Rewriting the Rules of Fundraising: How JustGiving Used Influencers to Slash CPAs and Boost Organic Engagement
Featured Services: Data Strategy, Paid SearchJustGiving faced a critical challenge—it was losing relevance among the 18-34 demographic, the very group that drives the future of fundraising
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Summary of case study
Brand awareness on social platforms had dropped, and its biggest competitor, GoFundMe, was dominating the conversation among younger audiences. Without an engaging presence in these spaces, JustGiving risked becoming an afterthought in moments that mattered most.
At the same time, traditional branded assets were struggling to drive meaningful engagement and conversions. The brand needed a breakthrough—something new, something untapped. Influencer-first paid social had never been tested before, and this campaign set out to change that. By leveraging passion points that aligned with trending fundraising behaviors, JustGiving launched #JustGiveItAGo, an influencer-led challenge that turned personal health journeys into inspiring fundraising stories. By identifying and amplifying top-performing content through paid spark boosting, the campaign delivered a 23% decrease in CPA while driving 3x more views and 5x more engagement than previous branded content. What started as an experiment is now the cornerstone of JustGiving’s 2025 strategy.
Solution
Rather than blindly diving into influencer marketing, JustGiving took a data-driven approach to ensure maximum impact. Before selecting creators, the team conducted a deep audience analysis to understand how fundraising was already being discussed online.
The insights were clear—challenge-based content dominated TikTok and Instagram, particularly among sports and fitness creators. The energy, competitiveness, and personal connection behind these challenges made them ideal for fundraising storytelling.
Armed with this knowledge, JustGiving handpicked eight creators who had already used the platform, ensuring brand affinity was baked into the content from the start.
The #JustGiveItAGo campaign was born, encouraging these influencers to create their own fundraising challenges while integrating personal health journeys and highlighting how JustGiving made their efforts possible. The campaign was as much about emotion as it was about action—fundraising became not just a task, but a deeply personal mission.
To maximize impact, the campaign didn’t stop at organic reach. Using JustGiving’s proprietary Boosting Barometer, the highest-performing influencer content was identified and strategically amplified through paid spark boosting, ensuring that only the most engaging, high-converting assets received additional investment. This fusion of organic discovery and paid precision supercharged the campaign’s reach and efficiency.
The Execution: The execution unfolded with precision, designed to feel both authentic and highly scalable. Influencers crafted unique fundraising challenges, weaving in their personal stories while organically integrating JustGiving as the enabler of their mission. The storytelling was key—these weren’t scripted ads but raw, compelling narratives that resonated deeply with audiences.
As the content gained momentum, the best-performing videos were boosted through paid social, extending their impact far beyond organic reach.
This real-time optimization ensured that the campaign wasn’t just spending for the sake of spending—it was putting investment behind content that had already proven its effectiveness. What started as a social-first activation quickly evolved into a multi-channel success story, bridging the gap between influencer engagement and real conversions.
The Results: The numbers spoke for themselves.
Organic influencer content delivered over 3x more views and 5x more engagement compared to previous JustGiving branded campaigns. This wasn’t just about impressions—it was about deep, meaningful engagement that signaled a shift in brand perception.
From a performance standpoint, the campaign achieved a 23% decrease in CPA compared to traditional branded assets, proving that influencer-first creative was not just engaging but also more cost-efficient at driving registrations.
The campaign’s success went beyond a one-off experiment. Further research into rising trends in running clubs and fitness-based fundraising showed an even greater opportunity to expand influencer partnerships, solidifying JustGiving’s place at the forefront of the next wave of digital fundraising.
I think we're all agreed this was a really great first test for using influencers, and we're very excited to work with you all again in the future. Influencers have proven to be an integral part of our growth strategy, and this campaign has laid the groundwork for an even bigger 2025.
