How can PPC Advertising Help Nonprofit Organizations Reach Their Goals?

'Inner peace comes from making the smallest of positive impacts in the world'- is a thought that many people similar to you share. The only dilemma is how to find these people. The ones who want to make an impact but can't find any trustworthy sources to go about it. And the ones who are always searching for nonprofits to donate to. Even though your NPO doesn't work for profit, receiving donations plays an important role in keeping your workings smooth. 

PPC Advertising for Nonprofit Organizations works especially well in this scenario. You can raise awareness about your cause. Seek out volunteers who share your ideology. And invite in donor groups by making them care about your cause. Putting resources into advertising can feel a little daunting at first. But remember that it is equally important if you wish to expand your NPO's reach. 

In this blog, we'll cover what NPO advertising entails, how PPC advertising can be of benefit, and the right strategies to employ to get the most return. Stick around to discover how you can reach your NPO's goals with PPC advertising. 

Nonprofit Advertising: Is it a bit different from others?

Advertising for nonprofits includes ads that an organization uses to spread the word about the cause it is working for. The goal is to promote the cause in a way that moves people and encourages them to take action instantly. An increasing flow of incoming donations, grants, or enthusiastic volunteers is a positive sign that your advertising is working. 

But is it different from others? Although the crux of your ad strategy remains the same, it's the goals and ad creatives that change. Our motive is not to beat the competition anymore but to ensure that our organization receives the same amount of help. The messaging behind ad creatives shouldn't be sales. It should evoke feelings of empathy, urging the viewer to donate. Funds are invaluable to us, and we need to make the most out of them. 

Advertising for Nonprofits can take many forms, from social ads to email campaigns. But instead of taking a broad approach that may or may not generate results, let's focus on PPC advertising, which will show your ads only to interested audiences. 

PPC Advertising for Nonprofit Organizations 

PPC (Pay-Per-Click) is an advertising technique where ads are shown on search results or individual websites, making the advertiser pay only when someone clicks on them. Keywords ensure that ads are targeted only to audiences actively searching for them. 

NPOs usually shy away from the word 'paid,' not knowing how effective PPC advertising for nonprofit organizations is. Investing in PPC helps you place your NPO at the top, attracting attention and visitors to your website. 

The Perks of Taking the PPC Approach 

Whatever your goal—to spread awareness, recruit more volunteers, expand our donor base, or find partners—PPC can help you achieve it. PPC advertising for nonprofit organizations has been on the rise for the following reasons. 

To spread awareness 

Imagine everyone knowing about the cause you work for. Your NPO is similar to a brand that needs people to be aware of its existence to attract visitors (donors and volunteers). PPC advertising for nonprofit organizations can help you run brand awareness campaigns to spread the word. This puts your mission in front of a broad audience, sparking curiosity among many.

To recruit volunteers 

There are plenty of people who wish to directly involve themselves in working for the betterment of society. If you feel like your NPO needs extra hands, you can advertise it through PPC ads. This works exceptionally well in cases where you need urgent volunteers. You can expect to receive applications for volunteer work as soon as your nonprofit advertising campaigns go live. 

To widen your donor base

Donors are always skeptical about the way their donation money will be utilized. By running ads that demonstrate how the funds are utilized, NPOs can expand their long-term donor base and attract new ones. With the right strategies, you won't have to worry about running out of funds. Potential donors can just be an ad away from you. 

To automate your campaigns 

Physically calling up people to ask for donations is one of the most time-consuming tasks. Automating nonprofit advertising campaigns can work in your favor. Let the campaigns run and arrange for a system that accepts donation money and volunteer applications. You can then focus on the work that's most important to you. 

To form a better reputation 

Reputation is everything when it comes to NPOs receiving donations and other resources. PPC advertising for nonprofit organizations can help you create a well-positioned message that improves your reputation by being seen and known. You can form a value of trust by being transparent with your audience. 

The PPC Approach for NPOs

Now that you know the various benefits a PPC campaign can bring to your NPO, it's time to figure out an approach that will help you achieve your goals. 

1) Identify SMART Goals 

PPC advertising for Nonprofit Organizations works on goals. These are a reflection of what your NPO stands for, its vision and mission, and what 'success' would ultimately mean. 

Let's understand this with an example. Suppose we run a community garden whose aim is to provide underprivileged people better access to healthy and clean food. Our SMART goals could be:

Specific: Educate and encourage people to become volunteers through banner and video ads.

