6 Tips for a Successful Crowdfunding Campaign

Crowdfunding — collecting small donations online from a large group of people — is a popular and effective way to raise money for your nonprofit or cause. According to Nonprofits Source, these campaigns raise an average of about $9,200. Around 62% of crowd funders are first-time givers.

Crowdfunding is easy, personal, and engaging. You begin by describing your campaign and its purpose, and then you post the campaign on a crowdfunding platform like BetterWorld. You share that campaign with your organization's supporters and they are free to donate at whatever level they prefer.

There's a lot of potential in this type of fundraising but, to get results, you need to create a compelling campaign and market it well. These crowdfunding tips will help you to maximize your success.

1. Customize your campaign page

Before they decide to donate, potential supporters will check out your crowdfunding page. It needs to be impactful to attract those valuable dollars.

First, make the page visually engaging so that visitors will want to explore. Use a unified color scheme to create an inherent association between the campaign and your mission.

Next, add some engaging photos related to your campaign’s goal. The most effective images according to one study are those that highlight the donor’s potential impact. Think about what you're raising money for and the results you want to see, then browse some databases of royalty-free stock images.

2. Write a compelling and detailed description

Your campaign description is the core of your crowdfunding page. It must persuade people that your cause needs and deserves their hard-earned money.

Be specific about where donations will go. Will the campaign benefit a specific project? A group, or even an individual, in need?

Describe the intended benefits in as much compelling detail as possible. For example, you’re not merely funding an add-on to your animal shelter — you’re “creating a fun play space where our furry friends can romp.”

The BetterWorld platform also lets you upload a video, which is currently the most engaging type of content out there. Viewers remember 95% of what they see in a video message, compared to 10% of what they read.

You can also increase engagement by listing what different donation levels can buy. For example, if you're funding an animal shelter, a $25 donation might buy a dog bed for a large dog, while $50 buys a week’s worth of treats. This can inspire people to give more, helping donors to visualize the true impact of their generosity. ‌

3. Offer perks if possible

Tier-based donation perks can also encourage people to give more by offering them something in return.

For example, a donor who gives $20 or more might earn a mention on your website’s donor page. You might choose to recognize people by levels — as a “gold sponsor” or “angel donor,” for example — although some nonprofit advocates suggest thanking everyone equally.

It’s all about what works best for your organization.

At higher levels, you can offer tangible items, such as the classic T-shirt or tote bag with your organization’s logo on it. These perks are reserved for slightly higher-level donors because they cost money to order and send.

Experience-based perks like receptions and private tours can also be enticing, especially at the highest donation levels. Good perks can encourage a $5 donor to give $20, a $30 donor to give $50, and so on.

If you’ve mentioned donation levels in your description, make sure that your incentive tiers have the same dollar values. For instance, if you've told people what $50 can buy, offer a perk at the $50 tier.

Finally, ensure that your page clearly describes each incentive and the required donation. Organize it so that those donation levels are clickable options within the section where people choose their donations.

4. Promote your campaign on social media

A crowdfunding campaign is only as good as its publicity.

Nonprofits Source estimates that when campaign owners update supporters, the campaign receives 126% more donations. Conversely, if supporters hear about the organization fewer than two times, the campaign has a 97% chance of failure.

Social media is one of the best ways to keep people updated. An estimated 70% of Americans, including 90% of 18- to 29-year-olds and 82% of 30- to 49-year-olds, use at least one social form of social media.

Find out which platforms your target demographics use, and schedule a post every few days while the campaign is running. Doing this manually can become time-consuming, especially when you have numerous other fundraising tasks on your plate.

Instead, look for a crowdfunding platform like BetterWorld that can integrate your campaign with your social media accounts. BetterWorld lets you post to Facebook and Twitter and email your contacts with a single click.

5. Make sure your platform is PCI compliant

The flip side of convenience is security.

Whenever you offer convenient payments, clearly communicate to people that their payment is safe. Nearly 70% of consumers believe that organizations are vulnerable to hacking. They need to know that they can securely pay with you. This entails having Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance for your credit card payments.

PCI compliance means that a company uses approved security practices to process, store, and transmit all credit card information. To help people feel comfortable giving to your campaign, choose a platform like BetterWorld that’s PCI compliant.

6. Getting started

Selecting the right platform is your first step to crowdfunding success. BetterWorld is an easy choice because it’s free, secure, and easy for anyone to use.

On BetterWorld, donation pages are customizable and its platform automates all payments and receipts, so you don’t have to worry about collecting payments. Funds go directly into your bank account — you can put them to work right away.

As you build your page on BetterWorld, remember to customize it with compelling images, a vivid description, and your organization’s color scheme. Set donation levels to encourage people to give more and offer incentives whenever you can. Do the math, making sure that any costs are worth it.

Finally, remember to promote your fundraiser to all of your audiences, including your email subscribers and social media followers.

BetterWorld lets you do this easily with one-click integrations, so you can focus on what matters — the communities and causes you serve.