Charity Digital Skills Report 2026: Five Search Priorities Every Charity Should Focus On

Each year, the Charity Digital Skills Report, produced by Zoe Amar Digital and Nissa Ramsay, provides a valuable snapshot of how charities are adapting to an increasingly digital world.

The 2026 report covers everything from leadership and fundraising to data, AI and digital capability. As we read through it, we naturally looked at the findings through a search marketing lens.

While AI dominates many conversations, one thing stood out to us.

For many charities, the biggest opportunities aren't found in adopting the latest technology. They're in strengthening the digital foundations that already exist.

Key Takeaways

If you only read one section of this article, make it this one.

1. Nearly half of charities say they struggle with SEO.
2. Around two-thirds aren't running PPC campaigns, despite many being eligible for Google Ad Grants.
3. Only 15% of larger charities are currently investing in AI Search.
4. The biggest opportunities still lie in getting the fundamentals right before chasing new technology.
5. Investing in digital skills and better use of data will have a bigger long-term impact than investing in more tools alone.

The 4 Statistics That Stood Out To Us

1 - Nearly half of charities say they struggle with SEO

Search remains one of the most valuable channels available to charities. Whether someone wants to donate, volunteer, find support or simply learn more about a cause, search is often where that journey begins.

It's therefore concerning that almost half of charities (48%) still find SEO a challenge.

That's understandable. SEO has become more technical over the years, and many marketing teams are already balancing multiple priorities with limited resources. However, the cost of ignoring SEO is becoming greater as search continues to evolve.

Strong SEO no longer just helps organisations rank in Google. It also helps improve visibility in AI-powered search experiences, including Google AI Overviews and tools like ChatGPT and Gemini.

💡Why This Matters

Without strong technical foundations, helpful content, and a clear website structure, charities risk becoming harder to discover across every type of search experience.

2 - Around two-thirds of charities aren't running PPC campaigns

This was one of the findings that surprised us most.

Many charities are eligible for Google Ad Grants, providing up to $10,000 (approximately £7,000) per month in free Google Ads.

Yet a large proportion of charities (66%) either aren't using paid search at all or aren't making the most of the opportunity.

Google Ad Grants can be particularly effective for promoting campaigns, increasing donations, recruiting volunteers and raising awareness, especially when they're planned alongside SEO rather than treated as a separate activity.

💡Why This Matters

For many charities, Google Ad Grants remain one of the biggest untapped marketing opportunities available.

3 - Only 15% of larger charities are investing in AI Search

AI Search is becoming an increasingly important part of how people discover information online.

Whether that's Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity, more people are receiving answers without clicking through multiple websites.

Despite that, only 15% of larger charities say they're actively investing in AI Search.

We don't see this as a cause for concern. If anything, it highlights that the sector is still in the early stages of understanding what AI Search really means.

💡Why This Matters

Preparing for AI Search doesn't require a completely new strategy. Organisations with technically sound websites, trusted content, recognised expertise and strong brand signals are already building many of the foundations that AI platforms value.

4 - Digital skills and data continue to shape long-term success

The report also reinforces something we've seen across the sector for a number of years.

Technology is rarely the biggest barrier.

Having the confidence, skills, and data to make informed decisions is often what separates organisations making steady progress from those standing still.

The charities seeing the best results are typically those that continue investing in their people while using data to understand what is and isn't working.

💡Why This Matters

The right tools are important, but it's the people using them, and the decisions they make, that create long-term impact.

So, Where Should Charities Focus?

Every organisation is different, but if we were building a search strategy for a charity today, these are the five areas we'd prioritise.

1. Build strong SEO foundations

SEO continues to deliver long-term value because it helps charities become more visible at the exact moment people are searching for support, services or organisations to donate to.

We'd focus on improving technical health, creating genuinely helpful content, strengthening internal linking and ensuring the website clearly demonstrates expertise and trust.

2. Create and Maximise your Google Ad Grants allowance

For eligible charities, Google Ad Grants should be viewed as a strategic marketing channel rather than simply free advertising.

Well-managed campaigns can support fundraising, volunteer recruitment, awareness campaigns and key organisational objectives, particularly when they're aligned with SEO and content activity.

3. Start preparing for AI Search

There's no need for charities to redesign their digital strategy because AI Search has arrived.

Instead, we'd focus on producing content that answers real questions, demonstrates expertise, is technically well structured and builds authority over time.

Those are the same qualities that have always underpinned successful search strategies.

Be aware of your competitors and what they are up to, use great AI Search tools (we have a few that are great at revealing this type of insight) and remember that brand amplifiers, such as Social Media and PR is loved by LLMs and is the kind of activity that can really help elevate your online visibility.

4. Use data to guide better decisions

Understanding how people discover your charity, what content they're engaging with and where donations or enquiries are coming from helps ensure future investment is focused in the right areas.

Data shouldn't just sit in reports. It should influence planning, content, campaigns and decision-making across the organisation.

5. Continue investing in digital skills

Search, AI and digital marketing will continue to evolve.

The organisations best placed to adapt will be those that continue developing the knowledge and confidence of their teams.

That doesn't always mean hiring more specialists. Sometimes it's about giving existing teams the time, training and support to make better use of the tools they already have.

Our Perspective

The Charity Digital Skills Report reinforces something we regularly see when working with charities.

The organisations achieving the strongest results aren't necessarily the ones with the biggest budgets or the newest technology. More often, they're the ones that have invested consistently in getting the fundamentals right.

As AI continues to influence how people search and discover information, it's easy to feel pressure to move quickly. However, many of the qualities that make a charity visible in AI-powered search are the same qualities that have always mattered: a technically sound website, useful content, clear information architecture, and a trusted brand.

For charities with limited time and resources, that's encouraging.

Rather than trying to do everything at once, focus on building a strong foundation, use the data available to make informed decisions, and gradually introduce new technologies where they genuinely add value.

Digital transformation doesn't happen overnight, but every improvement makes it easier for supporters, volunteers and beneficiaries to find you when they need you most.

Final Thoughts

The 2026 Charity Digital Skills Report provides a realistic picture of where the sector is today. There are clear challenges, but there are also significant opportunities for charities willing to invest in their digital capability.

If your organisation is still developing its search strategy, our advice is simple: start with the fundamentals, make the most of the opportunities already available, and treat AI as an evolution of search rather than a replacement for it.

The charities that take that approach will be in a much stronger position to increase their visibility, reach more people and maximise the impact of their work over the years ahead.

If you are a charity that might need some strategic support to elevate your search visibility across search engines and LLMs, then let's have a chat and discuss what this all looks like for you.

The full report can be found and downloaded here.