Axiom Groove

The Power of Search for Charitable Organizations’ Branding Efforts

By Axiom Partner Beau Mueller

Search engine marketing and the medium of search are extremely powerful in driving branding and awareness. Recent studies by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) confirm this fact, with one recent survey reporting a 27 percent increase in brand awareness from search. [1] Another study performed by Comscore concluded that, in some retail sectors, 92 percent of buyers looking to purchase goods researched the item or service online and subsequently bought offline. [2]

With this info available, search engine marketing and optimization efforts are urged for any organization wanting to drive brand and awareness. As a charitable organization in particular, search engine marketing is very relevant.

Understand that searchers might not know much about your organization’s services or causes. Further, they might not even know that your organization even exists! Searchers researching a cause or topic for the first time might not be aware of any specific organization. They are simply gathering information. If your organization is readily found during this information gathering, traffic to your website and brand awareness will naturally increase. If not, you simply do not exist to the searcher.

For an example, pretend that you are a homeless services organization in Honolulu. Searchers researching keyword terms like, “Hawaii charitable organization”, “Honolulu not for profit”, “donate to Hawaii charity”, “homeless services Oahu”, etc. should be able to find your organization on the first page of a search results listing. If you are not on the first page of the search results , you basically do not exist to the searchers performing these keyword searches. By not being on the first page of the search results, you are missing out on opportunity to spread your message.

These searchers might or might not rally to your cause by becoming members, giving donations, participating in events, or by otherwise helping your organization fight homelessness, but your brand awareness will increase. Further, if they decide to search again, participate or donate in the future to a Hawaii charity, your organization will be in their “consideration set.” That is, you will be you in those searchers’ group of prospective organizations to donate to or otherwise get involved with.

The power of search for branding efforts should not be ignored. If you are not already undertaking search engine optimization and search engine marketing, start now – for your brand, to spread awareness of your cause, and ultimately to help foster the overall success of your organization.