4 Marketing Content Ideas to Boost Crowdfunding Support

December 10, 2024

Did you know that the average nonprofit crowdfunding campaign raises $9,237.55? Whether your organization is in urgent need of funding or planning to complete an ambitious project, launching a crowdfunding campaign can help you accomplish your goals. But just like any other campaign, if you want to get donations, you have to start by getting the word out to your supporters.

That’s where good marketing content comes into play. The right content will help you reach more people, build transparency, and create lasting connections with donors to move your mission forward.

Crowdfunding is all about harnessing the collective power of your community—to catch their attention, all you need is a little creativity and strategy. Let’s dig into four ideas bound to turn heads toward your crowdfunding campaign.

1. Impact Videos

Videos provide an authentic snapshot of your nonprofit’s on-the-ground impact. Add them to your crowdfunding page, website, and social media platforms to deepen your audience’s understanding of your mission. If you’re pairing your campaign with an event, you can even show the video as part of your event’s programming.

Here are a few ideas to jump-start your video planning:

Testimonial

Invite beneficiaries to tell their stories and share how their lives have improved due to your nonprofit’s help. For example, say your nonprofit runs programs to prepare young, low-income adults for higher-paying career paths. Reach out to successful program participants and ask them to discuss their journey on camera.

Before and after

Highlight a transformation made possible thanks to donations and your nonprofit’s efforts. For instance, an environmental organization might showcase the results of a river restoration project while an animal shelter could demonstrate how a starving, abandoned pet found a caring and loving home.

Volunteer spotlight

Long-time volunteers can reveal just how important your cause is to your community. Create video profiles of your most passionate volunteers, encouraging them to share why they are motivated to get involved and the positive experiences they have had during their service.

Day in the life

Allow potential donors to put themselves in the shoes of someone at your nonprofit, whether a staff member or a volunteer. For instance, if you’re hosting a library fundraiser to promote literacy within your local community, you could film a librarian’s “Day in the Life,” where they connect with young readers through storytime events and help other visitors find key resources.

Don’t forget to get consent before recording.

Before you include people in your impact videos, have them sign video consent and release forms. These documents should indicate how you plan on using and sharing these videos so participants fully understand what they are agreeing to.

2. Social Media Livestreams

With over five billion active users around the world, social media platforms serve as powerful tools for getting more eyes on your crowdfunding page and expanding your donor base. Use livestreaming features such as Facebook Live or Instagram Live to generate a sense of community and momentum among donors no matter where they are located.

Invite your followers to attend livestreamed events such as:

Q&A sessions

Enlist your nonprofit’s leaders, board members, or key staff members to answer questions from viewers. You can even bring in experts related to your nonprofit’s mission (such as nutritionists for a hunger relief organization) to provide donors with more insight into the importance of your crowdfunding campaign.

Behind-the-scenes looks

If your nonprofit is crowdfunding to complete a specific project, such as constructing a community garden, host a behind-the-scenes livestream that provides a glimpse into your current progress and what you’re trying to accomplish.

Campaign updates

Maintain excitement throughout your campaign by going live to celebrate specific milestones, such as reaching the halfway point to your fundraising goal. Don’t forget to take this opportunity to thank donors for their support so far.

Livestreaming can create a sense of urgency and inspire more immediate engagement among donors, making it the perfect option for time-sensitive campaigns like Giving Tuesday or other year-end initiatives. Plus, you can download the livestream video to use in your marketing later in the year too!

3. Influencer Posts

Many of the most effective marketing initiatives are collaborative partnerships. When your nonprofit joins forces with individuals or other organizations that share your vision and values, you can tap into new audiences and opportunities for support. Reach out to social media influencers to see if they would be willing to spread the word about your crowdfunding campaign to their extensive follower base.

Some common influencer marketing ideas include:

• Enlisting influencers to share your campaign page with their followers
• Co-hosting virtual events with influencers or inviting them as speakers
• Co-writing articles related to your cause to share on the influencer’s blog
• Joining an influencer’s podcast as a guest

How to find influencers

To find promising influencer candidates to connect with, search for hashtags related to your nonprofit’s mission. Then, look for the voices that stand out in online conversations in your area of focus.

Once you’ve narrowed down a handful of individuals who are willing to partner with your organization, equip them with ready-to-use images, video clips, and a style guide so that they have everything they need to start creating content on your behalf. Getting Attention recommends including guidance on your logo, colors, typography, photos, and tone of voice to ensure your marketing content is consistent and easily recognizable.

4. Interactive Polls and Quizzes

Inspire more people to contribute to your crowdfunding campaign by finding ways to actively engage them with your marketing content. Upgrade your website and enhance your social media pages by creating polls and quizzes. When incorporated well, this type of interactive content is attention-grabbing and highly shareable.

Let’s walk through an example of a youth sports nonprofit running a crowdfunding campaign to purchase new athletic equipment. To boost engagement, the organization could create a:

• “Fun Facts” quiz related to the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of sports for children.
• “Sports Trivia” quiz that covers the history and rules of the organized sports that the nonprofit supports.
• “Which Sport Are You?” quiz that matches the participant’s personality to a sport.
• “Favorite Youth Sport” poll that allows people to vote on the sport they loved to play when they were young.
• “Next Sport” poll to learn which sports the community wants the nonprofit to add to its programs next.

Expand your reach by encouraging your audience to share your polls and quizzes with friends and family. Include a link to your crowdfunding page to make it easy for respondents to donate after engaging with your content.

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As you start planning your nonprofit’s marketing content, set your team up for success by ensuring that you have the right tools for the job. According to Fundly’s rundown on crowdfunding websites, your crowdfunding platform should provide easy email, website, and social media integrations to connect all of your marketing efforts.

As you promote your campaign, keep an eye on metrics such as your total amount of funds raised, average gift amount, and page traffic source to assess how well your marketing initiatives are paying off. Make adjustments as needed to generate more attention and keep momentum up throughout your campaign!