Whenever I do research for the Contentuity360 Blog, I’m always looking out for the latest and greatest digital marketing trends to share with my nonprofit and higher ed audiences. Over the past year, one of the most popular strategies I see showing up in search results for the long tail keyword ‘next big thing in marketing’ is (wait for it)…
Influencer Marketing.
In today’s social marketing landscape, people trust other people more than they trust advertising, and they’re more driven to make purchase and giving decisions based on strong, positive reviews and peer endorsements. Similar to word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM), influencer marketing is now considered one of the fastest growing and most effective types of marketing. (Tomoson)
For nonprofits, influencer marketing involves leveraging cause advocates and key thought leaders to help drive messages—about vision, values, mission, and cause—to a larger audience through social media and content marketing. Below are 5 reasons why influencer marketing is good for nonprofits.
1. Increases brand awareness
Whether your cause influencers are blogging, tweeting, or posting content on Facebook, their positive shout out to your nonprofit is a great way to get the word out about the work you’re doing on behalf of your cause. As more people discover your nonprofit brand, your online community will grow as a result.
2. Promotes audience engagement
Cause influencers who have established powerful and trusted voices with your desired audience can drive online conversations through content. Links from their content to your social media platforms and website will allow new people to join your online community and engage directly with your nonprofit brand.
3. Builds credibility with audiences
When you partner with influencers who have worked directly with your nonprofit in some capacity, they may be willing to advocate on behalf of your nonprofit’s leadership and accomplishments. Their strong endorsement can help your nonprofit build credibility with larger audiences who care about your cause.
4. Improves SEO
As mentioned above (#2), links from your cause influencers’ content to your social media platforms, blog, website, event landing pages, and donation pages can help improve your SEO. Be sure to provide your influencers with the specific keywords you want to rank for so they can incorporate them into their content when writing about your nonprofit.
5. Cost effective
Unless you’re looking to partner with celebrities, influencer marketing doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag. Passionate cause influencers are usually more than willing to deliver your messages gratis as part of their own content. If fact, a budget might only become necessary for influencer marketing if you outsource your content creation and social media.
Has your nonprofit tried influencer marketing? If so, tell us about your experience in the comments below.
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