Social media offers unending opportunities for a resource-strapped NPO to make its mission known and promote its purpose; report news of its activities; tell its stories; share its expertise and educate; fund-raise and campaign; attract and retain donors; volunteers; champions; and other supporters – all at a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing avenues.
Inbound marketing is all about quality content in a blend of social media, content marketing, CRM and search engine optimisation, which uses 'pull' techniques to draw people into an engaged brand community – whether that’s a corporate, NPO, institution, or personal brand. Inbound marketing is a way for brands to receive people’s attention, as opposed to the way that advertising assaults it.
By taking a strategic approach, NPOs can attract, convert, close, and delight, which are the steps they need to take to bring people into their world to support their mission and tell others all about it.
NPOs have a distinct advantage over most other organisations striving to build brand communities across social media. NPOs are inherently rich in stories that touch others, and to be moved is what most people on social media want and appreciate.
NPOs are also usually abundant in expertise related to their cause, whether that’s about the environment, animals, children, education, health, the elderly, or marginalised groups.
They are repositories of information, learning, and advice that can add value to people’s lives through content marketing efforts. In other words, they have plenty of great, authentic content at their fingertips for inbound marketing.
What’s important, is that NPOs take a strategic approach in creating this content in a compelling way and sharing it through targeted social media and digital channels so that the organisation does earn the attention of people who would give their money, time, effort, goods, and other support – essentially becoming advocates for the NPO.
Authentic, quality content is not all that it takes. It helps to have a plan that properly considers the digital journey people take to becoming part of a NPOs world and the touch-points that they need along the way, which brings them fully into the brand community and keeps them happy being there.
There are also many subtleties – especially in social media engagement – that NPOs need to take into consideration. It is essential to also understand people’s drivers and their needs for sharing, feeling good, relevant, and purposeful as well as their needs for justice or betterment in the world.
People on social media are not interested in being talked at. They also don’t want to be fatigued by bad news all the time. They won’t want to be asked for their money, skills, or time on an ongoing basis. NPOs need to give proper thought and planning as to how they build rapport and maintain a constant bond that is positive and valuable to the people in their brand community.
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