We’re Watching You
Nonprofit fundraisers seeking to raise money online will need to master a blossoming art called “behavioral targeting” (BT).
In a nutshell BT involves tracking netizens as they browse the web (that's their online “behavior”), using the electronic cookies they accumulate in that process. This information is combined with aggregate demographic information about the sites visited. The result is that an online marketer can then target relevant online messages/ads to precisely the folks the data suggests are their prime prospects.
As online fundraisers venture into online prospecting, as opposed to online donor development, sooner (we hope) or later you will need to experiment with targeting strategies like this.
Here are some articles that explain and illustrate the BT process:
What Obama and Clinton Fans View Online … this article illustrates how an analyst can come to the conclusion that Clinton fans dig horror flicks and are in the market for full size vans and Miami vacations. While Obama fans love indie films, luxury vehicles, and are addicted to their Blackberrys. How? By tracking the other websites visited by individuals who first visit those campaign websites.
The Three Ws … this interview explains how different online targeting methodologies can be used together to reach prospects based upon WHO they are, WHAT they like, and WHERE they are. If you're targeting female prospects online, is it good enough to simply stick an ad on iVillage? With BT, not anymore.
Hello, My Name Is Gord, and I've Been Behaviorally Targeted … this amusing piece gives another simple illustration of the BT process. Gord tells how, after a couple of weeks of hopscotching around the Web researching travel arrangements for a trip to China, he visited a totally unrelated site on a completely different matter and was served up an ad for a hotel deal for precisely the location he was interested in. NOT a coincidence! Gord, himself an online marketer, was a bit rattled to see the tables turned. He wonders whether he and others will resort to wrapping their computers in tinfoil!
This previous Agitator post, Wanna Make Millions $$$?, also urges nonprofit fundraisers to look into BT and links to another article describing the process.
Is anyone out there in nonprofitland experimenting with BT? If so, The Agitator would like to hear. Because you deserve a raise!
Tom
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
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I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
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Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
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Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
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There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
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I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
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