Zeehondencreche pieterburen Pro Bono campaign

1. Digital Solutions
Pro bono campaign Zeehondencreche Pieterburen
OMG Groningen

2. Website
• The website the Zeehondencreche is good and covers all relevant content for all
seal lovers and environmentalists.
• However the website of the Zeehondencreche Pieterburen is only in Dutch.
Meaning its only attractive to Dutch users. Giving the possibility to change the
language to English and German would benefit the website greatly.
• The Donation area on the website there is only the option to pay by Dutch
banking cards.
• Adding a PayPal or Ideal button to the donation area would make it more
attractive for people to subscribe and give money to the Zeehondencreche.

3. E-Mail Marketing
The Zeehondencreche Pieterburen sends a newsletter to people who subscribe to this feature, the newsletter is
called the Robben bulletin (sealnews).
Key Features:
• This is provided in Dutch only, giving news
of the seals inside the day-care centre and
fun facts about seal life and the northern sea
• it gives an educative value to the readers of all ages.
• The last couple of pages are dedicated
to donations and how you can become one.
• To benefit the donations they have
• Interviews with donators
• Information about donation taxes
• Trips they organize to gain more money
• A wish list of supplies they need.
• Improvement points
• Provide the bulletin in English and German
• No click through possibilities to provide direct action of the reader.
Improvement Points:
• Provide the bulletin in English and German
• Add click through options to the newsletter

4. Video marketing (1/2)
• Zeehondencreche Pieterburen gained mass attention in Holland with their very successful
television commercial from 2006 until 2012 this commercial is to be found on
The next slide. This commercial resulted in a 98% name recognition rate in the
Netherlands. As the music rights were given for free by Queen and national tv channels
broadcasted the video for free.
• After 2012 Zeehondencreche started a new commercial with again music of the band
Queen, given for free. This commercial has been broadcasted much less than the previous
version This video will be viewable on the next slide
• Video marketing is a really powerful tool to deliver information or to raise people interest.
The NGO is already on YouTube but this channel doesn’t seem to be as famous as the
Facebook page of 17500 followers (18/01/2017) with only 275 subscribers on YouTube
(18/01/2017). Zeehondencentrum is doing most of their videos in English and create good
content on this platform. As a lot people use their phone to watch content at any place,
sound might not be appropriate at any time, subtitles underneath these videos are a good
option.

5. Video marketing (2/2)
• Online Marketing Groningen would advise to make this YouTube channel accessible to Non-Dutch
speakers by speaking English or adding subtitles in different European languages and make the
channel description in English (18/01/2016). The purchase of a GO-Pro camera which is currently on
the wish list is advisable.
• They currently have a direct webcam where you can have a look 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on a
Seal pool outside which doesn’t seem to be really effective but allow showing day to day evolution.
• As many of the volunteers come from outside the Netherlands, they are probably the best person to
make people aware of Zeehondencentrum activity outside the Netherlands and in order to do so,
Online Marketing Groningen would advise the NGO to offer them the opportunity to upload their
experience online on the channel. Such a way of advertisement would cost nothing but time from the
volunteers if they are willing to do it. Also students from the Hanzehogeschool Groningen are
interesting employees to offer internships to considering video marketing.
• As well as increasing the awareness of the NGO existence and activity and potential donation from
outside the Netherlands, such video could increase the number of volunteers applying for voluntary
work or internships within Zeehondencentrum.

6. Mobile Marketing
• Creating a mobile app could help the Zeehondencreche in various ways. As phone penetration rates
are high in the Netherlands the Zeehondencreche cant stay behind in providing enthusiasts with a
mobile app.
• A mobile app will result in more interaction with the users and create more name awareness of the
Pieterburen centre.
Features:
• Spot a seal
• News
• Contact – linked to Whatsapp.
• Donate
• Take care of your seal (zeehondenbord)

7. Social Media
• Zeehondencentrum is currently active on:Twitter ‘Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Pinterest The actual Social
Media marketing from Zeehondencentrum is entertaining and accurate to the user’s mind as we noticed that they
are well received from people under comments and likes. That is the reason why the NGO is currently putting
effort and money for sponsored content on Facebook.
• Post special events via a live video on Facebook, twitter and Youtube. (releases of seals, feeding time etc.)
• However Online Marketing Groningen would strongly advise to always adapt these social media contents to
Non-Dutch speakers by adding English translation in the same content as it’s not always the case. It certainly
decreases their potential audience and must stop foreigners interested in this NGO activity. This addition will be
time consuming but the money invested for sponsored content will be more efficient as it reach more people.
• In order to obtain more followers and subscribers and increase online visibility of Zeehondencentrum, it would be
advised that products (posters, postcards, stuffed toys…) from the actual gift shop in the visitor’s centre could be
given to a winner selected from the person who followed, liked and shared those social media platform or
content.
• Moreover Online Marketing Groningen would strongly advise Zeehondencentrum to describe their mission:
“Healthy Sea, Happy Seal” and look for donators under website such as https://www.chuffed.org/ where visitors
from all over the world can look for project to support

8. SEO/SEM
• Speaking about Search Engine Marketing (SEM), the website approximately attract 1000
people a day (Zeehondencentrum, 2015). As most of the donations are made online through
the Website, increasing the visibility of the NGO website thanks to the Search Engine
Optimization (SOM) would probably affect the number of visitors and potential donators.
• If Zeehondencentrum manage to apply the different solutions seen before, new visitors as
English or German speakers may be interested and feel committed enough to help increase
donations.
• However Online Marketing Groningen would advise the NGO to invest money into search
engine optimization slowly and at low cost first. The value added thanks to the financial
effort made can be then evaluated few weeks after and seen as worth it or not before
increasing it. As it can be an effective way to generate new visitors/ donators it should not
be seen as a cost, but as an investment in the future to increase the NGO awareness and
popularity.