The donor journey often starts with a simple search. A recent retiree looking to spare some of their time by volunteering at an animal shelter. A keen runner ready to take on their first marathon and raise money for charity. A cancer survivor with a new lease of life, looking to support others through their diagnosis.
These stories are realistic scenarios in which potential supporters of your charity might find you. Meeting them at the exact moment they are looking is vital for non-profits who may be struggling to stay afloat amid economic uncertainty. Search engine marketing creates the opportunity for you to connect with those who need you most, but also who your organisation needs most.
Below, we’ll cover how search rankings can lead to increased donations, volunteers and build awareness of your cause, as well as how your charity can use keywords to stand out and create impact.
Why search matters
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is not an instant fix. It may seem like an off-putting tactic because it can take time to see results, but a quality SEO strategy with ongoing optimisation can reap many rewards. The return on your investment is limitless as you are not restricted by budget as website clicks are free, unlike pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns.
Optimising your website for SEO also improves the overall user experience, with better content, linking structures and technical improvements.
Also, it just makes sense. Non-profits need to stay visible in this incredibly commercial digital world. Making sure you are seen at the right time and to the right people is key to making an impact with your cause.
How to conduct keyword research for charities
Every search starts with a keyword, and it can be helpful to start a search campaign with keyword research so you can define what your target audience are looking for. If you’re not sure where to start then start with your mission. What is it you are trying to achieve? Is it raising awareness, increasing donations or driving volunteer sign-ups? Whatever it is, any successful search campaign will directly support your mission, and keyword research is a big part of this. Here are some tips to get you started:
Define your audience: understand who you are talking to and what they might be searching for. Focusing on your audience will help you in developing keywords that match donor intent, connecting you with the right people. “How to help refugees” or “volunteer at an animal shelter” are keyword examples that can drive high-intent traffic.
Use Keyword Planner: a tool within AdWords that allows you to discover keywords related to your cause and how often they are searched for. Other free tools include AnswerThePublic, or Ubersuggest.
Use long-tail keywords: these more cause-specific phrases often have less competition so can drive more relevant traffic. For example, “how to support women with endometriosis” is related to a specific condition.
Clear and consistent messaging: make sure that your landing pages and calls to action clearly state how users can further your cause. It should be clear from the first click how they can help.
How charities can stand out in search
With countless organisations competing for attention, it can be difficult to ensure your charity rises above the noise and reaches the right audience. Here are some ways in which your organisation can stand out in search results.
Create content around keywords: once you have your focus keywords, be sure to sue them to create blog posts, landing pages, and social media posts.
Make it digestible: it’s important to make all your content easily readable. Organise into easily digestible paragraphs with headings and subheadings. These headings are also a great place for those keywords.
Leverage local SEO: for charities serving specific areas, highlight the importance of local keywords like "food bank in Birmingham,” or “volunteering opportunities in Manchester.” These ensure you grow awareness and support in your target area.
Build backlinks: incoming links (backlinks) from other relevant websites are crucial to improve your non-profit website’s visibility on search engines. You can do this by writing guest posts on another website and PR opportunities.
Optimise existing content: don’t let your existing content go to waste. Optimising means going through and seeking out opportunities to add related keywords, meta titles and descriptions. Make sure all content has a strong call to action like donating to your cause with a link to direct readers to the right place.
SEO is a continuous work in progress, but the benefits far outweigh the time and effort required. Hopefully this blog provides you with some tips to improve your non-profit’s visibility in search results so that you can continue to make a difference in this world. For a more comprehensive guide, check out our whitepaper on search engine marketing for non-profits.
Head of SEO
