Online Marketng Tips for Nonprofits

1. Direct response basics still apply. While it’s sexy to have a social-networking or mobile-platform strategy, just remember that none of those mediums are proven fundraising vehicles yet. Even for-profit companies with large marketing budgets haven’t quite cracked MySpace, Facebook or advertising on iPhones. Stick to the basics for now — renewals, monthly giving, tell-a-friend, and simple, easy to navigate campaigns. Make sure you have a clear opt-in and privacy policy. And — of course — always remember the importance of a prompt thank-you.

2. A majority of gifts will still come over-the-transom. While it’s critical to develop a strong online acquisition and e-mail strategy, it’s also important to remember that many of your donors will come to your organization’s Web site from offline sources. To maximize gift traffic, make sure that all printed materials include both your logo and your URL. It seems like a very basic point, but it’s one that marketers and fundraisers sometimes overlook. Also, make sure you regularly test asking for money within your search engine optimization strategy.

3. Get up-to-date with Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau.
Fifteen years ago, if you wanted to conduct predonation research on a charity, you needed to request the charity’s annual report. These days, a wide range of research options are available to donors online. Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau give ratings to charities based on surveys and 990s. If your nonprofit isn’t listed or is receiving a poor grade, find out why, and correct the problem immediately.

4. Testing is the key to success. There isn’t a single online campaign that will lead to success without testing core concepts first. Consider doing a comparison test of two small panels two days prior to launch. Use the winning concept to roll out the campaign. Make sure you know what metric you want to test. Is it open rate, clickthrough rate or action rate? Take a look at your conversion funnel so you know where you are losing people. No campaign will reach its full potential unless every possible metric is tested.

Vinnie Wishrad is senior director of community and membership at Conservation International. These tips were excerpted from “Saving the Planet 2.0,” the cover story in the August issue of FS sister publication, eM+C.