Most charities we speak to are not short of passion. They are short of time, money and people. That is why digital marketing for charities looks different from digital marketing for a shop or a software company. You are not trying to squeeze every pound out of a campaign. You are trying to reach the people who need you, the people who might give, and the people who might volunteer, using a small team and a modest budget.

This guide is for UK charities, from a village hall trust run by volunteers to a regional charity with a handful of staff. We will cover what to focus on first, the free tools worth knowing about (including Google Ad Grants), how to use email, social media and search properly, and how to measure whether any of it is working. Nothing here needs a big budget. It needs a clear plan and some patience.

Start with what your charity needs, not with the channels

The most common mistake is starting with a platform. “We should be on TikTok” or “We need a newsletter” are tactics. Before you pick any of them, write down the one or two things your charity needs most in the next twelve months. For most charities it is one of these:

• More people finding and using your services.
• More regular givers, or more one-off donations.
• More volunteers.
• More awareness among funders, partners and local businesses.

Each goal points to different activity. For volunteers, a clear web page and posts in local groups beat a national campaign. For regular givers, email and a simple, trustworthy donation page matter most.

Then think about who you are talking to. A charity supporting older people might need to reach their children and carers online, not the older people themselves. Write down two or three real audiences and what each needs to hear before they act.

Get your website ready to do the work

Everything else in your charity’s digital marketing sends people to the same place: your website. If it is slow, confusing or hard to use on a phone, you will waste money and goodwill. A few basics make a huge difference:

• Say what you do in the first screen. A visitor should know who you help and how within a few seconds.
• Make the main action obvious. Donate, get help, volunteer. Pick the main one for each page and make the button clear.
• Keep the donation process short. Every extra form field loses people. Test it on your own phone.
• Show proof. Your charity number, your annual report, real stories (with permission) and simple numbers about what donations achieve.
• Check it works on mobile. Most visitors will arrive on a phone.

It is also worth setting up free analytics so you can see which pages people visit and where they drop off. Without that, you are guessing. A simple monthly look at visits, where they came from, and how many people donated or enquired is enough.

Google Ad Grants: free search advertising, with conditions

Google Ad Grants is the free tool most charities hear about first, and for good reason. Google’s own Ad Grants page says each qualifying nonprofit can access up to $10,000 per month in search ads shown on Google.com. That is advertising credit, not cash, and it only covers text ads on Google search results.

Here is what we could confirm from Google’s own pages when we checked in October 2026:

• You must be an eligible nonprofit, have a high-quality website that meets Google’s website policy, and be able to meet the programme policies.
• There is no spend requirement. Google’s FAQ says you do not have to use the full monthly amount to keep the grant, and unused funds do not roll over.
• Google recommends installing free conversion tracking so you can see what people do on your website after clicking.

Google’s pages did not show us the detailed account rules in a form we could read, so we cannot state the current figures as fact. Older coverage of the programme, from when the rules were tightened in 2018, reported a minimum 5% click-through rate, geotargeting, a minimum account structure and limits on single-word and branded keywords. Those details may have changed since then. Before you rely on any of them, read Google’s current Ad Grants FAQ and the policy pages it links to.

What matters in practice is this. Ad Grants works best when you have specific things people search for. “Volunteer driver Guildford” or “bereavement support for children” are far better than a vague phrase like “charity”. The grant does not fix a weak website either. If someone clicks and cannot find what they want, you have used up goodwill and your click-through numbers will suffer.

It also needs regular attention. Accounts that are set up and left tend to drift out of the programme’s rules, so make sure someone looks at it every month.

Other free and discounted tools worth using

Ad Grants is not the only help available. Most of these are free or heavily discounted for registered charities, though each provider sets its own eligibility and it can change, so check the current terms before you sign up:

• Google Business Profile. If you have a physical location or service area, claim your profile. It is free and often drives enquiries from people searching locally.
• Free design tools. Several design platforms offer free or discounted plans to registered charities. Check their nonprofit pages.
• Email platforms. Many have free tiers or charity discounts. Pick one that is simple enough for your team to use consistently.
• Your own people. Trustees, volunteers and the people you support (with consent) can share stories and spread the word in ways paid advertising cannot.

Free tools are only free if someone has time to use them.

Email: still the most reliable channel you own

Social platforms change their algorithms. Email lists belong to you. For most charities, a simple regular email to supporters is the most dependable way to keep people engaged and to raise money.

The rules matter here. In the UK, electronic marketing is covered by PECR alongside data protection law. In February 2026 a provision called the charitable purposes soft opt-in came into legal effect. The Fundraising Regulator has published a guide to it, and based on that guide, these are the key points:

• It applies only to organisations recognised in law as charities, and only to the charity itself, not third parties.
• The contact details must have been collected when the person showed interest in your charitable purposes or offered or gave support.
• The sole purpose of the marketing must be to further your charitable purposes.
• You must have offered a simple way to opt out when you first collected their details, and include one in every message.
• According to the guide, it cannot be used for contacts collected before 5 February 2026, for data collected by third parties such as fundraising platforms, or for bought lists.

