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Catholic Relief Services: How CRS is using technology to boost online giving
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Catholic Relief Services
HOW CRS IS USING TECHNOLOGY TO BOOST
ONLINE GIVING
May 11, 2009
Online Giving
CRS showed 44% growth in online giving from 2007 to 2008.
Q: What changed?
A: Use of technology to further the reach of our appeals
Online Giving Strategy 2007
Online Giving Strategy 2008
Social Networks
Integration with Direct Mail
Banner Ads on Homepage, Blog and eNewsletter
Media & PR
E-mail Campaigns Google
Adwords
In other words...
For every campaign we attempt to push the “ask” to our supporters, and go out to where people are to pull people to our website to donate.
TEN REASONS CRS IS ON SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES
Part one
Ten reasons CRS is on social networking sites
1. Critical Mass: Of the Top 5 Most Visited Websites in the US:
– Facebook is #3 – YouTube is #4– MySpace is #5– (Twitter is #16)
(Source: http://www.alexa.com/topsites/countries/US )
Ten reasons CRS is on social networking sites
2. The incredibly powerful, viral nature of these sites. When supporters act on our behalf, it broadcasts this action to their network of friends.
3. Online actions often inspire “real world” conversations.
4. Users often self-identify as Catholic, meaning often we can target specifically to this audience.
5. These sites enable a new opportunity to tell our story and increase awareness.
Ten reasons CRS is on social networking sites
6. We can establish relationships with younger donors/supporters (be where they are).
7. Multi-channel engagement – we encourage many of our house e-mail subscribers to find us on social networks as well.
Ten reasons CRS is on social networking sites
8. Enhanced/interactive user experience. We can communicate directly with supporters who reach out in a very personal way (and we’ve seen second gifts as a result.)
9. External feedback. Tools such as Google alerts, Technorati and Who’s Talkin* we can listen to what people have to say about us.(*http://www.whostalkin.com/search?q=Catholic+Relief+Services)
Ten reasons CRS is on social networking sites
10. It’s “almost” free (with the exception of some staff time) and the understanding that “you get out of it what you put into it.”
Ten reasons CRS is on social networking sites
CRS’ SOCIAL NETWORKING STRATEGY
Part two
Social Networking Strategy
The twin goals of having a presence on social networking sites are:
1. Increase awareness in a new audience of online Catholics
2. Use these sites as our own news channel and drive people to crs.org
How we are using these sites
• As a news channel we control - posting links to web stories/blog posts/press/new videos
• Increasing engagement/contests • Cross-promotion• Fundraising Appeals/Emergencies• Advocacy Actions • Communicating directly with supporters
Additional Considerations:
• Better metrics are needed to influence future decisions. We are investigating how best to track RIO.
• Analysis of overlap and “superfans.” Study who is supporting us through multiple networks and channels, and if this impacts giving in any way.
Additional Considerations:
• Facebook Causes has not been a great source of donations...for anyone.
It may be that the perfect app for this has yet to be created, or this may never be a revenue channel . What remains to be seen is if engagement in this space influences action in other channels (online, direct mail.)
SUCCESS STORIESPart four
Success StoriesBackpack Contest - GOAL: make our Facebook Fan page
more interactive...
And about 70 amazing testimonials from supporters!
RESULT: 225 new fans in 9 days - 5x the rate we would typically see over the same time!
Success StoriesGOAL: Increased traffic to www.crs.org
YouTubeGOAL: Increase number of people viewing our nonprofit channel on YouTube.
Notice what’s not here?
Fundraising.
Washington Post: To Nonprofits Seeking Cash, Facebook App Isn't So Green
But...
Success Stories• GOAL: Mobilize the power of our networks to take
action:CRS recently won a $200k grant from Green Mountain Coffee Roasters for our proposal helping coffee farmers adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Part of the process was online voting by the public and we asked our social networks to go to the site and vote for us.
The same day we posted this request, our votes increased fourfold and we kept that lead until the end.
INTEGRATED CAMPAIGNSBringing it all together
Social networks
Direct mail
Banner ads
What Changed From 07-08?
• Launched an e-mail marketing program• Employed a social networking strategy• Better use of internal advertising space• Integration with direct mail• Editorial calendar• Google Grant• Engagement pathways
YEAR-END 2008
Our most successful online fundraising campaign to date (non-emergency).
• Three e-mail messages in this campaign (based on a direct mail piece)
• Banner ads on our website• Posts on our social networking sites. • Coordination with Google AdWords
This campaign raised $594k online.
YEAR-END 2008
Dec 11:Subject line: Urgent Appeal: Your gift to
CRS is vitally important!
Straight Appeal Static donation formRaised $112k
View the donation form
YEAR-END 2008
Dec 29:Subject line: Only 48 hours left to make a tax-
deductible gift!
Added “hotspot” textAdded video message from our
president (that plays right on the donation form)
Added a strong pull-quote
Raised $112kWatch the video
YEAR-END 2008
Dec 31:Subject line: Final Deadline: Last chance to
make a tax-deductible gift
New “hotspot” textKept video message from our
presidentNew pull quote
Raised $119kWatch the video
YEAR-END 2008
Watch the video that raised $244k
E-mailView this e-mail
Banner ad on crs.org
MOTHER’S DAY
Social Networking Channel
View our Facebook Page
View our Twitter page
Don’t be afraid to take a risk occasionallyDiversifyDon’t forget to see the forestDo what makes sense for your audienceDIY what you can
TAKEAWAYS
o DIOSA Communications “Best Practices” enNewsletters and webinars
o Hootsuite for Twittero Madeline Stanionis’ book, The Mercifully
Brief, Real World Guide to Raising Thousands (if Not Tens of Thousands) of Dollars with Email
RESOURCES
CRS social networking sites:
• Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Catholic-Relief-Services/21492729544?ref=ts
• Facebook Causes (Main cause): http://apps.facebook.com/causes/1613?recruiter_id=1465928
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/catholicrelief• YouTube: www.youtube.com/catholicrelief • MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/catholicreliefservices
