More and more, there are opportunities to include charity within your content strategy. Why would you want to do this? Many times it is that “feel good” feeling that one gets when they know that they can make a profit and still give to charity, while going about business as usual.
With charity, it isn’t just a “feel good” feeling, but can also have its own benefits, from a more brand-centric point of view. By including charity in the overall content strategy, there are opportunities for more exposure for the content. There are opportunities for additional media, interviews, infographics (displaying the portion going to charity) and many more content opportunities and promotion opportunities.
Reverbnation has the right idea with the Music for Good campaign. With this program, musicians can choose to donate a portion of their music earnings to the charity of their choice. The available charities include OxFam America, Every Mother Counts, Heifer International, Beat Making Lab, Fender Music Foundation, Camp Southern Good, Care, Charity Water, Love Hope Strength, Keep a Child Alive, and Sweet Relief.
In a similar manner, another company is offering a portion of the affiliate income, for charity. Shopforsmiles.com is set up so that people can choose the items that they want, and a portion of the affiliate income that is earned is given to charity.
Build Your Own Charity Strategy
This is a great model or strategy to set up for your own site. The steps are pretty straight-forward and easier than it seems. Rather than waiting for someone else to do the work, you can do it yourself. Another benefit, beyond the feel good factor, is the promotion around the fact that you set it up on your site. Here are the steps that will help you accomplish it on your own:
- Choose the charities: The list, above, should provide some ideas.
- Contact the charities: Realize that not all charities will respond, but the more that you contact, the closer you are to a connection.
- Prepare templates: The more success that comes your way, the more you can develop a system and templates that you can use for future contacts.
- Set up your “Charity Page:” Once the charities are selected, set up a page that tells your readers about your new program.
- Promote! Now that you have your page, promote and promote and promote. You can include interviews with the charity founders and maybe even your own fundraising campaign to kick it off, right out of the starting gate.
- On-going promotion: Continue to include references to your charity, as a part of references to your content, in your content strategy. It is always that much easier to promote when you are able to promote the charity, too.
Now it is Your Turn
So, what charities will you be including in your content strategy? What are some ways that you could incorporate this? Now it is your turn to share with us what you are doing!