SEO Tips for Nonprofits – Setting Up a Nonprofit Keyword Strategy
Why the need for SEO tips for nonprofits? Think about the following…
How do people find your nonprofit online? What are people looking for and how does your nonprofit come up in their search results?
We may not like to face it, but there’s no magic way around SEO: a nonprofit’s traction online still largely depends on it. What is more, it’s hard to keep up when Google is constantly improving its searching capabilities, resulting in frequent updates to tactics involving SEO.
That is why we look to marketing experts to provide some SEO tips for nonprofits. Stay on top of the most recent updates with the 3 step strategy guide below.
*As a working example, we will use a nonprofit that donates toys for children. Think about this by audience type – donor, volunteer and those in need.
3 SEO TIPS FOR NONPROFITS
1. Find out what phrases searchers are using:
a. First ask yourself what questions would your ideal customers use to find your nonprofit?
– For donors: “What nonprofits donate gifts to children during the holidays?”
*search queries could include: – “donate gifts to kids,” “help children in need during Christmas,” “financial aid for holidays,” “gift donation for the holidays”
– For volunteers: “How can I help children in need during the holidays?”
*search queries could include: “helping children during the holidays,” “volunteer opportunities for kids in need,” “volunteering for gift drives”
– For those in need of help: “Where can I get financial help for gifts for the holidays?”
*search queries could include: “free toys for children,” “financial aid for Christmas presents,” “gifts for families in need”
b. Next, type in each of these phrases individually and see what nonprofits come up for search results.
– With the results, take a look at how these nonprofits and organizations rank, which key phrases they are using and with what content.
– Then use similar ideas as you build out your content.
– Check out what other search queries come up in Google’s drop-down to better understand what related questions/search queries people might also ask.
2. Turn these keyword phrases into content:
a. A helpful tool for making sure you hit on all these phrases is through building a spreadsheet. With each potential search query, map out what related content you could produce.
– For donors: A blog on donating to those in need during the holidays
– For volunteers: A video showing last year’s holiday donation drive
– For those in need: Twitter and Facebook posts with photos showing the work you’ve done and stating how you want to help
3. Plan out your content:
a. Now that you have it all mapped out, MAKE IT HAPPEN. Assign members of your team to a subject each day and make sure that everything is getting touched on through a variety of content.
b. Once it’s written/produced/ready, make sure to republish it and promote it on social. Remember to spend about 20% of your time with the first step and 80% with the second!
For help with SEO tips for nonprofits and modern keyword strategy, call ArcStone at 612.455.7200 or email us at info@arcstone.com
