E-Philanthropy

“Group editing? Many-to-many publishing? If this highly democratic social media sounds tough to control and a bit chaotic, then you already understand a major challenge of the new Internet. These are often called the Wild West Days for Web 2.0. But just as the sherrif, the schoolhouse and indoor plumbing all came to Dodge City, some rules and lessons are emerging as the Web changes. In fact, one development is positively comforting: The new online tools neatly fit the culture and needs of nonprofit organizations.” — Fundraising consultant Dick McPherson, founder of McPherson Associates, in his book, “Digital Giving: How Technology is Changing Charity”.

A recent report from global Internet information provider comScore indicates that more than 750 million people conducted online searches during the month of August 2007, and that amounts to 95 percent of the world’s Internet audience. These days, no one questions the value of search engine marketing — but there remains uncertainty about specific search marketing strategies and tactics. Increasingly, marketers are hearing about — and are being compelled to evaluate — social search. Should companies be paying attention, or is this just a phenomenon that will pass? Since its inception in the mid-1990s, search engine optimization has been a necessary marketing

In its whitepaper, “E-Philanthropy Strategy for Nonprofits — Cast a Wider Net,” nonprofit software and services provider Blackbaud suggests that nonprofits consider the questions donors and potential supporters ask most often during phone conversations, and make the answers easily accessible on their Web sites. Among them: * What is your mission? * What community do you serve? * How would you use my donation? * How will you acknowledge my donation? * Do you need volunteers? * How do I get to your office? * Where do you get most of your funding? * How can I help? * What are the benefits of

When was the last time you asked yourself what type of leader you are? It probably was the last time a situation presented itself to challenge your leadership skills. It’s a great question for nonprofit managers to ask themselves as a first step to understanding if their skills match up with the leadership challenges of the modern workplace. Many executives and managers see themselves as leaders but aren’t confident that their skills align with the expectations of their workforce. The biggest challenge often discussed is finding a leadership style that resonates with today’s worker. For many leaders, their current style incorporates a managerial approach

The Web 2.0 phenomenon has empowered organizations to more easily employ viral-marketing tactics. Constituents can forward messages, advocate and become virtual marketers on behalf of their favorite organizations. But sometimes we can get caught up in the technology frenzy and lose sight of the basics. Below are some best practices to keep in mind when using viral marketing as a fundraising tactic.

When you think of YouTube, perhaps it’s the do-it-yourself entertainment of lonelygirl15 or the mysteriously faceless Pachelbel’s “Canon” guitar whiz that comes to mind.

[Editor’s Note: This article first appeared in the October 2007 issue of FundRaising Success sister publication Target Marketing, and is written from a for-profit point of view. The solid tips hold equally true for nonprofit mailers.] Do you monitor your competitors’ e-mail programs? If so, you may note some appear to be addicted to frequency and often send several messages a week. Under most circumstances, this is a misguided attempt to keep in front of their e-mail list. Relevance always trumps frequency. Quantity does not equal quality. Successful marketers don’t push their messages. Instead, they strive to understand their subscribers’ needs, preferences and

Blackbaud recently conducted an assessment in an effort to help nonprofit organizations evaluate their current Internet marketing efforts. In this second look at the results, we’ll delve into the “Visit Value” section. With more than 500 respondents, the questions in this section focused on a Web site’s “sticky” properties — if it feels fresh and trustworthy, and offers information and experiences that make a return visit likely. Here is a look at how nonprofits are using, or not using, these principles: Is your Web site content updated at least monthly? Responses: Yes 67%; No 33% If your site content is not updated frequently,

People search for just about everything imaginable on the Web, including information on the causes they’re passionate about. More than 80 percent of people without a predetermined site in mind start at a search engine. And once a term is searched, people typically look at only the first 10 listings generated by the search engine before either making a selection or refining or broadening their search.

“I’m amazed at the number of e-mail newsletters that still are crammed with images at the top, including headers … and other unnecessary stuff that distracts the reader. Like anything else, e-newsletters are read because of good content, not because a publisher gets an artist to create a cool logo or header that takes over a large portion of the valuable ‘above-the-fold’ real estate.” — Sept. 14, “Are You Getting the Most from Your E-Newsletters?,” posted by Rob Yoegel on Publishing Executive’s Pub Talk blog. www.pubexec.com/pubtalk