Read the Fundraising Regulator’s guide to the charitable purposes soft opt-in in full, and take proper advice if you are not sure whether it applies to your situation. This is general information, not legal advice. Asking for clear consent when people join your list is still the safest and most trusted approach.

As for what to send, keep it human. A short story about one person or one project, a clear update on what donations achieved, and one clear ask. Send at a rhythm you can keep up with; monthly is fine. Avoid long newsletters with six different asks.

Social media: pick one or two platforms and be consistent

In digital marketing for charities, you do not need to be everywhere. Pick the platforms where your audiences already are and where you can realistically post each week. Facebook still works well for local community charities and older audiences. Instagram suits visual stories and younger supporters. LinkedIn is useful for corporate partnerships and trustees. TikTok can work if you have someone comfortable on camera, but only commit if you can keep it going.

What tends to work for charities:

• Real stories and real faces, with proper consent, especially when the people involved are vulnerable or under 18.
• Behind the scenes. Volunteers at work, a day in the life of a service, a thank-you to a local business.
• Clear asks. Not every post should ask for money, but some should. Tell people exactly what to do and where to go.

Planning helps. A simple monthly calendar stops the last-minute scramble, and our guide to a social media content calendar template has free layouts you can adapt. If you want to know what good looks like, our look at social media benchmarks in the UK will help you set realistic expectations rather than comparing yourself with a huge brand.

If you ever run paid social, a boosted post or small campaign, keep it targeted: a local area, a clear audience and one goal.

SEO: be the answer when someone searches for help

Search engine optimisation sounds technical, but the heart of it is simple: write clear pages that answer the questions your audiences ask. People do not search for your charity’s name until they already know you. They search for “what to do after a bereavement”, “how to volunteer near me” or “how to help a homeless person”. If you have a useful page for those questions, you can meet people before they have heard of you.

A practical way to start:

1. List the ten questions people most often ask your team, by phone, email or in person.
2. Write one clear page or article for each, in plain English, with a next step at the bottom.
3. Give each page a clear title and a short description that matches what the page offers.
4. Link related pages to each other so visitors can keep reading.
5. Add your location and service area where it is relevant, so local searches find you.

SEO takes months, not weeks, but it keeps working long after you publish. It pairs well with Ad Grants too: searches that perform well in your ads show which pages to write.

Measuring impact without drowning in data

Funders and trustees will ask what your digital marketing for charities achieves. The answer should not be a list of likes. Pick a handful of measures that connect to your goals and review them monthly. For example:

• Awareness: website visits, email list growth, social reach.
• Engagement: email opens and clicks, comments, shares, time on key pages.
• Action: donations, enquiries, volunteer sign-ups, referrals, event bookings.
• Value: money raised, cost per new supporter, and where each supporter came from.

Ask people how they heard about you. A simple “How did you find us?” box on your forms is cheap and often more honest than any dashboard. Keep a short note each month of what you did, what happened and what you will change. After six months you will have a clear picture of what is worth continuing.

It also helps to know where you are starting from. Our social media audit template is a good place to begin: it shows what is working before you spend anything new.

Common mistakes we see

Almost every struggling case of digital marketing for charities that we see comes back to the same few habits:

• Trying to do everything. Three channels done well beat six done occasionally.
• Treating the website as a brochure. It should help people act.
• Ignoring consent and data rules. Trust is your main asset. Do not put it at risk for a quick win.
• Chasing followers instead of supporters. A small, engaged audience that gives, volunteers and shares is worth far more than a big one that does nothing.

Frequently asked questions

How much should a small charity spend on digital marketing?

There is no standard figure. Many small charities start with little more than staff or volunteer time plus free tools. Spend only when you have a clear goal and a way to measure it.

Is Google Ad Grants really free?

Google says qualifying nonprofits can access up to $10,000 per month in search advertising. You do not pay for the ad credit, but you do need time or help to run the account well and to keep within the programme’s policies.

Can we email people who have donated to us before?

Often yes, but it depends on how and when you collected their details and what you are sending. The charitable purposes soft opt-in has conditions, including dates and opt-out requirements. Check the Fundraising Regulator guide and get proper advice if unsure.

Which social media platform should a charity use?

The one where your supporters already spend time and where you can post consistently. For many local charities that is Facebook, with Instagram or LinkedIn added as capacity allows.

How long does it take to see results?

Email and ads can bring results within weeks. Search and social usually take three to six months of steady effort before the pattern becomes clear.

Need a hand with digital marketing for charities?

If you would like a second pair of eyes on your website, your social channels or your Ad Grants account, we are happy to talk. Delivered Social works with charities, and we are always glad to give honest advice about what is worth your time. Contact us for a friendly, no-pressure chat about digital marketing for charities and where to start.