With the UK expecting to reach nearly 60 million e-commerce users by the end of 2022, it may be time to ask yourself: what is my charity doing to generate sales online? Whether that’s actively running an eCommerce account or website, or using eCommerce to increase monetary donations, there are a number of ways in which you can use digital to your advantage.
There’s perhaps a misconception that online is a saturated market, and maybe you feel disheartened by the huge online presence of larger charities such as BHF or Oxfam. But, a staggering 52% of charity organisations reported not having a digital strategy, and there is a prominent skill gap in the charity sector – 38% of the 435 participants in the Charity Digital Skills Report struggle to keep up with digital trends.
So, this is the perfect time for your charity to get ahead of the crowd by implementing its own digital strategy. Here are a few ideas to boost your online presence using eCommerce and other online platforms.
Google Ads Grants
If you have a website, be it eCommerce or just an information page, you will want as much traffic as possible coming from search engines. 7.94% of people are four times more likely to click through ads on Google if they are at the first position on the search. This means its ultra important to be seen at the top. Luckily, if you are a registered UK charity, you could be eligible for a grant of up to $10,000 a month to spend on Google Ads. Meaning, you can advertise to your charity’s site pretty much for free!
It’s a simple signup process, and we are always here to help when it comes to setting up Pay Per Click (PPC) campaigns.
Depop’s Charity Seller Programme
With the fashion industry being the UK’s biggest eCommerce segment, charity shops that sell clothes, shoes and accessories would benefit from using online selling apps to reach a wider audience. London based charity shop, St John’s Hospice, are established on the popular selling app, Depop, with 766 sales on items that are listed for over £10.
Depop’s Charity Seller Programme provides tools, resources, exclusive offers and personalised support to effectively leverage the platform as an e-commerce channel for charities. Making the most of the resources, means even the beginner seller can quickly create a successful shop page.
Amazon Smile
Not much needs to be said about the mega e-tailer Amazon but, to give an idea of its current status, in the UK only, Amazon made £110bn in revenue in 2022. What perhaps isn’t so popular is Amazon Smile which was launched by Amazon in 2013. Shoppers can browse and buy the same products that are on the official site, though by using the Smile URL, Amazon donates 0.05% of the purchase amount to the buyer’s chosen charity.
Being a chosen charity on Amazon Smile would be an added bonus to a wider marketing strategy. You can enrol your charity at Org Central.
What can you do?
For the fourth year running, charities told Charity Digital Skills that they’re looking for a clear vision from their CEO of what digital could help them achieve. It’s essential for charities to stay up-to-date with current trends, while eCommerce solutions allow them to generate more revenue and promote their cause. As we approach 2023, it’s time to start thinking about what your charity is doing online.
Contact Us – Web Designers Surrey
As an award-winning team of web designers Surrey, we can help with a wide range of digital marketing and web design needs. To find out more how digital marketing can help your business, get in touch today by calling 01252 413757 or email howdy@wearethunderbolt.com – we can’t wait to hear from you.