Maximize Donations on GivingTuesday 2024
GivingTuesday 2024 is around the corner, falling on December 3 this year instead of November. Right on the heels of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it’s an essential time for nonprofits to harness the generosity of donors and boost their year-end fundraising. On the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, this global movement calls for thoughtful planning and creative execution to make the most of the day.
In 2023 day-of revenue increased 0.6% in the United States, with a 10% decrease in gifts from 2022, according to the GivingTuesday Data Commons. Moore clients had on average, a 50% increase in year-over-year digital revenue and a 43% increase in the number of digital gifts in GivingTuesday campaigns. Three-quarters of these great causes increased their revenues over the national average, and 87% increased their number of gifts when the average organization faced decreasing gifts.
To maximize your GivingTuesday impact, it’s crucial to leverage the brand elements of the event and tie them into your work. Make sure the GivingTuesday logo and colors are incorporated into all your creative assets—from email campaigns to paid social ads. While working these into CTV spots might be more challenging due to higher production costs, platforms like Performance Max and Demand Gen offer ideal placements.
For your digital ad strategy, consider running multiple versions of ads. If your budget allows, aim for 3-4 versions on paid social and at least two on display. Keep in mind that evergreen ads should be adjusted during the GivingTuesday push, and if other campaigns need to run, they should have their own independent budget. In the event of a global disaster or political upheaval, it’s important to have a plan to reassess your GivingTuesday messaging to avoid appearing tone-deaf. Consider adjusting your strategy, potentially shifting your focus to relief efforts or postponing your campaign until the timing is more appropriate
Email marketing will be key to your success. Use a dynamic countdown clock to build urgency, and plan for a minimum of three sends throughout the day—morning, afternoon, and a very late PM send, which can drive a significant portion of donations. Last year, an 11 p.m. send from a client brought in 10% of the day’s revenue. Don’t forget to tie your messaging back to your nonprofit’s mission and use match math to encourage larger contributions.
Finally, ensure your campaign has a fundraising goal and provide updates to create momentum. Post-campaign, be sure to thank donors to maintain strong stewardship and build future engagement.
As you prepare for GivingTuesday and Year-End campaigns, it’s crucial to consider which strategies will resonate most with your donors. Every nonprofit has unique needs, and while certain tactics have driven success for many, it’s important to see how they can best work for your organization. Testing these strategies first ensures you’re optimizing for your specific goals.
To explore more testing strategies that could enhance your GivingTuesday and Year-End efforts, register for our upcoming webinar: “Unlocking Digital Success: Top Testing Strategies for Nonprofits” on October 21, 2024, at noon ET. You’ll gain valuable insights into data-driven techniques that can help your nonprofit achieve greater impact.
