From search to social: Getting your nonprofit found online

Your nonprofit’s mission is worthy of support. Many potential supporters are out there, ready to get involved. But if they never come across your organization, they may never have the chance to connect with your cause.

To reach these supporters, you need to show up where they’re spending time: on search engines, social media and other platforms they trust; and yet, many nonprofits struggle to make their presence known amid the noise of digital content.

With a smart strategy and effective tools for managing your online presence, your organization can attract the right audiences, build long-term engagement and ultimately drive greater impact. To help, explore key insights into how your marketing team can boost visibility across key digital platforms.

Your nonprofit website: The digital front door

Before advertising on social media or even emailing supporters, you need to get your website in top shape. Think of it as your digital front door—make sure it’s easy to find and welcoming so visitors will want to come in and stay.

Your nonprofit website houses important information. Whether someone is looking to learn more about your mission or they’re ready to donate, they should be able to find the information they need. Here are some best practices that the top nonprofit websites follow:

• Follow SEO principles. The goal of SEO, as explained by Cornershop Creative, is to improve your content’s rankings for mission-related terms on search engines. You’ll want to naturally incorporate your chosen keywords into your copy, create unique meta descriptions for each page and add schema markup to help search engines better understand your content.
• Include clear navigation and strong calls to action (CTAs). Use intuitive menus and well-placed CTAs to help visitors quickly find what they need, so you can guide them toward specific actions like donating, volunteering, or subscribing.
• Design for mobile users. Chances are many visitors will browse your site on their mobile devices. Make sure your website is prepared to accept mobile donations and is fully responsive, so all pages load quickly and display clearly on different screen sizes.
• Invest in strong design. Pair compelling visuals with a clean layout that reflects your brand identity. Use whitespace to avoid clutter and choose colors that align with your brand and make key information and CTAs stand out. Here’s a great example of strong design from the Endangered Species Coalition’s website:

Beyond featuring valuable content, your website should also follow cybersecurity best practices. For example, use a PCI-compliant payment processor to accept donations, and install a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate to protect visitors’ information.

Overall, a well-built, secure website sets the stage for every other digital marketing effort. Without it, you’ll struggle to retain the traffic generated from ads, emails or social channels.

Google Ads: Your key to reaching your target audience

Once you launch your website, you’re all set to start marketing across other platforms. One of the best ways to amplify your site is with Google Ads. Google Ads helps your nonprofit attract new visitors by boosting your site to the top of search results for relevant search terms. Plus, eligible nonprofits can participate in the Google Ad Grants program to receive up to $10,000 per month in free search ads.

To make the most of your nonprofit’s Google Ads, you should:

• Target mission-aligned keywords. This will help you connect with likely supporters or beneficiaries, depending on your marketing goals. Put yourself in their shoes and research keywords that match what supporters are actually searching for. For example, try phrases that connect to your cause and location, such as “volunteer with animal rescue in Chicago.”
• Send traffic to optimized landing pages. Ads should lead to specific pages with relevant content and a clear next step. For example, you might promote your donation page, volunteer information page or services page.
• Write compelling ad copy. Highlight your nonprofit’s impact and include strong CTAs. Use simple, benefit-driven language that speaks to supporters’ motivations, such as emphasizing how their gift helps feed families or fund vital community programs. Test different headlines, CTAs or value propositions to see what resonates most.

When managed properly, Google Ads can attract qualified visitors to your site. Remember that managing Google Ads effectively requires more than just setting up campaigns. You should monitor performance, adjust targeting and refine messaging regularly. This way, you'll remain compliant with Google’s rules and achieve better results.

Social media: Your path to deeper community engagement

Social media empowers your nonprofit to build relationships, amplify its mission and connect with supporters in real time. But it’s not about being everywhere—it’s about showing up in strategic places with purpose.

Start by identifying which platforms your audience prefers. For example, Instagram and TikTok are great for visual storytelling, behind-the-scenes content and reaching younger audiences. Meanwhile, Facebook is more effective for promoting your fundraising events and sharing mission-related news. Its community-oriented features and event tools make it easier to reach local supporters.

Once you figure out where your target audience is, start posting! You can elevate your nonprofit’s social media presence by doing the following:

• Be consistent. Develop a regular posting schedule, whether you’re posting every day or once a week. Pro top: Scheduling tools can be helpful for planning posts in bulk.
• Show impact. Use photos, quotes and real-world data to demonstrate how your team, donors and volunteers make a difference.
• Encourage engagement. Ask questions, run polls or feature user-generated content to spark interaction.

Don’t treat social media like a megaphone; instead, treat it as a landline. That means listening and responding to your community, not just broadcasting updates. When supporters see that you acknowledge their comments and questions, they’re more likely to stay engaged and build trust with your organization.

Email marketing: A direct channel for supporter action

Email is one of the highest-converting digital marketing channels for nonprofits. In fact, Double the Donation's nonprofit fundraising statistics indicate that 30 percent of donors are most inspired to give via email, second only to social media.

Email offers a direct line to supporters who have already expressed interest in your work. Here’s how you can make your messages stand out in supporters’ inboxes:

• Segment your list. Send tailored messages based on donor history, event participation or interests. For example, you might have one list for recurring donors and another for volunteers. This ensures supporters receive content that feels relevant and personal, which improves open and click-through rates.
• Use clear subject lines. Aim for short, action-oriented phrases that give recipients a reason to click, such as highlighting urgency or impact. For example, subject lines like “Help us reach our donation goal before midnight” or “See the lives you’ve changed this month” create curiosity and motivate readers to open the email.
• Include strong CTAs. Every email should guide readers toward the next step, whether it's donating, signing up, or sharing a campaign. Use bold buttons that reinforce your message, so the next action feels obvious and compelling.

To create a sustainable nonprofit email marketing strategy, set up automation workflows that deliver welcome series, event reminders or re-engagement messages. These help you nurture relationships over time without adding extra manual work, ensuring timely and consistent communication with supporters.

Final thoughts

Digital visibility is vital for expanding your nonprofit's reach and impact. Whether you’re improving your website or ramping up your social presence, every step you take online helps build a stronger, more sustainable digital presence.

With a thorough approach, your efforts will build momentum that attracts new supporters and deepens commitment from those who are already engaged.