data-driven marketing – 91��Ƭ

Building a Nonprofit Data Marketing Strategy Without Cookies

91��Ƭ — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 15:30:27 +0000

You’ve likely seen pop-ups on your favorite websites asking if you’d like to opt into cookies. These third-party cookies allow marketers to target users based on their behavior across different sites.

As users become more concerned about data privacy, the future of third-party cookies grows increasingly unclear. While seems to indicate that cookies won’t be completely phased out, they will become increasingly unreliable as more and more users opt out of them. Nonprofits still need more durable, privacy-conscious ways to incorporate data into their marketing strategies.

This guide will provide tips for how your organization can develop a robust data marketing strategy that allows you to reach your target audience and fulfill your mission without compromising supporter data privacy.

1. Focus on collecting first-party data.

First-party data refers to information supporters share through direct interactions with your nonprofit’s owned properties—namely your website, app, and/or social media accounts. Since this data comes from supporters themselves, it’s considered reliable and trustworthy.

First-party data comes in many different forms, including:

Demographic information, like age, gender, and location
Communication preferences
Contact information
Social media engagement
Website activity
Donation history
Preferences and behaviors

Google’s latest third-party cookie update has left experts concerned that the company’s new consent mechanisms will cause users to reject cookies altogether. With most first-party data collection, supporters don’t have to worry about what they’re consenting to because they directly control the information they provide and understand why you’re collecting it.

Of course, that doesn’t mean first-party data strategies are automatically privacy-conscious. recommends following these steps to protect supporter information and remain compliant:

Determine which regulations apply to your nonprofit. Two of the most prominent data privacy regulations are the and the . Privacy laws are constantly changing, and even if there aren’t heavy regulations in your local area, many regulations dictate that any organization collecting data from people in the area they govern is subject to compliance. For instance, any organization with supporters residing in the EU must comply with GDPR. Consult resources like the and this to stay up to date.
Be transparent about data collection and usage. Obtaining consent allows you to build a foundation of trust with supporters, but you should be careful to explain exactly what you’re using this information for so they can provide informed consent. For example, if a donor signs up to receive text messages from your organization, let them know you plan to send them updates on important projects, donation requests, and event registration reminders via SMS.
Store data securely. To protect supporter information, leverage a database with advanced security features like data encryption, multi-factor authentication, and SOC 2 Type II compliance. Only provide access to team members who truly need it to limit potential fraud and mismanagement.

When you collect and use first-party data appropriately, you can make better marketing decisions, drive more meaningful donor engagement, and build stronger relationships with your supporters. Implement data hygiene practices like data entry standards, cleansing, and validation to keep your first-party data accurate and actionable.

2. Leverage data enrichment.

While first-party data is the most reliable, it might leave you with some gaps in supporter information. This issue is more common than you might think; cite not capturing the correct data as a top donor data challenge. So, how can you round out your understanding of your supporters?

Fill in database gaps with data enrichment. Data enrichment is the process of supplementing your first-party data with third-party data—information from external sources or data providers—to ensure you have a complete, accurate view of your supporters. By partnering with a trustworthy data provider, your organization can:

Enhance its targeting based on a fuller understanding of your supporters and their needs
Segment supporters more effectively and deliver more personalized communications
Reduce costs by focusing on supporters who are likely to respond to your messages
Improve supporter experiences by connecting them with relevant opportunities
Build more meaningful supporter relationships via this deeper level of personalization

allows you to obtain information you may not directly request from supporters. For example, you may append income and net worth data to your database, allowing you to identify potential major donors and tailor your fundraising asks accordingly. Alternatively, you may use data enrichment to identify supporters with children and invite them to family-friendly events.

You may also leverage data enrichment to update your first-party data, such as demographics and contact information. That way, you can ensure your database is accurate without bothering supporters to update their data and conserve resources by sending marketing messages to the right people.

Since data enrichment relies on third-party data, working with a verified data provider is crucial. Research potential partners’ data privacy and collection practices, and don’t be afraid to ask about their sourcing techniques to ensure they leverage accurate, reputable external data sources.

3. Use privacy-conscious identity solutions.

You have the data you need. Now what?

Data collection is not a one-and-done process. Your supporters are constantly growing and changing, and your data marketing strategy should reflect that.

The best way to keep up with these changes is . Identity resolution involves combining disparate online and offline identifiers into singular supporter identities. Instead of relying on third-party cookies, this process takes the supporter data you already have, connects it to other durable identifiers, matches it to the correct supporters, and organizes it into cohesive profiles.

Not only does identity resolution allow nonprofits to get a more accurate understanding of their supporters, but it also enables them to:

Increase supporter through personalized communications and interactions
Enhance cross-channel consistency by targeting supporters with cohesive messaging across channels
Generate a higher return on investment (ROI) by avoiding duplicate messaging and catering to supporters’ preferences and needs

For example, let’s say you want to target one-time donors and encourage them to become recurring givers. recommends crafting a message that explains how recurring giving enables donors to make a sustained impact and creates a convenient giving experience. Using this messaging and supporter profiles developed through identity resolution, you can target one-time donors across online and offline channels, encouraging them to upgrade their giving with a consistent appeal.

Again, partnering with a trustworthy data provider is key. Look for a provider that takes a to identity resolution, meaning they use authenticated data and definitive matching to supporter profiles—rather than a probabilistic approach that relies on predictive algorithms with a wide margin of error. Additionally, your data provider should compile data from high-quality sources and follow all applicable privacy laws and regulations.

Let your third-party cookies crumble and step into the new age of data marketing with these tactics. To ensure your nonprofit data marketing strategy resonates with supporters, survey them to collect their feedback. Considered “zero-party data,” this information allows you to improve your approach and align with your audience’s preferences.

