How Many Digital Touch Points Are Too Many? Rethinking Your Nonprofit’s Digital Campaigns
This post originated as a LinkedIn Post that seemed to strike a chord with several nonprofit leaders, so I thought I’d go into more detail in a full blog post. You can find that original LinkedIn post here:
That face. You know the one—eyes wide—right after I suggest that some nonprofit digital campaigns might include well over a dozen emails within just a couple of months.
Inevitably, I’ll hear:
“Won’t people unsubscribe if we send that many emails?”
“Aren’t we going to annoy them?”
“Does email even work in 2025?”
But here’s the thing: in my experience with nonprofits, as we increase digital touchpoints (whether that’s email, texts, social ads, or other channels), engagement rates often maintain or even improve.
Why More Digital Touches Can Lead to More Engagement
1. You Stay Top of Mind
A regular drumbeat of your nonprofit’s story—sent with empathy and purpose—reminds supporters why they care about your cause in the first place. People’s inboxes and social feeds move fast; consistent messaging helps you stand out.
2. Segmentation is Essential in Email
Don’t send every email to your entire list. Break your audience down by interest, behavior, or donor history. Smaller, more targeted messages are what really drive engagement. This tailored approach helps ensure the right people get the right messages at the right times.
3. Multichannel Matters
Yes, email is still powerful. But combining it with text reminders, social media updates, or optimized donation pages (where donors land after clicking) can exponentially boost results. That synergy across channels is how nonprofits stay relevant.
Overcoming Common Fears
Fear #1: High Unsubscribe Rates
Sure, there might be a slight uptick in unsubscribes when you first increase frequency. But guess what? The subscribers who really connect with your mission tend to stay. And because you’re segmenting, you’re not blasting everyone every time.
Fear #2: Annoying Supporters
If your content is valuable—sharing stories of impact, showing supporters the difference they make, celebrating milestones, and providing relevant calls to action—most people won’t tune you out. Be sure to switch up your content (video updates, infographics, personal letters) so it doesn’t feel repetitive.
Fear #3: “It Won’t Work”
Digital campaigns work best when they’re strategic and intentional, rather than thrown-together. In fact, open rates and click rates often go up with more frequent outreach—because the folks who remain are genuinely interested and feel connected to your cause.
The Staffing Question
One of the questions I received in this conversation recently was: “What kind of staff is required to create and distribute that many communications?”
Often, you’ll need at least a lean-but-mighty team: a copywriter, a designer, an email manager, and a strategist to oversee segmentation and analytics. The important thing is to build a strategy that fits your capacity, whether you’re a one-person team, or a full digital marketing team. Even a small team can handle a robust campaign, as long as you coordinate effectively and create solid processes.
So, How Many Touches?
There’s no universal magic number. But don’t shy away from sending more than just a couple messages, as long as you’re:
Segmenting your audience.
Providing value in each touch.
Mixing up the channels (email, text, social media, direct mail—if it fits).
Analyzing engagement and adjusting as needed.
The Big Takeaway
Your supporters want to hear about the impact they can make and the community you’re building. When done thoughtfully, more touches can lead to deeper connections—and more lasting support for your mission.
How Is Your Nonprofit Leveraging Digital Campaigns?
If you’re curious about how to ramp up frequency, fine-tune your messaging, or just want to discuss best practices, reach out. I love connecting with mission-driven folks who are ready to grow. Let’s keep the conversation going!
