One of the things I love about creating content marketing campaigns for a nonprofit is the abundance of stories you have at your fingertips. In the world of nonprofits, making a difference and driving positive change often starts with a compelling story of how that change has made the world better. Stories have the remarkable ability to transcend facts and figures, reaching straight into the hearts and minds of the audience. They create an emotional connection that can inspire understanding, support, and action. For nonprofit marketing, storytelling is not just a means of communication but a bridge to lifelong loyalty.
Content Marketing for Nonprofits
Storytelling is an integral part of content marketing and plays a crucial role in creating engaging and impactful content. Creating an effective content marketing strategy can help nonprofits raise awareness, build credibility, educate on an issue or cause, engage supporters, and drive donations or volunteer participation. Here’s how I see a content marketing strategy featuring storytelling can benefit a nonprofit organization:
Capturing Attention: Stories have the power to capture attention. In a world inundated with information, a compelling story of an individual stands out and draws people in. It provides a narrative structure that keeps readers or viewers engaged.
Building Emotional Connections: We connect and remember stories we can relate to. Effective storytelling evokes emotions, which can forge a deep connection between the audience and the content. When we connect emotionally with a story, we are more likely to remember it and feel a personal attachment to the brand or cause.
Humanizing the Organization: Stories humanize brands and organizations. They showcase the people, values, and mission behind the product or service, making the nonprofit more relatable and authentic. This human touch can build trust and credibility.
Conveying Messages: Stories are an excellent vehicle for conveying messages, values, and critical points. Instead of presenting facts and figures in isolation, storytelling weaves them into a narrative that helps us understand and internalize the message.
Making Information Memorable: Impact numbers are important but people remember stories much better than dry facts or statistics. We remember 65% to 70% of a story, but only 5% to 10% of information that consists of statistics alone. By incorporating storytelling into content marketing, you increase the chances that your audience will retain and recall the information you share.
Engaging and Retaining Audiences: Storytelling helps maintain audience engagement. When a story unfolds, we are more likely to stay engaged until the end, increasing the chances of taking the desired action, such as making a donation or signing up for a volunteer shift.
Differentiating Content: Storytelling sets content (and your organization) apart from the competition. While others may provide similar information or products, your unique stories create a distinct identity for your organization.
Showcasing Success and Impact: Stories can highlight the success stories and impact of your organization’s work. Sharing real-life examples and testimonials can demonstrate the positive outcomes of your efforts.
Encouraging Action: Well-crafted stories often include a CTA that prompts the audience to take a specific step, such as signing up for a newsletter or making a donation. When the CTA is crafted in a way that shows the reader how their support will affect a positive outcome in a particular story, say “Your donation will fund a bed and meal for a child in need,” the emotional connection can make CTAs more compelling.
Adapting to Various Formats: Stories can be adapted to various content formats, including blog posts, videos, podcasts, social media posts, and more. This versatility allows you to reach your audience through their preferred channels.
Aligning with Brand Identity: Your organization’s story and the stories of the people you serve are integral parts of your identity. Consistent storytelling helps reinforce your brand identity, mission, and values, ensuring that your audience associates your nonprofit with a specific narrative and cause. This was my primary concern at LSS as the VP of Engagement. Storytelling is how is how I accomplished it.
In essence, storytelling is the thread that weaves together the various elements of a smart content marketing strategy. It adds depth, resonance, and authenticity to your content, making it more persuasive and impactful in achieving your marketing goals. Whether you’re asking for a donation, advocating for a cause, or sharing valuable information, storytelling is the most powerful tool to convey your message effectively.
Nonprofit Content Marketing In Action
Content marketing can be used in various strategies and tactics to engage, educate, raise awareness, and achieve a mission. Here are some examples of nonprofit content marketing in action:
Blog Posts and Articles: I wrote regular articles for a nonprofit client whose mission is to provide free resources and connections about aging at home. They wanted to provide readers with useful and engaging content and spotlight their provider partners. They used email and social media to drive people to their website to find the content and learn about their services.
Impact Stories and Case Studies: A nonprofit that provides clean drinking water in developing countries shares success stories of communities that have gained access to clean water. They include before-and-after photos, testimonials, and data on improved health outcomes. This content was used to show potential donors and supporters why they should invest in the nonprofit. I wrote customized cases for support presentations when raising money to build new domestic violence and homeless shelters and more general case studies and stories asking corporations and major donors for operational support.
Social Media Campaigns: During Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, LSS (my previous employer) always launched an extensive campaign on Facebook, sharing daily facts, survivor stories, and calls to action. They encourage followers to share the information and support the shelter using a branded hashtag. Check out what they are doing this year!
Video Content: An education nonprofit creates short documentary-style videos featuring interviews with students, teachers, and parents. These videos highlight the impact of their educational programs and the transformation of students’ lives. According to HubSpot’s report, video is the most popular form of media used in content marketing—20% of companies invest in video content as part of their brand storytelling strategies. Videos can be used in many ways, including social media, email, events, and websites. You can see some great use of video in LSS’ Domestic Violence Awareness Month Facebook campaign linked above.
Email Appeals and Newsletters: A children’s charity sends out regular e-appeals and newsletters featuring stories about children they’ve helped, updates on ongoing projects, and information on upcoming fundraising campaigns and events. They use email to nurture relationships with donors and supporters. Email is sometimes also used as an acquisition campaign to build a donor base, but with spam rules and new opt-in requirements, that is becoming more challenging.
Infographics and Data Visualizations: A climate change nonprofit creates infographics that break down complex climate science into easy-to-understand visuals. They use these infographics on social media and their website to educate the public on climate issues. On the front page of LSS’ website, there are infographics showing meals served, nights of shelter, and days of care for the year.
Podcasts: An animal rescue organization produces podcasts featuring interviews with animal experts, volunteers, and heartwarming adoption stories. The podcast educates listeners and encourages them to support the organization.
Interactive Online Content:A nonprofit focused on poverty alleviation develops an interactive map allowing users to explore their programs’ impact worldwide. Users can click on locations to learn more about specific initiatives and see real-time data. Other nonprofits may offer quizzes or surveys to highlight the issues of poverty or privilege.
Events: The pandemic has made both in-person and online events viable for any organization. Many nonprofits found ways to hold virtual fundraisers when they couldn’t ask donors to gather for a luncheon. They would provide speakers, tours of facilities, interviews with clients, and more to tell the story of the need and the mission. Now that the pandemic is over, in-person events are back, and storytelling is more important than ever as competition for supporters’ time, treasure, and talent increases.
Online Courses and Guides: An environmental conservation group offers free online courses and guides on sustainable living, recycling, and reducing carbon footprints. They position themselves as a resource for individuals looking to impact the environment positively.
Advocacy and Action Alerts: A human rights nonprofit sends action alerts via email and text to supporters, urging them to contact their legislators on critical issues. They provide pre-written messages and contact information, making it easy for supporters to advocate for change.
Virtual Tours and Immersive Experiences: A virtual tour is a story in moving pictures. A museum nonprofit offers virtual tours of its exhibits, allowing people from around the world to explore art and culture. They use these tours to generate interest in their physical museum and educational programs.
These are just a few examples of how nonprofit organizations can use content marketing to connect with their audiences, share their missions, and inspire action. The key is to create content that resonates with your target audience and aligns with your nonprofit’s goals and values.
I could go on and on about storytelling, content marketing, and nonprofit marketing, but I’ll stop here. I hope this blog was insightful and useful. If you’d like to talk about any of these topics or how I can help you level up your content marketing strategies, contact me today. Let’s chat!