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Back-to-School Marketing: How to Reach Your Target Audience

91��Ƭ — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 20:41:00 +0000

For families with children from preschool to college, the end of the summer marks new beginnings as their kids return to school. Before the school year begins again, parents may run around to different stores, stand in the backpack aisle wondering which option is best for their eighth-grader, or browse the pen and pencil selection online.

Regardless of what type of back-to-school product you sell, it’s your job as a marketer to help potential customers wade through the never-ending options out there to find your company and make a purchase. In this guide, we’ll provide tips for how you can launch successful, data-driven back-to-school marketing campaigns that reach (and convert) your target audience.

1. Conduct a data append.

Start by looking through your customer relationship management (CRM) system to identify current customers who may be interested in back-to-school campaigns. These may be frequent buyers or people who typically purchase from your business during this time of year.

You may notice you’re missing some key information about these customers that would help you better reach them. To fill in these gaps, work with a data provider to conduct a data append.

A data append involves supplementing your current customer data with additional information from . This data can help you better understand your customers and ensure they receive your marketing communications.

The types of data you can acquire through a data append include:

Demographics, like name and age
Contact information
Education
Presence of children in the home
Income
Net worth
Lifestyle information

In the case of a back-to-school campaign, determining which of your customers have children living at home can help you narrow down your target audience. This way, you’ll only send back-to-school communications to those who have students they need to make purchases for. Additionally, you may append different types of contact information—such as phone numbers and email addresses—to reach as many customers as possible through these channels.

2. Leverage student marketing data.

Once you’ve rounded out your CRM through a data append, consider whether you have enough customer information to reach your intended audience. While your current customer data may provide a great starting point, the more people you can reach, the better.

By leveraging third-party student marketing data, you can expand your reach to even more people who are likely to engage with your back-to-school campaigns. For example, explains how one of their clients used their student marketing data to “increase exposure among back-to-school shoppers” by targeting college students and their parents.

Once you obtain this data, you can activate it across online and offline channels, including direct mail, email, and social media. With access to 14 million postal addresses and 8.4 million digital and social records, the client mentioned above was able to dramatically expand their reach, increasing both website traffic and online orders.

To maximize the effectiveness of your student marketing data, segment your audience based on characteristics that will help you push your goals forward. For instance, if you’re looking to reach both students and their parents, you may group potential customer records based on age. To get even more granular, you can segment students based on grade level and target them with products they’re most likely to be interested in based on their school year.

3. Optimize your website.

With the foundation of your squared away, it’s time to launch your strategy. Your website is the hub for all important information about your business, so you should ensure it’s easily accessible, mobile-friendly, and filled with informative content.

Ways to enhance your website to better promote your back-to-school campaign include:

Prioritizing search engine optimization (SEO). SEO refers to the process of optimizing your website so it appears higher in search engine results. One of the key elements of a cohesive SEO strategy is choosing relevant keywords your audience may search for and incorporating them throughout your site. That way, your business will show up for relevant search results. For example, a clothing store running a back-to-school campaign may create a page on its website that’s optimized for the keyword “back-to-school clothes for teens” to target an audience of high school students.
Creating blog content. Building a blog on your website can bring in new customers by first answering their questions or providing useful information. Then, they may explore your website further and make a purchase. To move them through the sales funnel, include calls to action on your blog posts that link to relevant product pages or your back-to-school campaign page. For instance, a backpack retailer may create a blog post entitled “Top 10 Backpack Essentials: What Your Student Should Pack” and link to a page featuring their latest backpack line.
Improving website navigation. Make it easy for customers to find what they’re looking for to make their final purchase by featuring intuitive navigation on your site. Use a main navigation menu with clear labels, and include a search bar so users can easily pinpoint specific pages, content, or products they have in mind.

Considering , it’s also important to ensure your website is optimized for mobile devices. Choose a website builder that allows you to create a responsive design, and ensure the text and buttons on each page are large enough for people on smaller devices to read and press.

4. Run social media campaigns.

Use your customer data or segments to run targeted social media campaigns on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. You may create audience personas for different segments to drive your efforts, such as parents, students, and even educators themselves.

Then, brainstorm a content strategy that engages different members of your audience on social media. To get you started, here are a few ideas:

Giveaways and contests. Have your social media followers post back-to-school-related images with a unique hashtag for the chance to win a prize, such as school supplies or a gift card to your business.
Countdown to school. Share back-to-school tips and product highlights each day to count down to the start of the school year. For instance, you may show off your new line of pencil cases or provide tips on how to host the best .
Polls and quizzes. Ask your followers back-to-school-related questions to get them excited about the new school year. What are parents packing in their children’s lunches? What are the top study tips that students plan to follow this semester?
Influencer partnerships. Try working with an influencer who resonates with your target audience to promote your products on social media. For example, you may reach out to a mother of three children who posts content on TikTok about raising her kids to appeal to your audience of parents.

Once you launch your social media campaigns, measure their success by tracking metrics like impressions, likes, comments, and shares.

5. Promote discounts and loyalty programs.

Discounts can get a customer’s foot in the door while loyalty programs can help them stay. Develop thoughtful back-to-school discounts that bring in new customers and loyalty initiatives that keep them around past the back-to-school season. Then, run email marketing campaigns informing customers of these perks and incorporating calls to action to emphasize urgency and inspire action.

Additionally, SMS marketing is a highly effective channel for converting potential customers, with an open rate of over 98%, according to . Use phone number data you’ve collected to reach your audience with current promotions and link to your website to simplify the buying process.

With a comprehensive data-driven marketing strategy, you can tap into your target audience and bring in more business. Remember to incorporate your branding across channels to build brand awareness and help back-to-school customers become long-term advocates of your business.

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