How non-profits can use copywriting effectively

Communication is key for non-profits and those in the charity sector. but how can non-profits use copywriting effectively as part of their comms strategy? Today I explain non-profit copywriting that can help your organisation grow. From crafting inspirational content to bolstering your SEO, copywriting is vital for the third sector. Read on to learn how to use copy effectively.

How Non-Profits Can Use Copywriting To Grow

Comms is a vital aspect in non-profits’ growth and sustainability. Whether you need to spread awareness, increase your customers or double your donations, copywriting can help.

Improve your SEO

SEO is essential for any modern organisation. The businesses with the most consistent growth utilise SEO to build their brand. Non-profits should be no different. Copywriting is throughout a website, from about us pages through to blogs. So, ensuring it is search engine optimised can have a big impact on your non-profit.

Focusing your SEO strategy on relevant content ensures you reach the right audience, gain traffic and convert relevant parties to action. To do this effectively, you must look at each page in relation to the keywords you want to rank for. Does the copy match what people are searching for? Does it answer the questions your audience hopes to find? Each page needs to have a driving focus written through its copy. Of course, the end goal is communicating to your audience through the web page, but when SEO copywriting is utilised, you’ll reach a bigger and more relevant audience.

Read more about why SEO is vitally important for non-profits in 2023.

Encourage Action

Copywriting is persuasive; it makes an impact! Non-profits can use copywriting effectively on their website to encourage action from their audience. The first thing to consider is what you want visitors to your site to do. For example, do you want them to;

• Employ your non-profits services
• Donate to the cause
• Get in touch to volunteer for your organisation
• Utilise your resources

Whatever action you want them to take it must be explicit in the copy. Don’t leave it to chance; make sure it is visible, comprehensible and clear. This could be through the wording you use in:

• Navigation and menus
• Call to Action (CTA)
• Your first and last paragraphs (Though throughout your copy is great too)
• Pop-up boxes (Though be cautious of using these excessively and ensure the design is good, there is nothing more annoying than an intrusive pop-up box!)

Copywriting can be effective for non-profits when it is keenly focused on the end goal. Generic is out; hyper-specific is in!

Produce Inspirational Content

Non-profits have achieved some fantastic things for society and the planet, so non-profits can use copywriting to promote their inspirational work. You may want to share information with the public, clients, stakeholders or staff; whoever the audience is, communicate your successes with passionate copywriting.

Your website is the essential place to start when promoting your work. However, copywriting can be used effectively in all mediums, both digital and traditional.

• Social media – Create informational and inspirational posts that educate your audience. (Check out the non-profit organisation ShefFood’s Instagram for some examples).
• Research papers and reports – Branding and design are essential for these types of documents, but so is copywriting. For most non-profits working directly with the public, the text needs to be able to convey the message without being overly academic. (Check out some of the great examples from Seventy Seven Creations here).
• Email newsletters – An awesome resource for non-profits. Those who have signed up are genuinely excited by your message, so it’s the perfect playing field to practice effective copywriting. But don’t just think about the content of the email; the first essential step is an exciting, eye-catching subject line!

If you are interested in learning more, you might like the article; 3 non-profit marketing ideas.

How Non-profits Can Use Copywriting – Summary

Copywriting is a skill that can be improved with practice. Non-profits can use copywriting to grow their audience and expand their operations. The key points to pull from this article are:

• Optimise your website copy for search engines to reach bigger and better audiences.
• Encourage the actions you want with persuasive and clear calls to action.
• Produce inspirational content in many mediums that showcase your successes.

If you don’t have the time or expertise to write copy for your non-profit, then I can help. I am an experienced SEO copywriter and can help with a range of content and copy services. From blogs and news articles to website copy and social media posts, I can produce effective copywriting and comms for your non-profit. Check out this recent comms case study for a non-profit organisation I work with, or get in touch for a discovery call.