Care2 Petitions: What You Need to Know
Molly Connors is the Director of Business Development for Care2, a social network for good with 50 million members starting Care2 petitions and sharing stories that inspire action. Care2 helps connect nonprofits and mission-based brands with supporters who are passionate about their causes. Molly has over 20 years of experience in marketing with over ten years focusing on the nonprofit space. She is an expert in helping businesses and nonprofits grow their revenue and impact. We chatted with Molly Connors about what's next for Care2 and how different groups can better leverage their services.
1. What’s on the forefront for Care2 and the Cost per Acquisition (CPA) space in general for 2021?
In 2020, the massive shift in behavior around the ways we shop, socialize, and consume entertainment due to the pandemic has impacted our digital expectations in ways that are more in line with our Amazon shopping experience—personalized, easy, one to two clicks to get what we want/need, and efficient. Innovation around the ways we recruit and cultivate digital audiences to meet these evolving expectations will be on the forefront in 2021 for Care2 and the CPA space in general.
Care2 as a digital platform and community for social good is in a unique position to help charities and causes transform how they engage with and recruit new audiences in line with these transformative digital expectations.
For example, we began rolling out Care2’s newest product, Care2 Cultivate (which has been in development for two years), in December 2020. While originally focused on solving the email deliverability crisis, Care2 Cultivate is equally designed for this moment as an engine to help organizations precisely target and repeatedly engage new and existing prospects – including reactivating lapsed donors and inactive members of email lists and converting active nondonors to donors.
We’re also continuing to innovate around our Care2 Fundraise product which integrates fundraising into acquisition campaigns to drive direct donations for our list growth clients. We originally launched Care2 Fundraise in the summer of 2020 for political clients, but we’re seeing demand increase across categories with promising results.
2. What’s one capability Care2 has that you wish more people knew about?
We can help organizations grow their SMS list through permission-based mobile number acquisition campaigns. Permission to text programs are becoming more important as carriers look to put in restrictions around texting at the same time that mobile is becoming an effective channel for engagement and donor acquisition. Check out how nonprofits can take advantage of texting campaigns here.
3. What do you wish more clients included in their Care2 petitions?
Strong calls to action that highlight the organization and their cause and clearly make the case for supporting them can greatly improve the efficacy of Care2 petitions.
4. How can Care2 help advocacy organizations?
We help advocacy organizations recruit new supporters and donors, mobilize grassroots activists, win campaigns, grow their email lists, and drive website traffic by reaching out to our 50+ million members, using behavioral targeting and our members’ self-expressed preferences. This means you’ll be reaching people who are predisposed to supporting your cause.
5. What can Care2 do to increase fundraising?
Care2 members donate to charities so the key is connecting our members with our clients in a meaningful, seamless manner. In addition, using the Care2 targeting pixel we can help you find the right donor lookalike audiences on Care2. We can also include a Care2 Fundraise campaign along with a lead gen campaign to help drive immediate donations to kick start your ROI.
6. How can Care2 help political candidates?
We help political candidates grow their email lists by getting their messages in front of new supporters and donors efficiently and at scale. Whether the candidate is looking to build local supporters in geo-targets, reach a large U.S. audience or fundraise via our survey-to-donate ActBlue integration, Care2 will find the audiences who are most likely to support the candidate’s platform based on their behavior and support of similar issues on Care2. We can also help with GOTV efforts and driving campaign event participation.
7. How would you describe Care2 users?
The typical Care2 member is passionate about changing the world, serious about causes and nonprofit organizations and votes with her dollars. She is well-educated, and civically active both online and offline. By the numbers, the Care2 audience is 67% college-educated, 65% household income >$75,000, 75% female with an average age of 39.
Bonus Questions:
8. How will the CPA space change with the uncertainty around Facebook?
The new rules for paid ads on Facebook will likely continue to impact nonprofits in 2021. While the restrictions on political and issue ads have just been lifted (effective March 4, 2021), diversifying your organization's acquisition channels and communications strategy will still be key in 2021. It’s always good to follow the advice of not putting all your eggs in one basket. Organizations can invest in their email program as a way to continue to communicate with their supporters in the ways that they determine are the most effective.
9. Are there any success stories Care2 has had that you want to highlight?
Yes! Thanks to tens of thousands of activists on Care2 working to protect and uphold democracy, Tennessee repealed its dangerous voting registration restrictions. You can read more about the petition win here.
Thanks also to Care2 activists, the US. finally passed Savanna’s Act, a bill aimed at addressing the high rates of murder and violence against Indigenous women. You can read more about the bill and its success here.
Care2 petitions are a great way to grow your advocacy program. For more advocacy strategies, check out Sophie’s blog about approaching change holistically.