The charity sector plays a vital role in our society, providing essential services, championing social justice, and inspiring hope for those who are most in need. Despite their paramount importance, charities face various challenges that threaten to weaken their fundraising efforts, such as the rising cost of living and increased competition for donations from other charities. However, by implementing digital marketing strategies into their fundraising campaigns, charities have every chance of overcoming the difficulties facing the sector.
Rather than relying on traditional fundraising methods like door-to-door fundraising, charities can adopt digitally-driven marketing techniques like social media campaigns, paid advertising, and content marketing. By recruiting a team of excellent digital marketers to put your charity fundraising plan into action, you have a greater chance of attracting donors, reaching a wider audience, and generating more awareness about your cause.
In this guide, we’ll explore how the charity sector can benefit from utilising online marketing and delve into top recruitment strategies for attracting exceptional digital marketing professionals to your organisation.
The cost-of-living crisis has highlighted how much society relies on charities and non-profit organisations' fundraising efforts. Every charity’s mission is to draw in more donors and shed light on the issues affecting the least fortunate. However, achieving these aims will inevitably prove difficult without all-important donations. Adopting digital marketing is a surefire way of reaching a wider pool of potential new donors, particularly in an era where digital technology is becoming ever-more prevalent.
And yet, the Charity Digital Skills Report revealed that just 56% of charities have an established digital strategy. So, why have so many charities not yet harnessed the powers of digital marketing methods? Well, the report also found that the main obstacle is a lack of training and the required skills to implement them. This finding underlines the importance of recruiting professionals with the expertise to enact digital strategies, such as:
Responsible for developing digital marketing campaigns that promote an organisation’s mission, Digital Marketing Managers play an integral role for charities looking to raise brand awareness and generate donations. They are tasked with planning and executing online marketing campaigns, managing content, and analysing campaign performance, all while keeping on top of the latest digital marketing trends.
Social media channels are ideal for increasing engagement with donors and supporters, and that’s why hiring a dedicated social media manager would be beneficial for your charity. Tasked with developing social media campaigns, managing social media accounts, and assessing campaigns on key metrics like conversion and engagement rates, social media managers excel in ensuring that their charity’s online presence is as effective as possible.
When it comes to advertising your charity online, it is crucial to employ specialists who understand how to leverage digital advertising to promote your mission and boost engagement with potential donors. From managing the digital advertising budget to creating and managing ad content, digital advertising specialists are responsible for ensuring that your ad campaign is designed to drive as much engagement as possible. They can also provide training on the latest digital advertising trends and best practices for staff.
Not only will implementing digital marketing strategies improve brand advocacy and engagement with volunteers, but it will also allow you to target the specific audiences you wish to be involved in your campaign. Having a digital strategy in place is also more cost-effective than pursuing traditional fundraising techniques, an especially attractive advantage given the restricted budgets that many charities have.
With the right people in your digital charity fundraising jobs, your charity will be well-equipped to reap the rewards of a digitally-driven fundraising campaign. Digital marketing professionals will be able to perform an array of skills that will aid your fundraising, including the ability to communicate your mission effectively, an in-depth knowledge of the latest marketing trends and techniques, and an understanding of how to measure the success of your campaigns.
To ensure that your charity can benefit from the wonders of digital marketing, it is vital that you are able to attract top talent with the skills to boost donations, generate support, and raise awareness about your charity’s mission. Here are 5 top recruitment strategies should implement for hiring outstanding digital marketers:
The first step in attracting digital marketing candidates with the skills to manage successful charity fundraising campaigns is to create a compelling mission statement. With a concise and inspiring mission statement, the very best digital marketing candidates are likely to be motivated by what you wish to achieve. They are typically drawn to causes that they feel passionate about, so emphasising the meaningful work that your charity does is a must.
It’s no secret that the charity sector is facing a number of recruitment challenges, not least the growing competition for high-quality candidates. However, having an effective mission statement can differentiate you from other organisations and lay the groundwork for a successful recruitment process, while also providing clarity of purpose and drawing in more support. Even if you already have a mission statement that you feel reflects your organisation’s aims and ambitions, it is definitely worth revisiting it and refining it if necessary.
Here are top tips for crafting a compelling mission statement:
Once you set out a mission statement that inspires and motivates your potential digital marketing candidates, you should clearly define the roles and responsibilities of the digital fundraising jobs you need filling. Ensuring that applicants are well-informed about a job’s responsibilities and requirements is paramount, as by doing so you’ll be more likely to attract the sort of candidates who would be a suitable fit for your position.
It’s worth highlighting how the role will help your organisation to achieve its purpose. For instance, if you are looking to hire a Social Media Manager to oversee an online charity fundraising campaign, it’s important to highlight how you feel social media campaigns are pivotal for drawing in more support and donations. This will make candidates feel valued and that their digital marketing talents will be put to good use. As well as defining the job responsibilities and purpose, you must also lay out the skills that your ideal candidates should possess. These can include:
Networking is a great way to connect with people who may possess the required skill set to succeed in your digital marketing team. By building relationships with potential candidates at industry events or charity fundraisers, you’ll be able to create a pool of talent that you can dip into when the time comes. Finding a candidate with the perfect combination of digital marketing expertise and a background in the charity sector can be difficult, but seeking talent at relevant networking events is a powerful technique for narrowing down your search.
Considering that 85% of jobs are filled via networking, charities and non-profits should make networking a key part of their recruitment strategies. As well as attending industry events, other networking methods include visiting universities and colleges, utilising online platforms, and engaging with digital marketing communities by joining online forums and social media groups.
Fostering a culture that celebrates blue sky thinking is essential for attracting top-tier digital marketing staff. By showcasing how your organisation encourages creativity, candidates with expertise in running innovative digital marketing campaigns are likely to be more interested in joining your team. There are various methods of conveying to the public that your organisation promotes creativity, such as utilising social media content and getting involved in the local community.
A prime example of an influential digital marketing initiative that benefits from innovative thinking is WaterAid’s ‘The Water Fight’ campaign. Highlighting the fact that 1 in 10 people still don’t have access to clean water, the campaign spreads awareness of this issue by sharing highly emotive videos of people affected by water shortages telling their stories, providing people with a compelling reason to donate.
Another effective way to draw in outstanding digital marketing candidates is to partner with a recruitment agency with specialist knowledge of the digital marketing space and the charity sector. They will be able to connect you with a much wider pool of active and passive candidates, sparing you the cost of advertising your digital marketing fundraising jobs yourselves. There are a range of additional benefits for companies who use a charity recruitment agency like TPP, including:
The charity sector's adoption of digital marketing strategies is not just a choice but a necessity in the modern world. With the rising cost of living, increasing competition for donations, and limited budgets, charities must leverage the power of online marketing to maximise their impact.
Recruiting high-calibre digital marketing professionals is a critical step in this journey, as they possess the skills and expertise needed to navigate the digital landscape effectively. By implementing effective recruitment strategies, organisations can attract the right talent to drive their fundraising efforts forward.
As charity recruitment experts, we have supported job-seekers and organisations across the UK charity sector for many years. Since forming in 1996, we have made it our mission to connect exceptional talent with organisations across a wide range of sectors, including charitable, educational, and healthcare. Whether you are a charity looking for strategies to generate more donations or a candidate seeking the latest charity and fundraising jobs, we are here to help.
If you have any questions about the market-leading recruitment services we offer, we encourage you to get in touch with us today.
