Written by Vicky Reeves, goDonate’s Managing Director, reveals how charities can increase income by harnessing and promoting online in-memory tribute funds:
1. Accuracy matters
Get the data capture right on your main donation forms to capture donor motivation, so you can tailor your communications and engage your donors on an in-memory supporter journey about in-memory and tribute funds.
2. Prominent promotion
Actively promoting your tribute fund gives great results. Do this across all channels – online, social, print etc. – whether you’re interacting with a new donor or someone who’s already given to a fund.
3. Signposting on your website
I’ve seen some tribute funds hidden deep within a charity website. It’s important to signpost the online tribute fund service as obviously as possible if you’re to achieve desired donation levels. Consider using prominent navigation and buttons such as “Give in memory”.
4. Use social and search
You’ll need an organic and paid search strategy to help donors find your fund. Using a mixture of brand terms and tribute fund-specific keywords works well. Regular, organic social posts to warm audiences – generally promoting funds, sharing supporter stories, or piggybacking key dates also gain traction.
5. Engage support staff
Educate employees and your volunteer workforce so they tell supporters about tribute funds. Giving regional fundraisers responsibility for local funds, making them more accountable, can boost revenues.
6. Brand the fund
A fully branded online space feels more private and appropriate for supporters than a public platform like JustGiving or Facebook. We also find it increases donations: the charity brand is front and centre so the cause has more impact with donors.
7. Experience is all
User experience is critical. Creating a tribute is usually emotive, so instructions should be clear and simple to guide the fund-holder through setting up a fund, along with simple donation forms and using digital wallets such as PayPal to take the donation.
8. Know the purpose
Is this a memorial page or a fundraising appeal? There is a difference. For example, we only allow someone to leave a message if they donate; sadly, we’ve witnessed trolling on sites when non-supporters are free to post without giving.
9. Sharing is caring
Including on-screen prompts for people to share their donation or promote the tribute fund on social platforms is a powerful tool. We’ve observed at least 50% of fund donations come through social (most often Facebook).
10. Freshen up funds
Funds naturally go quiet after a while. Encouraging future or repeat fundraising events, or linking ‘in memory’ communications to dates such as Christmas, persuades fund-holders to return.
To receive the full webinar recording on this topic or for more information about setting up an online tribute fund, contact godonate@wpnc.agency