If you’re on social media, chances are you’ve seen an influencer marketing a product. Maybe they’ve even influenced you to make a purchase! But for-profit businesses aren’t the only ones that benefit from this kind of marketing. In this article, learn the ins and outs of influencer marketing for nonprofits, including how to find the right person to represent your mission.
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The global spend on influencer marketing is expected to hit $47.8 billion by 2027. This huge sub-section of the marketing industry is bringing significant growth to the for-profit sector – but nonprofits don’t have to be left out! That’s where influencer marking for nonprofits comes in.
If you’re curious about finding the best influencers to bring awareness (and donations!) to your mission, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn the benefits of influencer marketing for nonprofits, ways to raise more, and how to find the perfect influencer to partner with.
Influencer marketing is a collaboration between a company or brand and a popular social media personality. These social media users amass large followings and get paid to represent specific products or brands with the goal of selling more.
Influencers work with brands to create content for social media platforms like Instagram, X, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. Often they include short-form video content or some other visual element.
Now that we’ve defined influencer marketing, you may be wondering – why should nonprofits bother with something that’s so clearly designed for businesses? The answer to that is easy – adapting commercial influencer marketing strategies to suit your nonprofit can help you achieve big results.
First and foremost, nonprofit influencer marketing helps organizations reach new and often larger audiences. Since influencers are speaking to their large following, partnering with them is an opportunity to get your message in front of those new eyes – and hopefully gain more supporters.
If you’re trying to grow your nonprofit, creating a recognizable brand builds donor trust. Influencer marketers can help establish a strong brand voice and share that with their audience.
Spreading awareness of your mission through influencers is also a great way to get the public at large passionate about your cause – especially if you’re working in a niche area.
Pro tip: Customize your donation form to match your branding for a cohesive donation experience.
Seeing a beloved influencer represent your organization is a great way to boost social proof. When someone sees a person they trust supporting an organization, they are more likely to want to join in!
More awareness and recognition means more people who may feel compelled to give to your organization! Influencer marketing often aims to bring in donations for a specific campaign or around a specific issue. And it can be incredibly effective for nonprofits in need.
Content marketing is king these days. Donors and supporters are looking for more from you than a standard donation appeal once a quarter. Valuable, educational, and entertaining content isn’t always easy to create – especially if you have a small team.
Partnering with influencers is a way to outsource your organization’s content creation and grow the pool of content you share with your followers.
While you may not be focused on search engine optimization (SEO) as a nonprofit, it’s still important if you wish to boost your online traffic. Partnering with an influencer can increase your SEO by connecting your organization with their name or personal brand, making your organization easier to find on search engines.
Finding an influencer that aligns with your mission can feel daunting. Here are seven steps to help you find the right influencer to collaborate with your nonprofit.
First, you need to locate some options. The best way to do this is through some good, old-fashioned research! Search hashtags related to your cause to find anyone already speaking out on issues related to your mission. You can also look at relevant or similar accounts to yours and find influencers who are actively engaging with or demonstrating an interest in promoting that cause.
If you struggle to identify someone on your own, check out influencer marketing platforms like Upfluence or Aspire to narrow down your search. Note that these platforms add additional costs, so you’ll need to factor those into your budget.
Once you’ve narrowed down your list of potential influencer partners, you’ll need to be sure they align with your organization’s mission. Review their recent posts to ensure they share your values and would serve as positive representatives of your brand.
Ultimately, your goal is to connect with a wider audience. If the influencer you collaborate with doesn’t have a large following, you’re missing out on the chance to find that important new audience. You also want to be sure their posts receive a good amount of attention to ensure a return on your investment.
But even beyond numbers, you’ll want to be sure your influencer has an audience that would be interested in your organization. Take a look at their followers and decide if they match your ideal audience. Consider factors like age, location, and demographics.
Contacting an influencer out of the blue can bring mixed results – it’s often better to spend time developing a relationship before getting in touch. Follow them and interact with their content so they recognize your handle when you pop up in their inbox.
Before you make the ask, you need to lock in your budget. Influencer marketing can be pricey, so it’s best to understand the maximum amount you can offer for this partnership.
Note: Many influencers may be willing to work for a discounted fee – or even for free if they get something in return. Partnering with your organization can improve their reputation and sharpen their own brand. Plus, they can provide their services as an in-kind donation that they can deduct from their taxes.
All that’s left is to make the ask! Much like fundraising appeals, be sure to succinctly describe the urgency of your mission, how they can help, and exactly what you’d like from them.
You’ve got your influencer on board! Now what? Here are six ways to leverage influencer marketing for nonprofits to raise more for your cause.
If you’re getting the word out about your next big fundraising event, a promo code can help you boost ticket sales. Offer your influencer a unique promo code that they can share with their followers. These codes also help you track the success of your influencer collaboration, since you can see how many people use each code.
With Donorbox Events, you can create an unlimited number of promo codes with customizable discounts.
Then, view all of your codes in a detailed list to see how effective your influencers are at getting the word out!
Depending on who your influencers are, you may be able to host a meet-and-greet event benefitting your nonprofit. This could be an in-person event or a virtual interview where your influencer’s followers can ask questions and get to know them better.
Charge your audience for attending and collect donations during the event.
Peer-to-peer campaigns were made for influencer marketing! In this type of fundraising, your supporters become your fundraisers. Translate this to influencer marketing by asking your influencer partner to create their own campaign to raise funds on your behalf.
With Donorbox Peer-to-Peer, simply invite your influencer by email or allow anyone to sign up to fundraise on your behalf with a button on your donation page. Your influencer will receive an email with step-by-step instructions to set up their fundraising page, where they can add images, videos, and text to showcase their connection to your mission. Then they simply share their page and start fundraising! Any donations they receive will flow automatically to your Donorbox account.
Check out how the Captain Paul Watson Foundation allows peer-to-peer fundraisers to sign up right on their donation page:
Get creative about collaborative projects that help bring funds to your cause!
For example, work with your influencer to design limited-edition products they can sell to their audience to benefit your organization. Or work together to create content that shares your mission and helps the influencer connect with more followers.
As we mentioned above, driving awareness for your cause is a great deliverable for influencers. It’s also a great way to bring in more donations.
Have your influencers participate in or lead charity challenges, encouraging their followers to get involved. These fun, high-energy campaigns can help connect you with more supporters.
Influencer marketing isn’t just for for-profit businesses anymore! It’s time to empower your organization to bring in more donations and supporters from marketing created and shared by the most influential stars on social media.
We hope these tips give you everything you need to identify the right influencer, reach out, and launch a successful campaign – that raises serious bucks for your cause.
For more nonprofit tips, check out the rest of our Nonprofit Blog. Subscribe to our newsletter for fresh blog content delivered to your inbox every month!
Lindsey spent years wearing many hats in the nonprofit world. Whether she was helping arts nonprofits with their messaging and content, planning a fundraising gala, writing an NEA grant proposal, or running a membership program with over 400 members, she learned how to navigate – and appreciate! – the fast-paced world of fundraising. Now, she loves sharing those hard-earned lessons with the Donorbox community.
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Lindsey Baker Bower