End of Year Recap: Key Trends in Paid Digital and Email Performance
Let’s be honest — fundraising in 2024 felt like riding a roller coaster: some moments exhilarating, others nerve-wracking, but ultimately, a ride worth taking.
Between external factors like economic uncertainty, an election year, and the usual December chaos, it wasn’t always smooth sailing. Yet, one thing was clear: Digital fundraising continues to deliver powerful results. Through paid ads, email campaigns, and SMS, we saw meaningful wins — and gathered valuable lessons to carry forward.
Paid Digital Performance: A Year of Opportunities
Paid digital ads remained a critical driver of revenue, boosting both direct contributions and view-through donations. Nearly every nonprofit we worked with experienced year-over-year growth in ad-driven revenue, with notable increases in average gift amounts. While overall revenue had its fluctuations, donors gave more per transaction — a positive trend for building on in 2025.
Key highlights included:
· Dynamic search campaigns on Google and Microsoft Ads drove high levels of traffic and conversions.
· Programmatic display advertising excelled at acquiring new donors and expanding reach.
· Expanded audience targeting — particularly by leveraging interest-based segments and third-party data partnerships with platforms like Wiland and Abacus — helped tap into fresh pools of donors, especially those motivated to give during peak times.
Email Performance: Engagement Despite Fatigue
In 2024, email campaigns faced stiff competition, from December's crowded inboxes to the charged political climate. Donor fatigue was a challenge, but well-crafted, emotionally resonant, and incentivized emails rose above the noise.
Key insights:
· Flash matches proved essential. Limited-time, high-multiplier matches sparked urgency and drove strong donor responses, particularly in early December.
· December 31 remained the top revenue day, but early giving surged in the weeks prior. This shift underscores the importance of securing matches early on to build momentum before the final year-end push.
· Personalization proved to be key. Tailored, emotional messaging remains the most effective strategy for cutting through clutter.
A Note on SMS: The Power of Real-Time Engagement
SMS emerged as a standout tool for donor engagement in 2024. Many organizations saw strong performance, with texting driving immediate donor actions. When combined with email and flash matches, SMS campaigns significantly boosted results by reaching donors quickly and effectively. Its growing role in digital fundraising is undeniable.
Looking Ahead
As we close out 2024, we’re proud of the resilience and adaptability shown by nonprofits navigating a complex landscape. The lessons learned this year — from the value of urgency-driven campaigns to the importance of diversifying digital channels — will shape strategies for 2025.
With continued innovation, data-driven decision-making, and a focus on donor-centric messaging, we’re optimistic about what’s to come. The challenges may be great, but so is the opportunity to create meaningful change.
Here’s to building on this year’s successes in 2025!
Want to tap into even more of our digital expertise to better build your digital campaigns? Connect with us here to learn more!