Adding to their recent development of allowing company pages to feature ‘Call-to-Action’ buttons, Facebook have recently rolled out an exciting new development for Non-Profit pages and link ads – the ‘Donate Now’ button. This exciting feature allows charities and not-for-profit organisations to link directly to a donation gateway of their choice, making it easier than ever to turn digital engagement into tangible monetary contributions.
When launching the update, Facebook said, “We are excited to introduce a new “Donate Now” call-to-action option on both link ads and pages. Now, it’s easier than ever for Non-Profits to connect with people who care about theircauses and encourage them to contribute through the website of their choice.”
So where can Non-Profits use this new button?
Company page: The ‘Donate Now’ button works in exactly the same way as Facebook’s other CTA buttons in that it can be added to a company page. The button sits along the bottom of the company’s cover photo, next to the ‘Like’ button.
Link ads – To increase the visibility of the button, it is possible to include the button in link ads to promote it.
Of course, just adding the button to your Facebook page doesn’t mean that people will suddenly feel inclined to start donating to your organisation: highlight the new feature with a series of posts explaining how the donation feature works, or go into more detail about how you use donations from the public.
Getting creative with your cover photo can also draw attention to the button; consider imagery that directs the user’s eye (don’t be afraid to be blatant, a big arrow would work).
Whilst this development certainly isn’t groundbreaking, any opportunity to direct your lovingly grown Facebook audience to support you directly will be warmly welcomed by the charity community.