Salesforce.org’s new report explains how the majority of European charities are not going at full speed when it comes to the potential of their digital marketing, and offers advice on what they can do to step it up a gear in 2019.
A European-focused non-profit report from Salesforce.org gives digital marketers in the charity space an inside look at the challenges faced by others in the sector and the tactics some are using to get ahead. We took a look at some of the key stats and takeaways for charities looking to improve the way they engage supporters and fundraise through digital channels. To explore the full report, including access to tips and next steps, download your free copy here.
While raising awareness for their brand or cause came out far ahead, other benefits of digital marketing for charities included engaging with their community (59%) and fundraising (57%). From deepening relationships to understanding donor behaviour and adapting to unforeseen circumstances, the report explains some of digital marketing’s biggest benefits for charities.
A recent global giving report showed that 74% donors are inspired to give via digital channels, so building an effective digital marketing strategy should clearly be on charities’ agendas in 2019. But most charities say they are not making the most of digital marketing. So what’s holding charity digital marketers back from making full use of digital channels to improve donor engagement?
Many charities are still tackling challenges around identifying the right platform, building their brand awareness and growing their online fundraising. So, while many understand the benefits of digital, there is still room for improvement when it comes to getting maximum value from their digital marketing investments, and many charities struggle to measure its success.
The Salesforce.org report shows that social media is continuing to add dividends for charities, with 91% of charities using it to help them achieve their objectives, ranking it highest for mission value compared to other channels. Facebook continues to be a favourite with charities, with 91% of them on board, followed closely by Twitter at 79%. New platform features, such as Facebook’s fundraising tool support in the platform’s popularity with non-profits. Launched in the UK in 2017, it has already raised over $300 million for more than 750,000 nonprofits.
While charities are keen to make more of social media for fundraising and community building, Salesforce.org’s findings show that charities may not be making the most of paid search marketing, with surprisingly only 40% using it in 2018 and only 17% saying it added any value to their mission. In the report, Salesforce.org explains how non-profits can make the most of up to $10,000 a month in free online advertising from the Google advertising grant and offers some tactics charities can adopt to get more value from this resource.