Online marketing is now a tried and tested way of attracting a broad range of internet users to a company website, with an increasing number of strategies being implemented by many to ensure the visibility of their brand. However, it is not just commercial businesses that can use the internet as a powerful marketing tool – charity organisations can significantly boost their donations by embracing internet advertising. Similar to commercial marketing, there are a number of techniques which charities can adopt in order to maximise the exposure of their cause.

Go viral. With more digital platforms being used by marketing professionals than ever before, there has never been a better time for charity organisations to get on board. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are now established marketing tools, and can be used in the same way in order to promote an organisation and improve donations. By creating a strong presence on such sites with high-quality content, charities can send their message out to millions of people every day.

Use PPC. While this advertising model may be perceived as a purely business strategy, there is no reason why it cannot be used by non-profit organisations with great success. Asking people to sign up for a mailing list via PPC is one effective method of getting people behind a campaign. Even if they are reluctant to donate from the outset, smart email marketing can maintain campaign awareness and subsequently turn them into donors at a later date. It is also worth noting that Google gives selected charities free AdWords via its Google Grants feature. With a starting figure of some $329 (£203) per day, any charity not exploring this avenue is already wasting money.

Make partnerships work for you. Partnering with another organisation not only strengthens your campaign, but also makes it accessible to an audience that may have previously been unavailable. There are distinct advantages when a company supports and donates to your charity, such as a badge on their website which clearly identifies them as a supporter of the cause. While the charity gets a link to attract more potential donors, the company boosts its own reputation by backing such a worthwhile organisation – so everybody wins.

Plan a big finish. Creating a high-profile event to top off the campaign is sure-fire way of increasing your overall donations. Digital platforms such as the ones previously mentioned are the perfect outlets for advertising an event, while also ensuring that people are aware of the campaign in the meantime. Furthermore, such an event will create a real sense of camaraderie, giving people even more incentive to donate to be part of the collective experience.

Ultimately, those non-profit organisations which make the most use of internet marketing are likely to be the ones that see the most donations for their campaigns. By embracing digital platforms in much the same way as commercial businesses, charities can reach an audience of previously unprecedented proportions.

from MoreNiche Affiliate Marketing Blog