Nonprofit advertising in tough times: Advocating for impact

There’s no getting around it: these are tough times we’re living through — and especially for nonprofits. So how do we get through all this together?

After taking a deep breath, it’s time to get back to the basics. Is your message connecting with your people? Does your community look to you for answers and support — or does it sometimes feel like the other way around?

There’s that classic saying: “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.” We believe that successful nonprofits are going to be the places people look first to find answers and security during these testing times.

You knew what you were getting into when you signed up for nonprofit work. So roll up your sleeves and start fighting for a better tomorrow. That’s what you’ve been doing every day since you took the job.

It’s time nonprofits dictated terms

So much of the conversation these days is being defined by people who are looking out only for themselves. And it’s producing a lot of cynicism and doubt.

But your mission is clear. You’re not here for the dollars and cents alone. You’re here to serve your community above everything else.

And one of the critical ways you can do that is by offering them clarity. Instead of offering partisan, self-serving messaging, you can position yourself as an authority in your field — by crafting clear, inspiring content that points to a brighter future for all of us. 

People are looking for stable ground amidst all these changes. And nonprofits can provide that security and stability by focusing on providing thoughtful, well-researched solutions to our problems.

The answer to these divisive times isn’t yelling louder. It’s doing what nonprofits do best: thinking deeply about our shared issues, and working every day to solve them.

A light at the end of the tunnel

Keeping the end in sight is all about keeping the “why” at the center.

As a mission-driven organization, you have a higher purpose than your for-profit counterparts. Part of the for-profit game is going whichever direction the money is coming from. But you have a north star to follow while they’re out there blowing in the wind.

It’s easy to be distracted by tariffs or term limits. But unless your organization is by definition political, focus on the mission over the noise.

People from all political parties want to see their neighbors fed and housed, children adopted, and animals protected and cared for. Those goals might seem loftier than ever these days, but stay focused on what you can control to keep moving in the right direction. 

Because it’s really hard not to be inspired by the work you’re doing. This is going to make people jump on board. And it’s going to offer hope despite many reasons to the contrary.

We all need to see the light at the tunnel. And nonprofits are going to be the organizations that bring us all there.

Tactics win battles

Yes, strategy matters. But when it’s time to get out there and do the good work, you also need to have the right tools in your pocket. And that has a lot to do with the types of advertising campaigns and software platforms you choose to leverage.

One of the critical campaigns your team should be running are retargeting campaigns. These campaigns show ads to people who have visited your website, meaning they’re already interested in your mission. You don’t have to worry much about convincing them.

In tough times, it’s important to build momentum with the things you can change now. 

After you’ve launched those retargeting campaigns, these three display ad campaigns can help you build awareness with entirely new audiences:

• Geofencing campaigns: These campaigns target people who are visiting physical locations. Say someone stops into their local pet store, now they can be served mobile ads telling them how to adopt a dog from the shelter.
• Affinity targeting: These campaigns use known lists of people that fit into your ideal audience. If you know that most of your annual event attendees are a part of the same industry, or they all attended the same university, then you can now reach new people who fit these same qualifications.
• Lookalike audiences: This campaign is similar to an Affinity campaign except here all you do is share who your current supporters are, and you let the advertising platform’s algorithm find the right new people for you.

Cutting through the noise

People want to give to your organization because you’re tapping into something very deep within them. Yes, politics can really rile us up, but what you’re doing transcends that (we think politics really matter, but serving and caring about other people is where it all starts).

Instead of being a part of the noise, do what you’re built for: being at the center of the solution.

In difficult times, we all want even more to be a part of something bigger. And that’s precisely what you’re doing. So give all of us something to look toward. Because there’s already enough to look away from.

If you’re looking for new tactics in reaching people online, look no further. Feathr partners with nonprofits of every stripe to help them take their marketing efforts to even higher altitudes. So book a demo today and find out if Feathr is the perfect fit for your mission!