CharityComms

The rapidity with which communication tools and channels have changed over the past decade have had an enormous impact on traditional marketing methods. While marketers are still reaping rewards from their use of traditional media, the general mood in the charities’ sector as elsewhere is one of transition: increasing media fragmentation has rightly been met with the formulation of strategies of channel alignment.

Response One decided to cast some light on the matter by commissioning research into the relative effectiveness of different advertising media for encouraging potential benefactors to visit an organisation’s website and seriously consider making a contribution.  The report found that email was the medium that easily topped the list, as it is 52% more likely than average to inspire a web visit and serious consideration of a donation.

The more ‘traditional’ media of TV and newspaper advertising and direct mail (coming 34% and 16% above average respectively), were second and third behind registered donor emails, against all expectation.  Sponsored search engine links are also of above average effectiveness in encouraging web visits and online donations.

The study punctures the received wisdom that online advertising is the best means of driving web visits and consideration of contributions. Marketers in the charities sector do still need to use a mixture of direct mail and above-the-line advertising, as well as ensuring that they are communicating in a relevant and compelling fashion with their existing benefactors over email and through existing lines of communication such as updates and emergency appeals.

Interestingly, the research also found that advertising on social networking sites is not considered by the majority of consumers.  In the UK people felt that such advertising, far from being effective in driving web visits and donations, was on a par (at 26% below average) with unsolicited email (31% below average).  A notable exception to this observation was in the 18-24 year old bracket, who unsurprisingly put social network adverts and customer mobile texts both on 22% above average for encouraging web visits and online donations.

Even for this age group, however, these two techniques still did not rival the overall top scorers – registered benefactor email, TV/Newspaper adverts and targeted direct mail.  This is not to say that the habits of the 18-24 age range will not perpetuate into their forties and fifties, and therefore make social network advertising a mainstream method of driving web traffic.  However, the marketers of today cannot wait around for another 20-30 years as this group grows up towards their highest earning and spending decades.  Nor can today’s budgets be weighted towards social network advertising, as few charities have an audience so weighted towards this cash-poor age bracket.

To read the report: click here