5 top tips for digital fundraising in the current climate

A year on, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic as transformed how we live and work, but has also fundamentally shifted how we engage with our supporters and raise money online. There is now a fragmented marketplace of fundraising platforms, new social media channels and new digital techniques for charities of all sizes to take advantage of. Just knowing where to start is a challenge.

In this piece we break down our five top tips for raising money online in the current environment and lay out practical steps for the months ahead.

1.    Website and social journeys

Whether your organisation has a large in-house web development team, or you have next-to-no resource to make the changes you want, there are simple, cost-effective ways to improve your online journeys from first contact to thanking.

A simple mystery shopping exercise will reveal the holes and hurdles in your online registration and donation journeys, and then once identified, you can take active steps to improve this experience. Remember, you need to map out your journeys from first touchpoint all the way through your thanking messaging. Start with the likely places your supporters will find you; Google (and other search engines), Facebook and your other warm channels.

In the age of Deliveroo, Uber and Amazon, our supporters now expect seamless and fast digital experiences. Long and time-consuming forms or donation journeys are going to become increasingly painful for users that experience one-click checkout in other areas of their life. How can you shorten and speed-up what you need to collect from donors?

As important, does your website effectively tell your charity’s story (in as few words as possible!)? Here, harnessing the power of great imagery and storytelling through video can help reduce long blocks of copy and overly wordy webpages. Think about replacing long form mission statements and annual reviews with short, powerful videos from beneficiaries and key senior leaders.

2.    Data is key

One of the main advantages digital-first fundraising offers is the instant capture and analysis of supporter data. Gaining a better understanding and insight about your supporters during a live campaign allows for much greater adaptability and gives you the chance to make modifications on-the-go. This completely changes how quickly we can test-and-learn and massively minimises risk.

Investing in your data infrastructure is key and this does not need to cost the organisation fortunes. There are a number of low-cost database providers (including Donorfy and lower cost options from Blackbaud) that can give smaller organisations all they need to store, manage and analyse their supporter data.

Covid-19 has sped up and magnified the fragmenting of the digital donation landscape, with supporter data now coming to organisations from an increasing number of sources. Ensuring you have a 360-degree picture of your supporters is essential. As they are now likely to take action for you across a number of platforms, how do you ensure you are keeping an exact record of this support? Fit-for-purpose infrastructure, staff training and robust processes are now essential.

3.    New wave of social media

The early 21st Century social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube) have recently been joined by a new cohort of channels, largely aimed at a younger audience. Driven by great video and imagery, TikTok, Snapchat and Twitch speak directly to younger audiences and have achieved extraordinary reach in rapid fashion.

Great recent examples from the UK charity sector include Special Effect’s partnering with streamers and video games developers on Twitch and British Red Cross’s helpful hygiene guidance videos on TikTok. There are also lessons to apply on 'traditional' social media channels as shown by Breast Cancer Now’s excellent information sharing and community-building livestreams on Facebook Live.

4.    Blending digital and physical

Today, more and more charities are using digital-first supporter journeys, but these come with consequences including a potential reduction in connection with the cause due to the intangible supporter experience and over-reliance on mass automation. There is an ongoing recognition that digital journeys should be complimented by tangible moments and experiences that will have a positive effect on a supporter’s lifetime value.

We’ve seen that physical incentives have become a huge part of the success of the Facebook Challenge model with t-shirts, medals and step counters becoming must-have items for supporters to prove they are taking part in the event. This social proof will become increasingly important as we look to find the perfect mix of digital and physical supporter experience.

5.    Content creates cash

Increasingly, charities are turning to live-streamed digital content and virtual events to drive engagement and income. During the first lockdown in 2020, many organisations found success with online quizzes delivered through Tiltify and Zoom. Marie Curie and Alzheimer’s Research UK raised significant sums from their celebrity-hosted quizzes and Special Effect’s recently launched StrideQuest blends a classic virtual event with the storytelling aspects of a Role-Playing Game.

This rise of interactive experiences and virtual events shows that a simple and engaging hook (e.g., 1,000 Squat Challenge, 10,000 Steps) delivered on a platform with the reach of Facebook or Strava is enough for charities of all sizes to build a short-term community and drive ￡100,000s in immediate income. Crucially, this new generation of livestream and virtual event fundraising does not require huge budget to make happen (with many tools either free or low-cost to get started). The challenge now will be to plan and deliver enough ‘moments’ in the calendar to keep supporters coming back for more in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Matt Smith, Senior Consultant, THINK Consulting Solutions

Matt is a Senior Consultant with THINK, the leading international consultancy dedicated to not for profit fundraising. 

THINK have been working with charities in the UK and all over the world for almost twenty years. THINK offers more than just core consultancy and is proud to also offer market intelligence, interim management and specialist forums.

If you would like to learn more about the work THINK undertakes, or see how we might be able to help you through the current challenging environment, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].

 Visit www.thinkcs.org for further information on our services and our team.