7 Low-Cost and Quick Initiatives for Social Enterprises & Non-Profits to Enhance Their Digital Marketing
Most Social Enterprises and NGOs are, just like any other organisation, limited in their financial and human resources. It is therefore crucial to have a priority list of what the most important tasks are. A focus should lie on what the input is and how big the possible output can be. In my last post, I introduced the what I call “Own it, earn it, pay for it” framework for digital marketing.
Following this framework, I will introduce 7 low-cost, high-impact initiatives, that Social Enterprises & NGOs can kick-off right away, in this post.
Not all of these initiatives are relevant for all types of SEs & NGOs, for some of these initiatives, some organisations might not be eligible.
If you have questions or trouble with any of these initiatives, feel free to book a free discovery-call with me.
Initiative 1: Set Up Google Search Console
Google Search Console (https://search.google.com/search-console/about) is probably the most basic SEO-tool out there and it costs absolutely nothing to install it. It will provide you with valuable insights on how your website ranks on Google, how many impressions you get on the search result page (SERP). It will also provide you with advice on how to improve your core web vitals to rank higher. Analysing your website through the lens of the most important search engine can help you increase your traffic and potential customer base on a mid -to longterm basis.
For most digital marketers, this is absolute basic knowledge, but I often encounter (especially new) businesses and founders who have never heard of that tool and I think this makes it worthwhile talking about it.
Why should you do it:
- Get insights on your website and how it ranks on Google
- See which search terms drive traffic to your site
- Get useful insights on how you can improve your website
How can you do it:
In order to activate your search console, you will need to verify the ownership of your domain to Google. There are multiple ways on how you can do it:
- Upload a HTML-file to your site
- Install a HTML-tag in your header
- Verification through Google Analytics or Google Tag Manager
For more detailed guidelines see: https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9008080?hl=en
Initiative 2: Create a Pinterest Account
If your organisations uses social media channels like Instagram or Facebook to reach out to potential customers or donors, but does not use Pinterest, I think you are missing out. The platform does not have the largest user-base as Meta´s apps do, but the lack of reach can be neglected because of engagement rates and competition. I have made the experience, that organic reach and engagement on Pinterest is naturally higher than on apps such as Meta.
There are two reasons for that:
- People go on Pinterest to get inspired, research and search for specific products or services. The platforms user base is therefore much more likely to engage with your content and you do not have to fight for each organic click as you have to do in other channels.
- Less organisations are using Pinterest, because everybody is focused on Meta. Even though the potential reach is smaller than on Instagram or Facebook, the realistic organic and free reach you can might achieve is actually higher, because you are competing with less actors
Why should you do it:
- Higher free organic reach than on other social media platforms
- Higher engagement rates if you serve the right content
How can you do it:
As with all social media channels, you should have a dedicated strategy on how to work with it. If you have a running strategy for Meta´s apps, you can tweak this for Pinterest. Pins and posts should be more inspiring and visually pleasing than on Instagram, so that people can act on your content right away. Because Pinterest is so much based on action instead of passive scrolling, you will need less energy on taking care of your audience, as users will interact with your post in a different way. This means there is little to no comments, public relations and even shit storms to deal with.
If you really want to go the easy way, you can actually connect your Instagram account with your Pinterest account to auto-publish everything you post on Instagram on Pinterest. Follow this link for more information: https://help.pinterest.com/en/article/claim-your-account
Initiative 3: Apply for Google Ads Grant
Google Ads Grant is Google official NGO program which provides eligible organisations with 10.000$ worth of ad spend on the search engine for free. This is an incredible thing to have, if you are running digital marketing for a registered non-profit organisation.
Note: Different terms and conditions apply based on the country your organisation is registered in. If you are a for-profit social enterprise, you will most-likely not be able to receive the grant. 😟
If you are eligible and have all the documentation at hand that you need to register, you should definitely do it. These 10.000$ in free ad spend can help organisation to get started with their digital marketing as well as lead to a constant stream of relevant traffic and clients in the future. I costs nothing to set-up besides your time and the actual impact might be a game-changer for you.
