Creating Your 2018 #GivingTuesday Strategy
#GivingTuesday is a singular day of giving that always occurs on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving in the Untied States. This year, #GivingTuesday will be on November 27th, 2018. Since it’s inception in 2012, #GivingTuesday has made a major impact on the philanthropic world for donors, charities, and those they impact.
The idea behind this charitable holiday is that nonprofits can grow the amount of people giving during a short period of time due to an increased awareness campaign supported by nonprofits across the globe rather than just one. Additionally, the social component of the modern world can amplify this message, especially during this time of year as the holiday season is historically tied to philanthropy and giving generally. In fact, 14% of supporters donate on #GivingTuesday.
For most nonprofits, this season is incredibly busy and often stressful. To make your #GivingTuesday 2018 a success, we’ve highlighted some tools and strategies to help you succeed during this challenging time of year.
Using The Google Ad Grant
Historically, a majority of nonprofits do not see success on #GivingTuesday by solely using the Google Ad Grant. This is not to say they haven’t seen success on #GivingTuesday or that they haven’t seen success from the Google Ad Grant. There are quite a few hurtles to overcome, but if done well this may be the best year for connecting these two major platforms used by the nonprofit world.
There have been significant changes to the Google Ad Grant this year. With the policy updates that came into effect in January 2018, more nonprofits have a solid chance to compete on a global scale. Among Google’s policy changes are the three new bidding types that are now open to grantees: Maximize Conversions, Target CPA, and Target ROAS. However, when it comes to an impactful #GivingTuesday strategy, Maximize Conversions will be the most important bid strategy to focus on. This automated bidding strategy takes away your control over the bids you set for individual keywords, but instead, it gives you the capacity to bid over the typical $2/click limit set upon Ad Grant recipients.
This smart bidding option is convenient but it does require historical data to operate correctly. That means you can’t procrastinate and turn this bidding strategy on the morning of #GivingTuesday and expect it to provide meaningful results. At Cause Inspired Media, our experts recommend that you begin tracking conversions and building up data at least one month before activating maximize conversions so that this bidding strategy can be effective when it is activated.
The Strategy
Take the time to consider why someone would donate to your organization without simply reiterating your mission statement. Your marketing team needs to understand the motivating factors that truly set your organization apart from the competition.
Once you understand why supporters choose your organization, articulate it in a compelling way with a clear call-to-action. Create a separate page on your website about your #GivingTuesday campaign. On this page, tell your story, and the unique value your organization brings to the community. Be sure to tie your mission into the content this page, and explain why people should donate to your #GivingTuesday campaign.
Make sure your #GivingTuesday campaign page has a high quality score. This is important when someone is searching for you organically, and when Google is deciding when, where, and if it is going to show your ad. Be sure to create strong and descriptive content that answers the question at hand – why should donors choose your organization?
Other Factors to Consider
There are many factors outside your Google Ad Grant account that can make a big difference in the performance of your #GivingTuesday campaign. Here are a few helpful tips recommended by Cause Inspired Media.
Social Media – Your organization is most likely already utilizing social media platforms to promote your organization and various events and/or fundraisers. But for #GivingTuesday, you’ll want to amplify those efforts. With the heavy competition surrounding #GivingTuesday, social media can be a helpful way to influence organic search results A successful social media campaign can demonstrate that people care about what you’re doing, which lets Google know that it is relevant and should be given a higher placement on the search results page.
Feature In The News – This may not sound simple, but the process is not as complicated as it seems. Journalists are always looking for a new story, or a new element to make an article or on-air report stand out. If you are able, develop a way to showcase your organization and the way in which your #GivingTuesday campaign can impact your community. This can then be shown in a short segment on air, or featured in an article. This will not only improve your organic search results, but it will also signal that your content and organization are relevant, and that Google should show your ads.
Update Your Blog – If you aren’t updating your blog on a regular basis already, you should start here! A good blog can help show off your organization to new people and highlight successes and problems you aim to solve. #GivingTuesday gives nonprofits an opportunity to build your case for why you stand out among all other organizations vying for attention that day.
These activities can and should be combined. Reaching out to local news agencies is daunting but incredibly important and can have far-reaching impact. Call, email, or even utilize Facebook Messenger to get the ball rolling. Once you have been featured, create a blog post about your organization’s feature in the news. You can even promote the post on your website and social media pages.
