Nonprofit marketing tactics to attract Gen Z donors

While your nonprofit’s marketing strategy may focus heavily on older donors with higher capacities to give, don’t discount the potential of younger donors. With each passing day, Generation Z – those born between 1996 and 2010 – are becoming viable donors. While their wealth doesn’t compare to that of older generations, this young group of spenders is known for their strong values and commitment to social impact, with 84% supporting causes in some capacity.

With the right marketing strategy, your nonprofit can appeal to this passionate generation, inspiring them to secure their philanthropic futures through volunteering or donations. Here are three ways to better tap into this impactful group’s support by adopting digital-savvy marketing strategies catered to their specific preferences, habits and passions:

1. Leverage the power of digital channels

One of Gen Z’s defining traits is their comfort with technology. As the first digitally native generation, Gen Zers spend a lot of time online, with a reported 58% spending over an hour on social media every day. With millions of members regularly perusing social media, it’s clear that this is one of the most valuable channels to leverage for marketing purposes. These key tips can help to make the most of your nonprofit’s social media marketing efforts:

Create always-on content for social channels

Digital channels aren’t a monolith, and each requires a unique approach. When planning your nonprofit marketing strategy, create content that’s not only suited for reaching a Gen Z audience, but that also makes sense for the channel it’s distributed on. For example, some platforms are better suited for short-form videos while others host more text- or photo-based content. 

Interact with supporters

One of the more compelling aspects of social media is that it acts as a two-way marketing channel. You can actively have discussions with Gen Z supporters who interact with your profile. To help spark engagement, regularly check your comment sections, tags and direct messages so you can respond quickly and start building a connection with your donors in the moment they’re engaged.

Participate in trends

Especially on video-focused platforms, participating in viral trends can get more eyes on your nonprofit. Keep tabs on trending content and look for ways to tie trends to your organization. When you do post your content, make sure you’re using the correct hashtags and following the same format you see in trending posts. While you won’t “go viral” every time, you’re more likely to get an exposure boost when you post about relevant trends in the social media ecosystem.

Use custom graphics and branding

With the millions of social media accounts vying for attention, standing out from the crowd is crucial to securing support. Creating brand elements that align with your social media profiles and reflect your nonprofit’s mission can help do just that. In addition to your logo and banner image, brand your posts with a similar visual style. For instance, you might choose to post pictures of your beneficiaries or use an artistic, abstract style. Whatever you choose, make sure your graphic style remains consistent across platforms to create a distinct identity that supporters will recognize.

To effectively engage with Gen Z on social media, focus on what matters: your nonprofit’s mission and beneficiaries. Letting those fundamentals guide your strategy will help you convert Gen Z social media scrollers into donors.

2. Collaborate with influencers

Take your social media strategy to the next level by working with those who have mastered it. Influencers have massive online reach, especially with younger generations users. Here are a few methods for connecting with influencers for the greater good:

Identify your desired engagement scope

Is your goal to target hyper-locally, or are you aiming for wider exposure? Identifying your audience goals will help you determine which influencers to engage with. If your goal is to build an intimate campaign with nearby Gen Z targets, reach out to local influencers with smaller followings. If budget constraints are a concern, consider working with micro-influencers, which is anyone with between 10K and 100K followers.

Look for any existing influencer connections

Start by reaching out to influencers who have an existing connection to your nonprofit or local community. Ask your staff, supporters and even board members if they have any influencer contacts interested in collaborating with you. You may be surprised at what you find.

Understand the influencer’s audience

Every influencer has a unique following, and as such it’s important to work with someone who’s audience will be receptive to your nonprofit’s message. During the initial collaboration talks, ask each influencer about their audience demographics and which age groups they primarily cater to. Additionally, ask if they have already posted about causes or other charity work. If they have, it’s more likely that the collaboration will come off as genuine, increasing the chances their audience will respond positively and become supporters.

Collaborate while creating content

Like all other nonprofit partnerships, you should treat your influencer marketing as a two-sided collaboration. Ask the influencer to pitch ideas for content that resonates with their audience. Also, schedule regular meetings leading up to the influencer’s posting schedule so they can ask questions and ensure their plans align with your nonprofit’s goals.

When negotiating with potential influencer partners, it’s important to demonstrate what’s in it for them. Along with compensation and creative control over their content, illustrate the benefits of aligning with a nonprofit, such as reputation boosts, access to new audiences and giving back to the community.

3. Tell your story in multiple formats

After conducting numerous marketing and fundraising campaigns, your nonprofit likely has your story down pat. However, telling it in new and innovative ways is important to attracting new audiences to your cause. Using multimedia elements can bring your story to life for Gen Z donors interacting with your nonprofit. Consider adding the following formats to your marketing strategy:

• Video: Video brings visual and audio elements together for an immersive storytelling experience. Depending on the marketing channel, you can make short or long-form videos showing and telling your story. 
• Podcasting: Nearly half of Gen Zers listen to podcasts, making this an ideal format for telling your story in greater detail. Create your own podcast or look for opportunities to be a guest on existing shows.
• User-generated content: Encourage your supporters and beneficiaries to share their stories with your nonprofit under a unique hashtag on social media. Repost tagged content to give users a sense of your supporter base and culture.

Making your story interactive and engaging can make or break your recruitment success with Gen Zers. Give voice to many with user-generated content and highlight intricate stories with podcasts to connect with audiences across platforms.

Whether you’re preparing for giving season or trying to recruit year-round volunteers, consider appealing to Gen Z. As long as you stay true to your nonprofit’s identity, demonstrate tangible impact and keep your nonprofit’s beneficiaries at the forefront, you could create powerful connections with the future face of philanthropy.