Measurable: Increase website traffic by 25% and volunteer signups by 15%.

Achievable: Website traffic in the previous month was 10% after carrying out a brand awareness campaign. 

Relevant: Encouraging volunteer applications will increase the number of helping hands we require to feed more people. 

Timely: We will keep the campaign running for a month and check KPIs every Saturday. 

Be mindful of all the goals you set. Unrealistic goals can create unnecessary pressure and lead to underperformance. 

2) Understand your Audience 

Who will you target with your ads? An NPO's audience can differ based on demographics, location, and online behavior. 

Following up with the example of our community garden, let's see who we can target. When the goal is to spread awareness and invite donations, our target audience could be climate enthusiasts, people who frequently help the needy, and people who can't have a garden but want to work on one.

However, when the goal is to attract volunteers, we might have to limit our audience to the area around the garden. Neighbors and locals are most likely to engage in volunteering activities. PPC advertising for nonprofit organizations provides the option of geotargeting, which allows you to limit your ad's reach to a specific location. 

3) Single Out Keywords

Keywords are how your audience finds you. They are based on your target audience's searching habits, and you need to understand their perspective. So when someone enters a term that you had bid for, your ad will get triggered and show up on the results or follow them on websites. 

For instance, keywords for an ad inviting volunteers to our community garden can be 'community garden near me' or 'community garden volunteer programs near me.' A systematic balance between broad and long-tailed keywords ensures better results. 

4) Allocate your Budget

The nature of nonprofit work often leaves NPOs hesitant to dedicate funds to advertising. PPC advertising for nonprofit organizations sorts out this challenge by providing the option of having a flexible budget. NPOs can set daily or monthly budget limits, or shut down their campaigns immediately if a funding program needs it more. 

Keep in mind that even a limited budget can have a big impact if planned out properly. Start by carefully reviewing how much funds you will need for upcoming activities, and set aside the remaining for advertising. Prioritize using ad elements that have worked in the past to ensure maximum return. You can pull back these funds whenever you need them. 

5) Craft Compelling Ads

Ads must convey the intended message without offending anyone. A lot goes into creating ads that strike just the right emotional chord with viewers. Empathy and compassion are two emotions deeply integrated into nonprofit advertising. You can't just put together an image generated from AI for a charity campaign.

A survey conducted by Radi Aid to study what aid recipients think of popular charity aids was met with mixed reactions. When asked to select an image for the ad, 38% of respondents said they would prefer to show the problem, 18% the outcome, 27% the root cause, and 18% a combination of three. They further highlighted that they would like to see more diversity in the ads. 

So, keep in mind the delicate balance between positive and negative imagery. Be clear about the focus point of your ad, and let the audience know how they can help.

6) Measure and Optimize your Strategy 

There's always something to learn from a previous campaign. Review your KPIs at every step of the way to ensure your budget isn't being wasted on a strategy that isn't generating results. Invest more in ads that are working well and adjust the ones that aren't. Start by checking the following; 

• Website Traffic
• Email (Lead) Signups
• Volunteer Applications 
• Donation Conversions
• Donor Retention 

It's best to test different ad variations to find the combinations of ad elements that work best. You can try changing up your ad copy, visuals, ad extensions, and target audience. 

Conclusion

Advertising for Nonprofits is all about getting people to make a difference in the world. Raising awareness, inviting donations, and recruiting volunteers are only small parts of a larger motive. With PPC advertising for nonprofit organizations, you can develop a well-planned strategy to build a community and connect more meaningfully. 

At 7Search PPC, we understand the challenges of nonprofit organizations and are here to support your vision. We are committed to connecting you with high-traffic websites so that you can conveniently reach a wider, relevant audience. By being one of the best nonprofit native advertising platforms, we ensure you make a bigger impact in the world. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

What's the difference between nonprofit and for-profit advertising?

Ans. Nonprofits advertise their mission and vision instead of a product or service. Their goal is to spread the word about a cause and raise funds. Unlike businesses, they cannot indulge themselves in aggressive advertising as funds are the most important to them. 

What type of ads can I create with PPC advertising for nonprofit organizations?

Ans. You can create text ads, banner ads, video ads, native, popunder ads, and in-page push ads. Remember to keep your ads compelling enough to form an emotional appeal. 

What challenges can I face with PPC advertising for nonprofit organizations?

Ans. Some challenges that can come your way are a limited budget and the inability to form trust with the audience. It's advisable to be transparent and straightforward about where the funds that are being donated are going.