Your Rally Point Episode 17: Why Your Nonprofit's Engagement Metrics Are Lying to You

Nonprofits need quick wins. You’re already overworked and overwhelmed, you don’t have time to wait six months for results. So let’s take something you’re already doing and make it better. Your Rally Point podcasts hosts James Martin and Jack Bobin talk about how to improve. It starts with data. What gets measured gets managed, so start tracking a meaningful metric. Then you can find ways to improve, whether it’s honing in on the right audience, tweaking your message to focus on what works, or simply changing suggested donation amounts.

What You’ll Learn

• Actionable metrics are crucial for measuring success.
• Engagement metrics should focus on meaningful interactions, not just likes.
• Data can reveal ways to improve your campaigns.
• When picking suggested donation amounts, look at your average donations.
• Start measuring one thing to track progress effectively.
• Demographics matter more than numbers—are you talking to the right people?
• Use link shorteners to track clicks.
• Commit to measuring something to drive results.

Resources

• Link Shorteners: Why, How, Huh?

Quotables

• “How do we take something they're already doing and make it better in 30 days?”
• “Time—that's the one resource that's not renewable.”
• “What gets measured gets managed, right? So the surest way to improve anything in an organization or even in your personal life is you just pick one thing to measure.”
• “We all love to post on LinkedIn and have 200 likes and all these smiley faces, but is that really success?”
• “Let's just pick one thing to measure. What does success look like for you?”
• “Just please, for the love of God, make sure that we're at least measuring clicks.”
• “Facts and data set you free.”
• “If you don't have the data, you're lost. You're on a map with no compass.”
• “So the goal for everyone after they see this podcast is find something to measure that matters, and then start measuring it.”

Skip to What You Want to Hear

• 00:00 - Introduction and Setting the Scene
• 02:00 - The Importance of Mobile Engagement
• 03:52 - Measuring Success in Nonprofits
• 07:47 - The Role of Metrics in Social Media
• 11:33 - Understanding Engagement Beyond Likes
• 15:21 - Navigating Email Metrics and Challenges
• 16:20 - Understanding Audience Engagement
• 19:16 - Optimizing Donation Campaigns
• 22:25 - Measuring Success in Digital Outreach
• 27:04 - Leveraging Data for Better Insights
• 29:56 - The Importance of Targeted Communication

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