Introduction
Both non-profitable and for-profit organizations have been experiencing changes due to dynamic market trends and consumer demands. Thus, while the approaches of the two types of companies differ from a financial perspective, there have been measures that both had to employ to remain competitive. Namely, one of the major alterations during the last decades was the technological advancements that have led to the widespread access and use of online platforms. As a result, companies have obtained a new tool for marketing. Nonetheless, as will be highlighted in the current paper, non-profit organizations struggle to advertise online and facilitate consumer interest. The aim is to examine the challenges in online marketing for voluntary associations and non-profit organizations from the perspective of origins, current situation, potential approaches, and barrier ramifications.
Origins
A simplistic way of illustrating the problem correlating with a lack of online marketing techniques is to highlight the development of technology as a factor that generated this need. However, non-profit organizations struggle to promote themselves online because of the need for funding. A variety of voluntary associations and entities partly rely on government funding to support both the base of the charity as well as its organizational needs. However, under the conditions that the government minimizes the finances that are allocated or stop them altogether, the company suffers major negative impacts. Government funding has, indeed, been diminished over the last years concerning non-profits, and researchers show that entities reliant on said resources were less likely to have an unsatisfactory online presence (Campbell & Lambright, 2019). Thus, voluntary and non-profit associations that have been primarily sustaining themselves through this financial resource rather than donations from the public were not only more vulnerable to economic issues but also more inclined to remain stagnant and dismiss the internet as a source of advertising. Nonetheless, the measure has been illustrated as ineffective as being dependent on the government for support has been one of the reasons why non-profits struggle to keep up with for-profit businesses and promote themselves through social media and official websites.
Another element correlating with the background of the issue is the overall distance between marketing channels and non-profits. Specifically, such organizations are highly limited in terms of resources that can be spent on organizational and marketing needs (Mehrotra & Siraj, 2021). Thus, marketing appears to be a supplementary circumstance that is not primary when it comes to where the funding is centered. However, online advertising can be free, exemplified through official social media accounts. Nonetheless, the lack of similar opportunities in the past is one of the reasons why non-profits have barriers in maximizing their online presence and reaching more potential help to assist a charitable cause.
Current Situation
Needless to say, a variety of non-profit organizations have a strong online presence and are efficient in promoting themselves on various platforms. Official websites and social media pages are the main ways in which such entities market themselves. However, researchers illustrate it is not entirely true in regard to all types of voluntary and charitable organizations. For example, a study examining different types of voluntary organizations has concluded that larger ones are active online while smaller ones are less likely to post, engage with the audience, or have a social media presence in general (Olinski & Szamrowski, 2021). The finding has been interpreted from two perspectives. On the other hand, the current situation illustrates that larger non-profits have more resources to be engaged in online marketing. On the other hand, the phenomenon can be exemplified as online marketing being the factor that facilitates organizational growth in the first place.
Another factor linked to the current position is the segment that has been discussed previously, namely, entities reliant on public or government funding. According to researchers, entities that receive higher funding through state or federal programs have higher organizational costs (Lu & Zhao, 2019). This, however, excludes online marketing since, as discussed prior, the reliance on government funding has been linked with stagnancy in self-promotion. However, a non-profit that relies on public funding is limited in how to spend its resources. Thus, investing in building an online platform that will generate more interest is less attractive than centering more funding on the charitable cause. Needless to say, both for and non-profit organizations that want to survive in the 21st century have to have at least a minimal online presence. However, entities willing to expand and maximize their potential can generate interest and, as a result, profit by having a more well-structured social media marketing campaign. The current situation, however, shows barriers to achieving said goal.
Potential Approaches
There are a variety of potential approaches to minimizing the problem of inefficient online marketing concerning non-profit organizations. On the one hand, voluntary entities may choose to dismiss social media for self-promotion altogether. However, researchers have highlighted that social media is a catalyst for attention to charitable causes that generates community awareness and involvement (Albanna, Alalwan, & Al-Emran, 2022). Thus, a non-profit organization that chooses to focus on marketing that does not rely on online measures will likely not have longevity on the market. Moreover, in case an advertisement is approached from the perspective of TV marketing, pamphlets, and similar initiatives, the costs will increase without significant positive changes.
