5 Great Digital Marketing Tips for Small Nonprofits

By Moriah John
Southern Tier Communications Strategies, LLC

A nonprofit can’t exist without communicating its message. How else would it generate knowledge and interest about its valuable community services and promote the merits of its work to donors and funders? In today’s world, nonprofit organizations must master digital marketing at all costs.

However, small nonprofits on a limited budget may not be able to invest in hiring an in-house digital marketing expert. But never fear! You can still spread your mission far and wide without breaking the bank. 

Whether your nonprofit is a small group or an organization with thousands of members, these five digital marketing tips for nonprofits will help you expand your horizons and grow your support base. These strategies are easy to implement and take minutes of your time each week.

Just Follow These Nonprofit Digital Marketing Tips

Ready to watch your awesome nonprofit organization in leaps and bounds? Even if you’re not well versed in digital marketing, don’t fret. Give these a shot:

1. Connect with the Community Via Social Media

The foundation of most community outreach these days is digital marketing. But for most small nonprofits, things like social media marketing can be difficult to keep up with. That’s understandable. Small staffs – and staffs of one – have enough tough work tackling day-to-day administration and implementation of the mission.

But it’s vital.  

Social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn are great places to reach out to people in your area. Many of your board members, community stakeholders, potential donors and grantmakers are on social media, too. With so many community-centric and localized social media groups and pages, the possibilities are limitless.  

And the best way to connect via social media is by focusing on the everyday work your nonprofit does in the community:

• Sharing the testimonies and photos of people impacted by your services. 
• Share quotes from volunteers about your organization and its mission. 
• Give online details about community events and fundraisers, and encourage your supporters to invite friends.
• Provide statistics on how your mission improves community outcomes. 
• Reshare free resources from your website.

Don’t forget to add images to your social media posts. Statistics show that people online are far more likely to engage with image posts. (Helpful hint: Videos are even more engaging.) You can use a free online image editor like Canva to get started. 

2. Find a Business to Champion Your Cause 

This is where social media sites like LinkedIn can really come in. Finding a business that can ally with you can be a powerful resource. Through digital marketing for nonprofits, your organization can be exposed to whole new audiences of potential volunteers, donors and members. You’ll reach more people than you ever would have on your own. Plus, if the local business is reputable and trustworthy, you’ll build trust by proxy. 

A business ally can donate a portion of their sales to your nonprofit, mention you in their promotions and much more. Building a relationship with a reputable, community-oriented business in your sphere of influence can skyrocket your nonprofit’s growth. 

3. Apply for a Google Ad Grant

Digital marketing for nonprofits doesn’t have to be expensive. If you know where to look, it can even be free! Using Google Ad Grants, your non-profit can be eligible to receive $10,000 worth of free monthly advertising from Google. The Google Ad Grant program is a free service that not many nonprofits don’t know about or fail to utilize. Currently, just 35,000 nonprofits participate, which is a tiny number when you consider over 1.5 million nonprofit organizations are in the United States alone. 

Learn more about Google Ad Grants and how to apply here.

4. Do Fundraising with Facebook

You probably already have many supporters online who would be willing to fundraise for you. The good news is that Facebook now makes it easier for people to raise money for charities.

Facebook Fundraising Tools is a free resource that you can use to raise funds on social media. This tool allows your supporters, volunteers and staff to raise money for you on their own social media pages. 

5. Email Your Supporters

Social media is a powerful digital marketing tool, but don’t ignore email outreach. Pretty much everyone uses email – many of them multiple personal and professional accounts. So it’s a great channel to leverage in your digital marketing strategy. 

If you have a database of email addresses of supporters, clients, stakeholders and subscribers, you can send them details on upcoming events, fundraising campaigns and news. You can even partner with other local organizations in an ad swap, where you place an ad in their newsletter in exchange for space of their own in yours. 

Email is a great way to share stories about the impact your organization is making in the community, and one of the best ways to spread your message. If you want to send mass emails, MailChimp offers a free option, where you can email up to 2,000 subscribers a month. 

Digital Marketing Tactics Can Help Small Nonprofits with Outreach and Fundraising

Community outreach work is not a singular task with a singular channel. Small nonprofits succeed when they have a solid community base of supporters around them, engaged in multiple places, many of them in the digital realm. 

Digital marketing for nonprofits is especially helpful. Organizations can communicate their mission to others through effective social media sharing and other methods in a great digital marketing strategy. By putting the above tips into practice, small nonprofit organizations will be sure to see even greater success in the future! That wraps up five excellent digital marketing tips small nonprofits can do right now, for free, to improve their online presence and communicate their mission. 

Southern Tier Communications Strategies, LLC helps nonprofits to develop grant-writing strategies, research funding opportunities, prepare proposals and submit for approval. We also help with expert digital marketing strategies for small nonprofits and businesses alike. Contact Kelsey Boudin, STCS President and Founder, at kelsey@stcommunicationsstrategies.com for more information.