You’ve heard that SEO is crucial for e-commerce stores. It improves rankings on search engines and therefore boosts web traffic and ultimately, leads to higher conversions. But what if you’re a nonprofit organization?
SEO is just as important for NPOs and offers great benefits you may not have considered before. Here are our 5 reasons SEO is important for nonprofit organizations.
Makes Your NPO’s Content Easier To Find
As a nonprofit organization, you have devoted yourself to promoting a social cause, or to helping a group raise awareness and funds. But no matter how dedicated you are, it will all be in vain if the right people don’t find your content.
The online world is extremely competitive so search engines have criteria they look for to determine rank in search engine results pages (SERPS). To have your voice heard, you first need to be seen. That means ranking higher on the SERPs so people will find you amongst all the other NPOs out there.
For example, if you’re an NPO committed to promoting social studies and encouraging social work, and someone types “MSW social work requirements” into their search. The right SEO will ensure they find your content and get the information they need.
Drives Interest In Your Cause
As many nonprofits face future economic uncertainty, many of them are sharpening their digital tools to reach more people. Besides making it easier for like-minded people to find you, SEO also makes it easier for you to reach like-minded people. It will drive more interest in what you are all about.
Let’s explain. When someone types to search for content that aligns with your cause, SEO can help them find you. That’s great, but you also need to attract people who don’t even know you exist. And the best way to do that is with SEO.
By using the right keywords, you can be displayed as relevant content when they search for similar topics. A user may not be looking for information about your NPO. But if showcased as relevant to their search about volunteering, social work, charity, or the cause you support, they’ll be keen to know more.
Gives Smaller & Unknown NPOs A Boost
One of the top benefits of SEO for all organizations, including NPOs, is that it levels the playing field. No matter the size of your site, your organization, or your budget, you will have equal opportunities online. Search engines look for the same criteria irrespective of your size or history.
To a major corporation, this may not make a difference. But in the case of a relatively small or unknown NPO, this benefit is huge. Even amongst nonprofits, you’ll be easily lost in the wave of online content without good SEO.
And that’s the whole point of nonprofits, isn’t it? The idea is that even a small voice can be heard, and even a small gesture can make a difference. You put a lot of work into your nonprofit’s agenda, so don’t let all that hard work come to nothing. Invest in SEO and you’ll become a major player in social change.
Establishes Your Authority
What’s the main thing you want to establish with your online visitors right off the bat? Authority. You need to be regarded as the voice of authority in your niche, whatever it may be. SEO helps you do that, whether you’re into promoting environmental consciousness, animal rights, or women’s equality.
By using the right meta tags, targeted keywords, and impactful headings your online content performs better in searches. And just because you’re ranking high in search engine results, you will be seen as more authoritative. People will assume that yours must be the most relevant content for their needs.
And once you have established that thought in the minds of online users, you’ll improve your reputation and reach like never before. Constant revision of your content along with SEO practices will keep your content relevant, and keep your organization at the forefront of your social cause.
It’s Not Just About Websites
One of the misconceptions about SEO is that it’s just about websites. But that isn’t all it can do for you. Do you have a varied portfolio of online content? Is your organization active on social media? SEO can help you there, too.
With so many people worldwide spending hours each day on social media, any NPO who wants to get their message out is investing in social media. Chances are, you’ve considered this too, but are unsure about how big an impact you’ll have.
Using SEO rules that you used for your website or blog content, you’ll drive more traffic to all your online accounts. That includes optimizing your images and improving video content, too. Get people hooked on your social media presence, and there’s a good chance they’ll explore your other online efforts as well.
You may be interested in: 6 ways to leverage social media for nonprofit fundraising