Is Your Non-Profit Charity Blog Working?

Whether you are a seasoned blogger or an experienced fundraiser, collecting for charity via the internet requires a different strategy.  Here are a few guidelines to achieve success, specifically using a blog.⁠

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Be current.

Be certain that your non-profit's blog is updated with rich content relative to its purpose; a stale, neglected blog is an indication of insincerity and questionable dedication. Visitors may re-think making a donation if your blog is not current. Imagine going to a brick-and-mortar charity center and their front door is laced with cobwebs, the entryway is piled with trash, and the windows are so dirty you cannot see through them. Would you take the next step to donate? You probably would not. Likewise, your blog needs the same attention to its appearance that your brick-and-mortar charity center would have. Be crisp. Be clean. Be up-to-date.

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⁠Make a plan. 

Post to your blog a certain number of days per week or month, and stick to it. Not sure what to write? It really is not difficult; think about the daily activities of your charity. Have you purchased new goods or equipment through donations? If so, write about it.  Your writing does not have to be the length of an epic novel; keep it short, sweet and to the point. Recognize a donor, describing their contribution and how it will be used. Get the neighborhood involved with news and events pertaining to your charity.

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⁠Network.

Communicate with other bloggers and blogging communities. This is another step toward success. Visit other charity blogs, leave comments. Comments instill curiosity in visitors to wonder about you and your cause. Curiosity will move them to click on your identity, bringing them back to your blog. Voila! You just brought in a new visitor, a potential donor, through networking, familiarizing and building your brand. In other words, spread the word, communicate, and get involved! Interaction will get your name out there and cause interest.⁠

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⁠Create a link.

Make it easy for visitors to sign up for a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly newsletter through email distribution and make certain to stick to your emailing schedule with fresh information. Typically, visitors are not going to visit your blog on a daily or even regular basis. Email can be a very advantageous way to keep them informed of upcoming events or news. Just remember, do not flood your follower's inbox with junk or your follower will unsubscribe.

⁠Keep your blog's design uncluttered and organized with information and graphics pertinent to your non-profit's purpose.  Graphics are a good way to spark emotions, but remember, keep it simple and to the point.  Do not overwhelm your visitors with too many graphics which can be distracting.  Your blog is meant to be informative, not a picture portfolio.

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Layout.

This is extremely important. Good thing Fuzzylogic and Member.buzz offer a variety of features when it comes to blog layout. You can customize the look and feel of your blog to match your company brand, inserting relevant photos, images, and easy-to-read columns.

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Finally, analyze. 

Make use of your articles dashboard. Pay attention to your blog traffic. Ask yourself what was happening at the time. Note from where your visitors are coming, i.e., links from other sites or searches, and what search terms were used to reach your blog. This information will be helpful as you write future blog posts, knowing what terms are popular, and which sites are linking back to you.

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How Member.buzz can help! Creating an impact can be challenging, but when you have the right tools for success the path can be a little easier. Member.buzz makes it simple to create a clean space for all of your non-profit content. From networking, to posting, to decluttering, to customizing your article dashboard - Member.buzz has it all. 

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Interested in using Member.buzz for your organization? Click here to create a Free Space, or reach out to our Migration Team if you are looking for more of a custom approach!