Making the Most of Digital Communications with Limited Staff Capacity

At ReThink Media, we understand that many advocacy organizations and movements are operating with limited staff and resources. Yet, the need to engage with supporters, amplify your message, and raise the voices of underrepresented communities has never been greater. Even with a lean communications team—or no dedicated team at all—you can still build a powerful digital communications strategy that maximizes impact. Here’s how to make the most of email, website management, and digital strategy, even if you’re strapped for time and resources.

1. Leverage Email to Engage and Mobilize
Email is one of the most direct and cost-effective ways to reach your audience, and with the right approach, you don’t need a large team to maintain a powerful email program. Start by building segmented email lists based on your supporters’ interests, past engagements, or donor status. This allows you to personalize content, making your outreach more relevant and impactful.

With automation tools (many of which we can help you access affordably), you can create automated campaigns and scheduled emails that run on their own. Whether you’re sending calls to action, event invitations, or policy updates, a well-timed email can keep your supporters engaged without requiring constant manual effort.

Tip: Use analytics tools to monitor what’s working—track open rates, click-throughs, and conversions to fine-tune your approach over time.

2. Make Your Website Work for You
Your website is the digital front door to your organization. Without regular updates, it can easily become an underutilized tool. If you don’t have capacity for frequent overhauls, focus on a few high-impact areas:

• Ensure your donation and signup forms are prominently placed and easy to use.
• Keep your key pages (About Us, Campaigns, and Take Action) up-to-date and aligned with your current messaging.
• Use embedded tools like donation platforms or advocacy forms to make it simple for visitors to act immediately. Basic search engine optimization (SEO) techniques can help more people discover your website, and using tools that automate routine updates (like content management systems) can free up valuable time.

Tip: For many of our partners, we recommend starting with a clear, concise homepage that directs visitors to 2-3 key actions they can take—whether that’s signing a petition, donating, or joining your email list.

3. Create a Digital Strategy That Aligns with Your Goals
Without a thoughtful digital strategy, it’s easy to scatter your efforts across different channels without making real progress. You don’t need a dedicated strategist to make sure your digital work is laser-focused on what matters most.

Start by identifying your key goals: Are you trying to drive donations? Mobilize advocates? Shift the narrative in the media? Then, craft your messaging and content to reflect those goals. Focus your energy on the platforms where your audience is most active—whether that’s social media, email, or your website. Tools like Hootsuite, Mailchimp, or even simple scheduling features on social platforms can help automate content and maintain consistent engagement without requiring constant oversight.

Tips:

• Utilize the G.A.M.E plan template to ensure your goals, audience, message, and engagement plans all align towards achieving your organizations’ northstar objectives
• Partner with like-minded organizations to share content and cross-promote campaigns. Collaboration reduces workload and amplifies your collective impact, a key principle we encourage across all our movements.

Moving Ahead
Even without a dedicated communications staff, your organization can still build a robust digital presence. By making the most of email, simplifying website management, and aligning your strategy with clear goals, you can connect with supporters and drive real change. At ReThink Media, we’re here to support our partners with the tools, research, and strategies you need to succeed—because together, we are more powerful.

For more information about ways ReThink might be able to help advise your organization on amplifying its digital communications capacity in 2025 please contact us at info@rethinkmedia.org.

PS. Special thanks to Salim Shariff, a close collaborator who worked with ReThink to develop this blog post and related tipsheet.