Let’s be honest, we don’t always associate the words “Not-For-Profit Organisation” and “early adopters” do we? We often think the NFP sector consists of red-tape-ridden and slow moving organisations especially when it comes to online marketing right?

Well while much of the private sector are still worried about how quickly things can go wrong with social media and are yet to embrace digital marketing, the NFP sector are surprisingly taking to digital like ducks to water.

Here are a few NFP organisations that put the private sector to shame when it comes to embracing the power of online marketing. These guys treat digital marketing with as much respect as they give the more traditional forms of marketing and are reaping the benefits.

Just Giving

A great example of how digital marketing can be used positively in the public sector, Just Giving is a dedicated fundraising service which was created just over a decade ago. The site enables individuals raising money for charities to do so in a cost effective and simplistic manner. The site allows people to donate to causes or sponsor fundraising individuals, ensuring that charities receive the highest level of support possible.

The Salvation Army

A registered charity which is recognised across the world, The Salvation Army was originally founded in England back in 1865. Since then it has dedicated itself to helping those in need of assistance, taking the stance that those down on their luck need a helping hand rather than mere ‘hand outs’.

Modern developments for the charity have seen it become prolific on the Internet. With dedicated Facebook, YouTube and Flickr accounts, the charity is now able to reach a greater audience than ever before. These sites can also be used to promote upcoming fundraisers and events, ensuring that this charity’s good message is spread far and wide.

Local Services

Whether it is the local police force, the emergency services or local MPs, the Internet has become a great platform for sharing views and information. Times of crises, such as the London riots of last year, and other major events have seen the Internet take on a brand new role with Twitter accounts and other social networking profiles used to give people constant updates on the situation. This is an invaluable way for public services to extend their influence with digital marketing on these platforms allowing them to advertise upcoming fundraisers or promote new services.

Key Takeaways

For those unconvinced by digital marketing, you need only look at internet statistics to understand the impact which this development in technology has had on the world. According to estimates, 2012 will see more than three quarters of the population go online with around two thirds of users visiting social networking sites as part of their activities.

This means that any organisation, whether operating within the public or private sector, will benefit immensely from developing their online identity. Indeed we have seen a huge recruitment drive for digital marketers to work within the public sector. Just looking at the JobsGoPublic site, arguably one of the best resources for public sector jobs, it is  not abnormal to see digital marketing positions being advertised in tandem with the more traditional housing jobs. This is the signal for the private sector to get on board, lest they be outranked by the public sector.

As a platform from which you can interact with an extensive selection of consumers, the Internet opens many doors for organisations –and the likes of The Salvation Army, the Local Services and Just Giving have heard opportunity knocking and answered the call.

This is a guest post by JobsGoPublic.com-one of the most popular job boards used by public sector organisations and candidates alike.