It’s that time of the year again when I do my annual trend-forecasting for nonprofit marketing, this time for 2022. 

While much of my predictions for 2021 will continue to play out and evolve over the next few years, I see shifts in how nonprofit marketing will play out in 2022.  

Here’s what I see happening in nonprofit marketing next year.

The Rise Of The Hybrid

COVID-19 has pushed the need for more ways to connect online and a great deal of online fatigue. Think outside the box on how your marketing initiatives integrate innovative online and in-person connections. 

Prioritize Video In Your Content

Of all the content types to explore, it’s video that will dominate next year. 

Nine out of 10 content consumers prefer to see more videos.

Use videos for in-depth behind-the-scenes views, success stories, and highlight impact. Videos have the power to visually and emotionally captivate over and beyond textual content. 

Use AI To Simplify And Scale Content Creation

AI has been everywhere this year, and we’re only going to be seeing more of it in 2022. 

AI can help you automate and optimize a lot of the time-consuming tasks involved with content creation. There are AI tools available to help you find the right keywords to target in your content. AI writing assistants can even create unique content for you, although you would still need to look over it for language and style. 

AI tools can also identify specific tasks that can help to optimize your content for search engines. 

Optimize Mobile

Most donors prefer to donate online, and there’s no generational divide regarding this. Statistically, close to 55% of donors worldwide prefer to donate online using credit/debit cards. 

Also,

• Half of all website traffic in 2021 for nonprofits came through mobile phones.

• There’s been a 50% increase in completed mobile transitions for donations from last year. 

Make sure to create a quick, effortless mobile experience that makes it easy for your donors to give.

Appeal To Gen Z

Gen Z is deemed the most socially-aware generation ever, and they’re eager to contribute to causes they believe in. 

Nonprofits will have to tap into the social media channels that are the most frequented by these generations to appeal to this segment. Go beyond Facebook and your website and leverage Instagram, Tik Tok, and even SMS marketing which is no longer seen as taboo.

Gen Z will develop long-term loyalty to causes they believe in, so your messaging has to strike all the right notes. Fundamentally your brand has to be authentic.

Focus on Email List Growth

Nonprofits can’t deny it - people are more likely to act on email asks far more than social media asks. I foresee nonprofits putting a great deal of effort into building their emails lists. Get creative lead magnets, a high-value free resource your subscribers can download in exchange for signing up. Case studies, checklists, and toolkits are great examples of lead magnets. More on all things email marketing here.

And that wraps up my predictions for nonprofit marketing in 2022. Which trend do you see yourself gravitating towards the most in 2022? Let us know in the comments below!