Donation link building is a great way for businesses to increase their SEO rankings while still keeping in line with Google’s Webmaster Guidelines for linking. Not only does this partnership benefit donors, but also nonprofits too.
What are Donation Backlinks?
Donation backlinks are links from a nonprofit or charity website that point to donor websites. For example, a local business can donate a certain amount of money to be featured on a nonprofit’s website. This should include a link to the donor website. Nonprofits can start with just a few hundred dollars then increase the price as it becomes easier to find donors. As donors, there is value in being seen as socially responsible, though it’s hard to justify much more than $500 purely on SEO value. Remember, Google usually gives more authority to nonprofit websites because they are a force for good!
Why Nonprofits Should Offer Backlinks to Donors
Locally Relevant
Offering backlinks to local donors not only benefits your organization but also strengthens community bonds. Partnering with a donor in the area builds trust and relationships within the community at large while bringing awareness to both entities.
Niche
NicheSearch engines give more credence to interlinking websites that are in the same niche or industry-adjacent. Attracting the right donor that aligns with your field or values and offering a backlink is a simple way to emphasize the cause and its mission.
Networking
NetworkingOffering backlink opportunities to one business usually leads to more. You’ll get access to other potential businesses that otherwise did not know you exist. For example, ZipSprout provides a free service for nonprofits that helps connect them with viable corporate sponsors.
Promotions
PromotionsWhen nonprofits partner with other businesses, those businesses may be able to offer additional promotions through social media. Donors may want the opportunity to also publicize their support of your organization. Both organizations are then given digital brand amplification with little effort.
Win-Win
Win-WinDonation links are a great way for both institutions to get much-needed support. You’ll receive a monetary donation that will help your cause while the donating business will receive a backlink so it can grow its online presence and SEO. Keep in mind that you should only enter this agreement if the donor stands behind your mission and values.
Learn more about how getting involved in your community helps with SEO here.
How to Offer Links to Donors
Sponsor Pages
List out corporate supporters on your website through a sponsor page. This can come with a link back to the donator’s website in return for their generosity. This page could be as simple as a list of names or donor logos. You may also offer different tiers based on donation amounts. While most of these partnerships are great, don’t be fooled by link schemes from nefarious sources.
Events
Provide opportunities for businesses in your community to participate in an event. Participation can come from donating office space, service, equipment, or merchandise. Then on your event landing page, you can mention and link to the businesses. To take it a step further, you can post the event to other community calendars to not only encourage awareness but also backlinks.
Businesses are usually more than happy to support a good cause. By providing sponsorship backlinks, you not only increase your funds but also help a business increase its online exposure.
Should A Nonprofit Offer a Temporary or Permanent Link?
Nonprofits also need to decide if the link opportunity will be permanent or temporary. Offering a link for one year may encouraging a recurring donation. However, donors may find more value in a permanent link opportunity, so some nonprofits may benefit from displaying all sponsors from over the years.
Some of Our Favorite Nonprofits
We have worked with a few great, local nonprofits over the years that offer sponsorship opportunities (with a backlink).
For more information on donation links or link building in general, contact us today!
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Diana | SEO Manager
Diana grew up in the Poconos and has lived in Philadelphia, Bucks County, Seattle, and now Media. She has a bachelor’s degree from East Stroudsburg University and a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. After finishing school, she worked as a SEO professional for several years before joining the Boom team.
When not researching keywords and stressing over the latest Google algorithm update, Diana can usually be found planning her next big trip abroad. She enjoys traveling, yoga, whale watching, ice cream, and Ring Pops.
