Integrating social media advertising into Giving Day fundraising

Abstract

This paper explores the implementation and outcomes of a Giving Day paid social media advertising campaign conducted by California State University San Marcos (CSUSM). The objective of the campaign was to increase website traffic, donors and dollars raised. The paper highlights the importance of buy-in from leadership and the involvement of a dedicated team working within a set budget. The team utilised social media platforms, including Meta (Facebook and Instagram) and LinkedIn, for targeted advertising. A three-phase approach was adopted, focusing on raising awareness, driving traffic and converting audiences into donors. The team employed tracking methods such as Urchin Traffic Modules (UTMs) and custom links to measure the impact of the campaign. The results showed significant increases in website traffic, donors, first-time donors and dollars raised. Despite challenges related to tracking limitations and the need for extended ad duration, the team devised solutions, including implementing alternative tracking methods and extending the campaign duration. The paper also offers practical takeaways for creating paid social media advertising campaigns, emphasising the importance of research, planning, content creation, goal setting, target audience determination, tracking setup, campaign launch, monitoring and result analysis. Overall, the paper provides insights into the effectiveness of paid social media advertising in the context of a Giving Day campaign and offers strategies for optimising future campaigns.