Platform features. Promotion of roles. organisation page.
The Deedmob platform can simplify and accelerate the process of finding volunteers - our partners have increased their matches up to 500%! This doesn't happen automatically, because in the end it's the people using it that make the difference.
Organisations are busy and learning a new platform can feel like just one more thing on an already long to-do list. Many organizations simply don’t have the time to dive into a new tool, or they might feel a little overwhelmed by digital tools in general. Often, they're not aware of all the great features on your platform that can actually make finding the right volunteers a whole lot easier.
Among our partners, we've seen that supporting organisations in using the platform is an important success factor. There's even a bonus: organizations that fully utilize the platform's features tend to be more diligent in updating their pending statuses!
So, in this article we're answering the following question: What features should organizations be aware of to fully leverage the capabilities of your platform? We'll be covering the following:
- The basics
- The organisations page and its features
- Promotion of volunteering opportunities
- Sharing your own expertise
1. The basics
They might seem simple, but don't forget to support organisations with the basics:
Even if it's just to show them how easy it is to get started and remove the threshold!
2. The organisation page and its features
Easily managing activities and application (statuses)
As a platform administrator, it’s important to guide organisations toward effectively using the Organisations Page to manage their volunteering activities. Many organisations currently rely on email inboxes to handle applications and communications, often overlooking the robust tools available directly on the platform. Therefore, include the applications overview and application status updates in your trainings and communications.
Showcasing workshops and community events
Organisations can also use the platform to showcase workshops and community events alongside their volunteering opportunities. For example, they might promote a training session for volunteers or a fundraising event. Encouraging them to list these activities helps engage a broader audience and enriches their presence on the platform. Find some workshop ideas here.
Custom application forms
The Organisations Page also allows organisations to create custom application forms to gather everything they need from volunteers. These forms can include fields for uploading necessary documents, agreeing to terms and conditions, acknowledging confidentiality statements, or providing detailed personal information like availability and skills. While some organisations may prefer to use their own external application forms, training them to utilise this feature ensures all applications are centralised on the platform. This not only simplifies their workflow but also encourages them to keep application statuses updated more consistently. Find the below example here. Learn more about creating forms here.
Choosing the right images
Help organisations to choose the right images - good pictures where the action is central work best. If suitable images aren’t available, suggest using stock photos or arranging for a visit to capture photos, either by your team or with the help of a photographer volunteer.
For organisations with existing images, national pictures, or logos, encourage them to use an image editor such as Canva to trim and format their images according to the dimensions provided in the knowledge base. Some partners have templates set up, allowing you to simply import new images instead of starting from scratch every time.
Adding volunteers to your organisation page
Organisations can enhance their efficiency by adding volunteers (members) directly to their page. Administrators invite members to specific opportunities or even assign them directly to roles as needed. Additionally, all volunteer information can be accessed through the Data → Users section. From here, organisations can export this data for their records or use it as a lightweight CRM to track and manage their volunteer base. This feature simplifies volunteer management and keeps all essential information in one place.
3. Promotion of roles
Effective promotion is key to attracting volunteers, and the platform offers two powerful tools for advertising volunteering roles: social media sharing and the embedding feature. Encouraging organisations to leverage these features ensures their roles gain visibility and attract the right volunteers.
Embedding opportunities on an organisation’s website can drive significant traffic, with some organisations seeing up to 200 views per month. Learn more about embedding opportunities here.
Similarly, sharing roles on social media platforms can generate up to 100 views per month per opportunity, helping organisations reach a wider audience. Learn more about sharing opportunities here.
Organisations can gain valuable insights into the performance of their opportunities and promotional activities using the platform’s Data & Analytics feature. This tool provides detailed information on how many people have visited their roles, highlights which roles are the most popular, and tracks the effectiveness of promotional efforts through page view data. Note that the Data & Analytics feature must be enabled by someone from Deedmob. When activated, it is enabled for all organisations on the platform and cannot be turned on or off for individual organisations. Find more about gaining insights through page views here.
4. Sharing your own expertise
In addition to showcasing the platform's features, don’t forget to share your own expertise in Volunteer Management to help organisations succeed. Topics like creating impactful advertisements and developing effective marketing strategies for volunteer recruitment can greatly enhance their ability to attract and retain volunteers. If you're interested in learning more on these topics, read our blog or join our webinars and other online events