We all know that without great content, there is no marketing. Content is the backbone of a social media strategy, SEO, public relations and a digital marketing strategy. For nonprofits, content marketing offers a unique opportunity to build lasting relationships with your audience, including donors, volunteers and community partners. It’s about delivering value and establishing trust rather than just asking for donations.
What is Content Marketing?
Content marketing is a long-term strategy focused on building a strong relationship with your target audience by consistently providing high-quality, relevant content. It helps position your nonprofit as a thought leader in your field and shows that you truly care about your community. Instead of directly asking for donations, you provide information that makes your audience more informed and engaged with your cause. Understanding content marketing metrics can help track how effectively you’re delivering value to your audience.
Forms of Content Marketing for Nonprofits
You might already be using some forms of content marketing without even realizing it. Here are a few examples:
- Blog posts
- Case studies
- Cheatsheets
- Impact stories
- eBooks
- Infographics
- Annual reports
- Slide decks
- Social media posts
- Videos
- Webinars
- Newsletters
When your audience is ready to support a cause, they will likely turn to you because you’ve consistently delivered valuable information and earned their trust. Utilizing various content marketing techniques can help ensure that you’re engaging with your supporters across multiple distribution channels.
Getting Started with Content Marketing: Six Simplified Tips
1. Develop a high-level strategy: Begin by defining what you want to achieve with your content marketing strategy plan. What type of messages will resonate most with your supporters? A clear strategy helps you focus on your goals and the content that will best serve your audience. Consider utilizing tools for content marketers to streamline the process.
2. Study your peers: Understanding what other nonprofits are doing can help you identify opportunities and differentiate yourself. Researching content strategy examples of similar organizations can spark ideas and highlight gaps you can fill. Look for topics they haven’t covered or present your unique perspective on common issues.
3. Create an editorial calendar: Planning your content in advance ensures consistency and helps manage your workflow. An editorial calendar allows you to schedule posts, assign tasks and stay organized. While flexibility is important, having a plan increases the likelihood of sticking to your content planning and strategy.
4. Set goals and track progress: Define specific goals for your content marketing efforts. These could be the number of posts per month, engagement rates or donations generated from content. Regularly track your progress using content marketing measurement tools to see what’s working and where you can improve.
5. Publish, promote, repurpose and follow up: Once your content is published, promote it across your channels to maximize its reach. Don’t let good content go to waste—repurpose it in different formats or update it when relevant. Engage with your audience by responding to comments and feedback, whether on the blog post itself or through social media. This is a key organic marketing strategy for building long-term engagement.
6. Continually improve: Content marketing is a dynamic process. It takes time to build a following and see results. Be patient and open to feedback. Listen to your audience’s needs and adjust your strategy to continually improve the quality and relevance of your content. Use insights from content strategy tools and analytics to refine your approach.
Example of Repurposing Content
When working with our client, the Health and Hope Foundation, we created content that could be used in a variety of ways. We started with strategic messaging and talking points and then wrote a compelling story about those who would benefit from the support. We developed a strong call to action. We used those details to write an appeal letter, create a series of emails to inform and ask for support, drafted a series of social media posts and created a calendar to share all of it with the target audience. (We also could have created things such as a press release or video script.) We created the content once and then repurposed it in a variety of ways, leading to an impactful, multi-channel, wildly successful year-end appeal.
This process embodies good marketing tactics by ensuring the same content serves multiple channels and goals. From video content marketing strategy to email campaigns, each element worked together to tell the story, drive engagement and result in action.
Why Content Marketing Matters for Nonprofits
Content marketing is not just about immediate donations; it’s about creating a relationship with your audience. When done right, it helps build trust, establish your authority and keep your nonprofit top-of-mind. As your audience grows to trust your insights and value your contributions, they’ll be more likely to support your cause when the time comes. Understanding content marketing tactics and incorporating them into your broader website marketing strategy is essential to achieving sustainable growth.
Ready to Elevate Your Nonprofit’s Impact?
If you’re ready to attract new donors, engage volunteers and increase awareness of your cause, it’s time to develop a winning content strategy. Let’s work together to create content that engages your audience and drives meaningful results. By focusing on creating high-quality content and using it strategically over time, you can build lasting relationships and achieve your nonprofit’s goals. Consider using a strategy that integrates content marketing and branding to make a lasting impression.
By simplifying your approach and focusing on consistent, high-quality content, you can make content marketing a powerful tool in your overall digital marketing strategy. Start small, be patient and keep refining your efforts based on feedback and results. With the right strategy in place, you’ll see your content efforts pay off in meaningful ways.