Happy New Year! 2017 is over now and we have stepped into another wonderful year. Challenges and opportunities are expected to grow hugely this year for charities all over the world. If you are running a charity and engaging with digital, now is the best time to look at the latest charity trends, so you can maximise your organisation’s impact within the sector.

Here are the top six charity trends for 2018:

AI is going to play an essential role:

The latest generation of gadgets has made AI available to everyone. The best example of this technology is Google’s Pixel Buds, which allow wearers to hear real-time translations of conversations. Another great addition to the market is Amazon Echo, a powerful voice-activated assistant that can play music according to your mood, with a single voice call. Google Home works with simple voice commands. AI assistants can help you to arrange more meetings, meaning you can free up team members  to focus on raising more money in 2018.

Digital skills are now taking over:

With the huge growth of digital media, it is not just about digital transformation anymore, as digital technology has become more and more integrated into our society and our day-to-day lives. This new trend has set realistic goals for charities, and it’s therefore essential to devote more time to this area. All digital and HR teams must now work actively on skills development and digital training: Workshops, peer learning sessions and follow up programmes, in order to enable their organisations to develop and stay ahead.

Time to use data creatively:

You’re probably aware of GDPR. This set of far-reaching regulations comes into force this year on the 25th May 2018, and will have a huge impact on the way that we work. Charities now need to focus more on their data collection processes, both to abide by the law, and to run successful fundraising campaigns.

Look out for viral campaigns:

The Ice Bucket Challenge and No Makeup selfies generated a real buzz in 2016-2017. They attracted huge attention on Facebook. Charities should always be looking out for these opportunities, so it’s important to focus on the next viral campaigns.

The concept of supporter recruitment campaigns:

GDPR has revolutionised market trends already, and now every charity needs to be clearer with donors about what is going to happen with their data. It means that charities need to make more efforts towards positive supporter engagement, so as to gain vital opt-ins. Indeed, this strategy will help charities to develop stronger relationships and build trust in their supporters.

Work towards integrated journeys:

Supporter recruitment campaigns under GDPR are likely to see charities gain more potential supporters, and will force charities to make their supporter journeys much better.. This new strategy gives charities a real chance to create more powerful and meaningful relationships with donors and supporters.

Charity Checkout can help you to use the latest digital trends in the most effective way to make your 2018 journey successful. They can help you to  launch more impactful campaigns and boost your fundraising successes.