Association Digital Advertising

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At Harvest, we compare digital marketing to the cultivation of a field. Digital advertising is like irrigation and fertilization, which supports the SEO strategy and brings growth more quickly.

Professional associations must be highly strategic in their digital advertising efforts to ensure a strong return on investment (ROI). Effective campaigns require clear goals, targeted approaches, and constant measurement to maximize impact.

Define Success Before You Start

Before launching a campaign, determine your measure of success. Ask yourself: What is a membership or conference registration worth to your association? For instance, if your membership or conference registration price is $350, you might be willing to invest more than $350 per new sign-up if growth or filling a venue is your top priority.

Association Search Advertising

Search ads are a powerful tool to reach individuals actively looking for what you offer. To make the most of your budget, focus on strategic keywords: Avoid overspending on keywords where you already rank highly, such as the name of your association or conference. Instead, target specific keyword categories with low competition but high relevance. For example:

  • Conferences: Instead of advertising your conference name, target broader terms like “nursing conferences” or niche phrases like “nursing leadership conferences.” Exclude users who have already registered on your conference pages.

  • Advocacy: Use ads to support advocacy campaigns. Target keywords related to specific hot topics or legislation and provide actionable steps, such as downloading fact sheets or contacting representatives.

  • Career Pathways: If targeting prospective professionals (e.g., “how to become a journalist”), drive them to sign up for webinars or educational resources.

  • Practice Management: Promote consulting services by encouraging users to fill out contact forms. If these services generate revenue, they can justify higher ad spending.

If your association is a 501(c)(3), explore Google Ad Grants, which provide eligible organizations up to $10,000 per month in free Google advertising.

Measure Success by Completed Actions

Every campaign should be tied to a measurable goal, such as:

  • Registrations

  • Downloads

  • Form submissions

    This ensures you’re not just driving traffic but achieving meaningful outcomes.

Align Advertising with SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) can amplify the impact of your advertising. Many associations see membership growth from pages unrelated to membership, such as those focusing on advocacy, events, or practice management. Pairing SEO with targeted ads ensures a broader reach and maximizes ROI. Learn more about association SEO and how people may search Google for you.

Association Social and Display Advertising

Social and display ads allow associations to reach a broader audience across websites and platforms. Success in these campaigns hinges on precise targeting:

Start Small, Target Big

Begin with tightly focused campaigns before scaling, and test different platforms and ad formats to see what resonates with your audience. Even niche audiences, like women over 40 in one state interested in nursing leadership, can be surprisingly large and may not convert without further refinement.

Examples of effective campaigns include:

  • Email Targeting: Use Facebook Ads to target specific email addresses. This is ideal for reminding members about key events, such as your annual conference.

  • Keyword Targeting: Use display ads to target those who have searched for specific keywords on Google.

  • Remarketing: Target users who have already visited your website but haven’t taken desired actions. For example:

    • Show ads to those who viewed membership pages but didn’t join.

    • Re-engage users who explored conference details but haven’t registered.

A Strategic, Data-Driven Approach

To succeed with digital advertising, associations must stay data-driven. Track metrics such as cost-per-conversion and overall ROI. Adjust your campaigns based on results, and don’t be afraid to experiment with new strategies to find what works best for your unique audience.

With a strategic focus and careful execution, digital advertising can help your association grow memberships, promote events, and amplify advocacy efforts efficiently.

Harvest Can Help!

Contact us today to learn how digital advertising can help your association!