Those of you familiar with the CNM Blog know that every once in awhile, we have a guest blogger put together a post on a topic that we think is of interest to nonprofits. This week, Jeremy Scott of Keystone Business Solutions, was kind enough to put together an interesting post on Search Engine Optimization. Read on to understand what SEO means, and why it matters to your organization:
The current economy creates some unique challenges for nonprofits. You need to continue getting your message out to as many people as possible while increasing the level of donations and grants you are able to bring in-and you need to do it spending less money than ever.
The Internet is the single most powerful tool at your disposal. Today’s donors and volunteers will slowly be replaced by tomorrow’s donors and volunteers-college students and young adults who are “wired” in a way a lot of us can barely understand. This generation speaks the language of the web, and small businesses and nonprofits who wish to remain relevant will soon be forced to find a way to connect with this demographic online if they hope to prosper.
One of the basic ways most nonprofits have embraced this idea is in setting up a Web site. Ten years ago, it was novel for a business of any kind to have a Web site. Today, it’s commonplace.
According to the Kelsey Group, 54% of people have ditched phone books in favor of search engines for their local search needs. This means that if Bob needs a mechanic, he’s now more likely to look for one on Google than he is to use the Yellow Pages.
That’s a sobering thought. Do you know what comes up on Google if people search for you? Do you know what keywords and phrases they’re typing into the Google search box when they search for you?
Simply having a Web site is no longer enough… the Web site also needs to be easy to find.
Research shows that if people can’t find what they’re looking for within the first two pages of Google results… they give up and try something else.
So the straightforward question is this: How many young people are out there, passionate about your issue or cause, but unable to find you online?
Search Engine Optimization (or “SEO”) is the process of writing and coding your Web site to most effectively communicate to the search engines what your nonprofit is all about. It involves keyword research to determine what search phrases your target audience is using, and then inserting those phrases into the on-site text and behind-the-scenes HTML code of your Web site.
There are many reputable SEO firms to choose from, though you should take care to be cautious of those that make bold guarantees and use buzz-words like “magic” or “mojo.”
Typical SEO services can run anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, depending on the size of your Web site and the work required to help it rank better-but it’s well worth the cost.
I’m sure each of you has budget constraints-it’s one of the hallmarks of running a nonprofit. But I urge you to strongly consider your marketing budget for the coming year. Traditional marketing like print, radio, and television, isn’t obsolete… yet. But online marketing and advertising simply cannot be ignored any longer.
Today’s young people, who will fuel your nonprofit’s future, are looking for you on MySpace. They’re looking for you on Facebook and Twitter. They want to read your blog. And they’re definitely using Google to discover things that move them.
You can throw up a billboard for a few thousand a month, cross your fingers, and hope that the right prospective customers see it and remember to call you. Or you can spend that money with a search marketing firm, get your site ranking well on Google, and know that your message will be right there in front of the very people who are already searching for you.
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