When it comes to lead generation, the potential benefits of content marketing are well documented. According to Demand Metric, successful content marketing generates approximately three times as many leads as traditional marketing while costing 62 percent less. However, lead generation isn’t the only goal for businesses and other organizations. If your goals revolve around philanthropy, activism or awareness instead, the same tactics can still prove useful. Here are some tips on how to use content marketing for a good cause.
Begin Content Marketing With a Blog
A blog is an essential component of any successful content marketing strategy. As a form of owned media, it gives your company or organization complete control over the message to your audience. One of the primary benefits of content marketing through a well-published blog is developing brand awareness and loyalty with your target audience, which leads to more support for your cause.
As an example of content marketing for a good cause, the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation included a series of survivor stories as blog posts on its website. Written by men who have themselves battled and survived bouts with prostate cancer, the blogs allow the Foundation to also highlight their commitment to patients directly from those who have experienced it firsthand. By including a link to support at the end of each post, the blog also serves as a funnel for fundraising.
Enhance Your Message With Email Marketing
While a blog is an easy way to get started with content marketing for a good cause, email marketing is a more efficient way of delivering that message consistently to your audience and potential donors. Despite the rumors that email marketing is dead, it remains an easy and effective way of generating awareness and retaining supporters of your cause. This doesn’t mean you should start spamming inboxes with a flurry of emails, though.
Like any form of successful content marketing, the right email marketing campaign begins with a strategy. What are your goals for the email campaign? How often will you be sending emails? What types of content will be shared? Answering these questions will help your organization establish a plan that generates awareness and support for your cause. Keep in mind that it’s also important to track metrics such as opens, clicks, new followers and unsubscribes. Based on which emails are generating more interest from subscribers, you can create and share similar content and start reaping the benefits of content marketing.
Don’t Forget Video in Your Content Marketing Strategy
In an increasingly digital world, the power of video in content marketing for a good cause can’t be overstated. According to a report from HubSpot Research, more than 50 percent of consumers want to see videos from a brand or business they support. That’s more than any other type of content, including emails, social images and blog articles. Storytelling with video is one of the most effective ways of unlocking the benefits of content marketing and with advancements in technology, it’s never been easier to record authentic, high-quality videos on your smartphone.
Catholic High School for Boys harnessed the power of video with Facebook Live to rally support for its scholarship program on Giving Tuesday. A series of 15-25 minute videos gave followers a glimpse into a normal day at Catholic High, featuring interviews with students and faculty describing their own personal experiences. The result was an unprecedented level of support from donors as the Facebook Live campaign (streamed with an iPhone) generated more than $80,000 in scholarship donations, exceeding the school’s goal by 61 percent.
Share it All on Social Media
The meteoric rise of social media over the last decade has made it a valuable tool for reinforcing the message behind a successful content marketing strategy. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other popular platforms provide an easy way to reach your target audience with content that generates awareness and support for your cause. Each platform also comes with its own unique community and style, giving your organization an opportunity to diversify your message and reach more people without having to create new content.
For example, let’s say a food bank is practicing content marketing. It starts with a blog post explaining the mission of the food bank and what a donation provides to someone in need. That blog can then be shared on Facebook and Twitter at different times on different days, reaching an entirely different audience each time it’s shared. A member of the food bank could also record a video highlighting key takeaways from the blog to be shared on YouTube and other platforms. Just from one blog article, we’ve developed multiple posts to spread the mission of the food bank and generate support.
Whether you’re a nonprofit organization raising donations or a business seeking to raise awareness for a cause you’re passionate about, a successful content marketing strategy can help you reach your goals. However, keep in mind that not every campaign will deliver results and content marketing is a trial and error process. If you’re having trouble seeing the benefits of content marketing, developing a content marketing strategy or need help figuring out where to start, let’s connect. Our agency has a deep bench of experience and we’d love to help you implement the power of content marketing for a good cause.