Let’s Get Digital: Leveraging Social Media for Fundraising WEBINAR (Philanthropy Massachusetts)

DSA Boston uses best practices to position organizations for long-term success in digital strategy and social media. We emphasize social media’s ability to drive website traffic as part of a larger fundraising plan. The website is where donations are made, content is read, and new users sign up to receive communications. To support this approach, our presentation focuses first on establishing a high-end web presence before shifting the focus to social media.

We begin by reviewing non-negotiable web basics; the web components nonprofits need to have in order to have a successful website including a mobile-friendly platform, a user-friendly donate page,  visually appealing layout and analytics tracking. We then discuss web “bonuses” such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for which we provide free assessment tools.

DSA Boston has seen client online donations increase 20% to 30% during appeal season by pairing a print campaign with a digital campaign. We achieved this by the following methods, which we will explain in detail: consistent branding, appropriate platforms, and paid advertisements.

We will explore how to strategically choose an audience using web and social analytics and how to reach this audience with the help of free tools and resources provided to participants.

Participants will leave this session equipped with best practices on how to properly integrate social media into an existing fundraising plan. After the sessions participants will be able to:

• Determine whether their website is optimized prior to focusing on social media, aided by the use of free tools provided to check SEO score
• Set achievable goals for optimizing existing platforms
• Consistently brand across social platforms
• Deliver content that effectively drives donors to their website
• Use web and social analytics to inform marketing and define target audience
• Launch marketing campaigns that amplify current fundraising efforts

Presenters 

Kate Murphy – Digital Strategy Director, DSA Boston

Kate has been a member of the DSA team since graduating from Emmanuel College in 2013. She uses her knowledge of social media management, content marketing, SEO, and analytics to help clients identify objectives and implement platforms to achieve these goals. She received a certificate for Data Analysis from General Assembly and has hosted numerous Social Media Workshops. Her favorite part of the job is experimenting with new apps and software to design client-specific content. She has volunteered with nonprofits internationally and throughout the U.S. and adds her direct experience with start-ups as well as Spanish fluency to the DSA team.

Ted Trevens – Founder/President, DSA Boston

Ted has been working in the nonprofit sector since 1990. He has held senior management positions with both foundations and direct service organizations. He holds an MBA from Boston College and is specifically interested helping nonprofits to adapt private sector methods to improve their effectiveness. Ted is an expert in strategic planning, financial management, board development, business plan development, fundraising and grants administration, and has trained nonprofit professionals in all of these areas. He has helped to design or improve the managerial structure and systems of over 80 organizations that continue to grow as a result of his initial input. As a proven fundraiser, Ted has helped his clients to raise millions of dollars from private foundations, government grants, individual donors, and fundraising events. Throughout his career, he has also used his expertise to train nonprofit professionals to become more valuable members and leaders of their organizations. He has traveled extensively in Ethiopia working to alleviate poverty in rural areas.