and shared via your social media channels.

Nurture your target audience using social media

Social media is a key channel for building a relationship with your audience. For this reason, it’s not a good idea to constantly feed them with content including call-to-actions to donate. Use this platform to build a sense of community around your cause and get your audience on board with what you’re saying by helping them to understand the importance of your organisation.

Motivate your existing audience using email marketing

Research has shown that it can cost as much as ten times more to acquire new donors than to retain your existing ones. Tapping into your existing database of contacts using email marketing is the best way to make use of your resources. This is also a powerful tool for keeping your supporters updated on where their donation went and the impact it’s had. This makes donating a more tangible concept and can be a highly motivating factor for your audience.

If you’re not sure how to put together an effective email marketing campaign, why not read our quick guide?

Take advantage of Google Ad Grants

If you work in the charity sector, odds are you’ll have heard whispers about Google Ad Grants for not-for-profits but may not know much about what it entails and how to apply for it. The grant provides up to £7,500 per month of search advertising for not-for-profit organisations.

To qualify for Google Ad Grants your organisation must meet the following criteria:

Your organisation must hold valid charity status in your country
Be approved through the Ad Grants eligibility form
Have a high-quality website that meets the Ad Grants website policy

If you’re interested in taking advantage of this offer, our specialist digital team can support you through the application process - as well as set up and manage your Google AdWords campaign.

With the use of this grant, it’s important to keep in mind there are limits on your Google Ads settings. There are strict requirements surrounding the performance of a Google Ad Grants account that must be met and advanced tracking needs to be incorporated for eligibility purposes.

We know that times are tough for fundraisers in the current climate so you need to invest your marketing budget wisely. At Eleven we're experts at running successful digital marketing campaigns and always happy to have a chat about your goals and ambitions for generating funds for your cause.

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Originally published:

April 27, 2023

Updated:

August 24, 2023

Sarah Latham

About the writer:

Sarah is a Chartered Institute of Marketing accredited professional with eight years’ agency-side experience. As Eleven's Marketing Manager, Sarah is dedicated to driving growth, building brand recognition and cultivating lasting relationships with our audience. Armed with the latest industry knowledge and best practices, Sarah spearheads our agency marketing activity with dedication and flair.

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