Why should you do it:
- Get free paid reach on Google search
- Ad Grant program will be available to you every month as long as you are eligible
- A second paid Google Ads account can be created later once you have a running system
How can you do it:
- Check whether or not you are eligible at https://www.google.com/nonprofits/eligibility/
- Create a Google Ad Grant account at: https://www.google.com/nonprofits/
- Build your account and set it live
- Optional: Contact me if you are struggling
Initiative 4: Create a Google Merchant Center Account
Note: This initiative is only relevant, if you are selling a physical product online.
Another great and useful tool for you to get more reach on Google is to create a Google Merchant Center (GMC) account and upload your product data to it. A couple of years ago, this was only relevant for organisation that were running shopping ads on Google, but ever since free product listings were introduced to the search engine, the GMC became the central for managing product data. The reach you will get with those free listing ads are limited, but if you have an eCommerce store that sells products, but you are not quite ready to pay for ads, this is another important step into performance marketing on Google.
Why should you do it:
- Get free reach on Google for your eCommerce products
- Visual product listings will be more attractive to user who are searching for products than on regular organic search links
- By doing this step, you will learn a lot about how eCommerce works and your entry into paid Google Shopping Ads will be much easier
How can you do it:
- Create a link for your product feed from your Online Shop
- Create a Google Merchant Center account at: https://www.google.com/retail/
- Activate the free product listings program and upload your feed data
Initiative 5: Create a Newsletter and Facebook Group
Another great and very easy way to engage your audience is by creating a group on Facebook, Messenger and such or a newsletter. This will keep your customers, donors, fans and prospects engaged on platforms, that are not just Instagram (or Pinterest for that matter). Depending on which country you are reading this, this might sound a bit old-fashioned, but Facebook communities can actually work wonders. I would not believe it myself, but I have seen great results. Especially, if you are a very local organisation with local offerings.
The same applies for creating a newsletter. This will take a bit more effort to set-up and maintain plus it might cost you a bit of money, depending on the amount of receivers and messages you sent, but it will pay-off. People are still reading E-Mails in their freetime.
Why should you do it:
- Keep your core audience engaged and up-to-date
- Get feedback and engagement with your community
How can you do it:
- Create a Facebook community and share it with your followers
- Make sure you are posting actively and post regularly (Tip: Plan your content ahead)
- Start collecting E-Mails on your website and post about it on your social media channels
- Send out newsletter
Initiative 6: Support Each Other
Building strong alliances and supporting other Social Enterprises is a powerful way to increase visibility and impact without spending significant resources. Many organisations are often present in one or two relevant associations or networks, that are relevant to the field. While the purely for-profit sector often drives on market competition, SE´s and NGOs should focus more on how they can take advantage of cooperation. Joining alliances, reposting other organisations contents or creating joint marketing strategies can be a boost for you visibility and reach.
Why should you do it:
- Create a stronger collective voice in the social impact sector
- Share resources, knowledge, and best practices
- Increase visibility through cross-promotion and mutual support
- Build valuable partnerships that can lead to collaborative projects
How can you do it:
- Share and engage with other social enterprises' content on social media
- Create content that highlights other organizations in your network
- Participate in social enterprise networks and communities
- Organize joint events or campaigns with complementary organizations
- Exchange guest posts or collaborative content to reach new audiences
Initiative 7: Use AI with Google Workspace
One of the most impactful and cost-effective tools available to Social Enterprises and NGOs today is AI integration through Google Workspace. Here's why and how you can leverage it:
Why should you do it:
- It's included in your business workspace account at no additional cost - making it a truly low-cost initiative
- Helps streamline content creation, email responses, and document drafting, saving valuable time and resources
- Can assist with data analysis and reporting, helping you make better-informed decisions
- Enhances productivity without requiring additional staff or extensive training
How can you do it:
- Enable Google AI features in your Workspace account
- Start using AI assistance in Google Docs for content creation and editing
- Utilize AI in Google Sheets for data analysis and formula suggestions
- Implement AI in Gmail for faster, more professional email responses
Remember that AI should be used as a tool to enhance your work, not replace human creativity and decision-making. Always review and customize AI-generated content to match your organization's voice and values.