Based on the aforementioned information, the solution that appears to be a more efficient approach is focusing on online marketing. However, which also requires specifications concerning the segments that are being addressed. For example, non-profits can focus on building individual platforms. Hence, websites can be designed to include information, relevant causes to support, awareness programs, and similar topics. However, the downside of this approach is the lack of interactive activities with the audience (Campbell & Lambright, 2019). Official websites rarely provide the public with opportunities to inquire with other volunteers and find out more about the organization from a more informed perspective. Social media platforms, on the other hand, contain comment sections and messaging options that minimize the distance between the non-profit and its public. This implies that both volunteers and individuals donating money will be able to learn more about the association they are supporting.
In regards to addressing the current challenges in reaching an efficient marketing strategy for nonprofits, a variety of approaches can be employed. For example, researchers have found a link between leadership and social media presence in voluntary associations (Seo & Vu, 2020). Thus, leaders who encouraged transparency and innovative approaches managed to maintain the high online activity of their companies on a variety of platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The concept correlates with the notion of democratic leadership, which highlights the environment in which the success of the organization is a collective effort between the workforce and the leaders (Bessa, 2022). As a result, improving online presence can be approached through a potential change in the style in which the workforce is managed. A stagnant entity in which the goal is to receive government funding rather than establishing longevity and public interest is likely to fail to integrate itself into the tech market. However, an innovative and democratic leader can not only see the benefits of applying said measure but also establish an evidence-based technique for implementing online marketing.
Barrier Ramifications
Several barriers can be highlighted in relation to the existence of limitations in online marketing for non-profit organizations. On the one hand, associations fail to establish strong branding that consumer associate with the initiative that is being promoted. Specifically, researchers highlight that both brand image and trust can be addressed through media marketing (Bilgin & KethĂĽda, 2022). As a result, a lack of promotion measures leads to the worsening of how potential consumers view the organization. It may be perceived as one lacking transparency, not valuing the public who donates, or not effectively spending the funding it receives. Moreover, brands that apply online promotion measures through emotional storytelling and similar techniques receive more donations (Giersemehl, Michelis, & Stumpp, 2022). Hence, another ramification is a decreased potential for financial gains.
Needless to say, it is inevitable that technological advancements will increase and be even more widespread. Thus, one of the ramifications of not effectively employing social media and similar platforms is the minimization of longevity. Researchers have mentioned that the current public is more likely to participate in fundraising if the organization promotes itself online (Shin, 2019). Thus, for the non-profit to be resilient and survive the market changes, it has to be up-to-date with technology. As a result, it will achieve promotional goals and objectives (Vedel, Ramaprasad, & Lapointe, 2020). On the contrary, a lack of such measures will most likely lead to the decline of the association as a whole.
Based on the aforementioned factors, it can be noted that ramifications range from a lack of public interest in non-profit campaigns to a lack of longevity and long-term planning. Hence, the importance of digital marketing is certain as it not only helps organizations increase awareness but also narrows the distance between themselves and the people supporting them. The negative aspects of dismissing online marketing as a promotion tool impair the efficiency of non-profits and minimize the benefits that can be achieved otherwise. Nonetheless, focusing on the measures that can be implemented to address said limitations can have beneficial effects and correlate with social, financial, and organizational success.
Conclusion
Voluntary associations and non-profit organizations share the need to adapt to current trends with for-profit companies. Namely, presence on social media and the establishment of individual official websites correlates with positive feedback from potential supporters. As a result, the non-profit generates channels for communicating and self-promotion. Moreover, such measures facilitate improvements concerning branding and trust. The current situation highlights that smaller voluntary entities that receive government funding are less likely to engage in building an online presence. Thus, they cannot build longevity and consumer interest. Instead, effective democratic leadership, as well as reliance on public funding, are keys to changing the situation for the better.
References
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