5 Marketing Trends for 2015 That You Can’t Ignore

Is your marketing strategy so last season? Update your marketing plan and maximize the impact that your dollars make in 2015 with these five significant trends.

1. Mobile is hot. Still.

We’re almost starting to sound like a broken record, but if mobile has not been a priority for you, now’s the time to embrace it. Responsive website design is a must-have functionality that provides optimal user experience whether your website is accessed via mobile, tablet or desktop, plus it tells people that you’re current and relevant. With 66% of people now reading their emails on smartphones, having mobile-responsive messaging has never been more urgent for nonprofits. A whopping 80% of mobile users delete emails that aren’t optimized for the mobile screen. If they can’t easily digest your email or make a donation, chances are they’ll move on.

2. Brands are becoming publishers and marketers are becoming writers.

Content marketing continues to grow in the nonprofit sector. According to a recent Content Marketing Institute survey, 92% of nonprofit professionals are using content marketing through social media, blogging, email and video. Of those respondents, 65% are producing more content than they were a year ago. With this upsurge in content marketing, organizations are realizing that the quickest way to their audience’s heart is through valuable content. Content marketing helps you establish authority and gain trust with constituents and prospects, plus it’s a great SEO boost for your website.

3. Personalized communication is key to setting your organization apart.

While content creation has become a major marketing trend, it also presents a challenge for organizations. As more high-quality content becomes available, supporters will become increasingly selective with what they choose to read and watch. Personalizing your communication with donors will set you apart from others who are also sharing content and showing up in their inboxes. It’ll also help you build relationships and humanize your brand.

4. For social media, content will become more platform specific.

If you take the same piece of created content (a video, image, blog post, article, etc.) and share it on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google+ and so on, you’re likely to get wildly different results. Many brands are now looking closer at the type of engagement they find on each social platform and customizing content for each network. One size doesn’t necessarily fit all in social media anymore, so now is a great time to evaluate what type of engagement you get and where and make plans to customize your content for each particular network.

5. Humanizing your brand is more important than ever.

Organizations that go directly for the hard ask are becoming ignored. Donors are looking for more than just a place to get a tax benefit; they want to make connections and create impact. This means that your content marketing plan, your email communication—even your offline marketing efforts—need to be more about connecting with, educating and engaging your supporters and less about the pitch. Plan your marketing strategy for 2015 with the goal of creating deeper relationships and stronger connections with your constituents, and you’ll be more likely to see a boost to your bottom line.

October 21, 2014

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