9 Tips to Make This the Best Giving Tuesday Yet

Since 2012, the growth for Giving Tuesday has been incredible. Just last year over $511 million was given on Giving Tuesday alone—a 28% increase year over year! While we got used to 44% to even 63% YoY growth rates between 2016 to 2018, we still believe we will see at least a 21% increase in 2020. A goal of $618,000,000 or an increase of over $100 million YoY.

So why do we think Giving Tuesday donations are still going to grow YoY? Overall, fundraising is up in 2020 over 2019. #GivingTuesdayNow was successful for many of our clients, which shows us that despite the challenges of 2020, donors still want to do their part and give.  Candidly, the crisis has really just accelerated what was written on the wall for many nonprofits. If your organization struggles to embrace technology you are being left behind.  What is basically happening with the crisis is that fundraising is getting even harder for the smaller organizations that have always struggled, while organizations that have their marketing and online donor experience more dialed in are doing better this year than last year.

Now if you’re typically successful on Giving Tuesday,  you should be able to outperform last year, but if you struggle with Giving Tuesday it might be hard if you’ve never gained real traction, but
you should certainly try and, as we predict, over $610 million dollars will be donated to nonprofits online that day alone. So let’s quickly cover some top recommendations to help your organization make the most out of Giving Tuesday 2020.

1. Prioritize Speed

Giving Tuesday 2020 is all about speed! Your organization has to be more adaptable and prioritize speed over all else. Move faster, especially on the big day.

2. Make Your Creative Compelling

Compelling creative content is so essential. Your creative HAS to stand out not just against other nonprofits, but also must grab attention with all that is going on in the world. The more video creative you have the better. 

3. Start Earlier

Start your Giving Tuesday specific asks a week early. These trends were clear in 2019. For example, on the Facebook platform alone $120 million was raised on Giving Tuesday with another $20 million coming in the week before Giving Tuesday! You’ll also want to get your ads submitted for approval early too as this process often takes more time during this busy time of year.

4. Utilize Facebook Fundraising

Facebook Fundraising is going to be bigger than ever this year and you simply can’t ignore it! We are pushing ALL of our nonprofit partners to market the ability to give on Facebook this year.

5. Run Facebook and Instagram Ads

Facebook and Instagram Ads drive conversions and these platforms are simply pay-to-play on Giving Tuesday. Navigate the Facebook Paid for By ban but nonetheless, this channel moves the needle.

6. Plan Out an Email Campaign

Email is hugely important. We recommend sending multiple emails on Giving Tuesday and the days leading up to it to prime people to give and keep your organization top of mind. 

7. Try Out Mobile Messaging

Mobile messaging is a newer platform, but mobile open rates are some of the highest in the industry. If you are looking for more ways to reach donors and potential donors, give this channel a shot. 

8. Focus on Recurring Giving

Don’t hesitate to lower your ask amounts so you can focus more on recurring gifts for Giving Tuesday. Large gifts may seem overwhelming for some this year end, but recurring giving can be much more manageable and provide donations for your organization not just in November and December, but year-round. 

9. Be Prepared and Capitalize

The biggest difference between nonprofits that crush Giving Tuesday versus the ones that say it’s noisy and doesn’t impact them is preparedness but also how to capitalize off of your preparedness. All of the goodwill, branding, and community your organization has built up all year long will help you capitalize!

Cameron Ripley