Grant manager Getting Attention claims that 98% of searchers click a result on Google’s first search engine results page (SERP). As such, page-one Google Ads is among the best ways to maximize ad spend for nonprofits and should often be a key focus for your promotional campaigns. However, if you want to make the most of such an effort, what steps should you take to ensure you are being as effective as possible and not wasting your money?
Instead of struggling to make the most of your advertising budget, this article will help you:
- Research your target audience
- Utilize data analytics to focus your fundraising campaign ads better
- Select cost-effective ad platforms
- Develop highly-effective ad content
- Conduct A/B testing and measure your ROI to continually improve your ads
Follow these steps to increase the impact of your ads and attract and engage with more donors in the long term.
Research Your Audience
According to WPBeginner, almost two-thirds of nonprofit groups have an annual marketing budget of less than $100,000. As such, with digital marketing for nonprofits, you cannot throw out as many ads as possible and hope for the best. It stands to reason that you will want to hyperfocus your ads on those most likely to be receptive to them.
Any audience research you do should include creating segments such as:
- Demographics
- Geographic location
- Behavioral patterns
- Buying habits
- Interests
- Charitability
You can then target these donor segments and tailor your messaging to resonate with their values or motivations, increasing the likelihood of them having a higher lifetime value (LTV) for you.
You can even use tools like Google Analytics and Facebook Insights to help you gather actionable data on which groups are likely to have a higher LTV. By discovering overlapping details about your most lucrative donors, you can then ensure you focus on those that will give you a higher ROI.
Utilize Data Analytics for Actionable Insights
The raw data you collect regarding your potential donor leads and converted donors can offer you a lot of information that can help drive your decision-making. Analytics tools such as Google Analytics can monitor the performance of your campaign with various groups and even suggest where you can engage in ad optimization.
Track as much data as makes sense, having created a core set of key performance indicators (KPIs) that can quickly indicate whether you are succeeding. Then, use these KPIs to pivot your efforts, shoring up areas where you have issues, such as communicating your intent or converting interested leads.
Many data analytics tools also now offer predictive analytics tools. These machine learning systems can anticipate donor behaviors based on large amounts of data you may already have. As such, they can inform you of things like:
- What times of day or year are best for specific campaigns
- When donors are likely to donate more if you prompt them
- How donors may change their habits based on world events
- What trends tend to occur in donations after economic shifts
In addition to tracking and analyzing this data, visualizing it and displaying how your efforts have altered habits can help you quickly communicate the results of your work. Doing this lets you offer more precise information to shareholders or other parties invested in your charity.
Select Cost-Effective Platforms
With so many different platforms available, knowing where you place your advertising can be challenging. However, there are a few standout examples that surpass most others.
For example, avoid advertising on Twitter and Snapchat, as these platforms have low-engagement demographics. Yelp and LinkedIn have higher engagement but can be very expensive to advertise on. On the other hand, TikTok has strong engagement but a very high barrier to entry, with video content or influencer content required to have an impact.
Instead, consider Facebook, Instagram, or Google. Google search advertising, for example, has seen spending rise year over year, with an 11% gain as of Q3 2024 compared to the same time last year. Businesses trust the platform to perform, so long as they understand how to use it.
One main reason for this is these platforms’ ability to hyperfocus their targeting. Also, places like Google Ad Grants provide nonprofits with up to $10,000 in free monthly advertising credits to help them quickly enhance their reach. Both of these facts make starting on the platform much more straightforward.
Develop Targeted Ad Content
It is not only the ad that you need to target specific markets, but also the content of the ad. Targeted content improves donor engagement by talking specifically to specific groups and addressing their unique needs and values. Some of the most effective targeting involves promising to solve a problem such a group has, potentially improving their lives.
When creating the ad, consider using storytelling techniques to evoke specific emotions in your target audience. You can then use this to connect your message with potential donors on a much deeper level. Do this with more than words, too, and use all forms of content format to do the same, such as:
- Videos
- Infographics
- Testimonials
- Live streams
- Interactive content
- Cast studies
Each of the above has different impacts, and finding something that resonates with your audience can potentially give you a lead when it comes to ad memorability.
However, ensure that your content aligns with your platform’s best practices before you do this. Doing so will give you the best chance of maximum visibility and engagement, as neglecting the standards or best practices will likely cause more people to ignore your content.
Maximize Ad Spend for Nonprofits with Red Stone Studio
Implement targeted strategies tailored to your audience and goals to Maximize ad spend for nonprofits like yours. Meanwhile, leverage tools like Google Ads and even grants associated with this service to ensure every dollar spent delivers measurable results.
Partnering with Red Stone Studio will help you discover expert nonprofit advertising strategies and the support you need. Refine your campaign further as we work to help your nonprofit achieve its mission. Contact us today to learn how to foster greater ad spend efficiency and get the results you need.