Did you know 1 in 5 donations occurred via mobile device in 2016? Some 77 percent of all Americans now own a smartphone, while charitable giving expected to reach nearly $400 billion in 2017.
Translation: There is roughly $80 billion in mobile donations up for grabs this year!
With more and more donors connected at the hip with their smartphones, how can you tap into the trend?
Read on for must-share stats on the current state of mobile fundraising, plus practical tips to spruce up 3 important areas of any mobile fundraising strategy.
Mobile Engagement
Do you own a smartphone? Chances are, your constituents are checking their social pages, sending texts, video chatting and browsing the internet on mobile devices just as often.
We often talk about surprising and delighting donors, and nowhere is the opportunity more readily available than the mobile landscape. As we become increasingly connected to and reliant upon technology, your nonprofit can beat the curve and engage supporters in new, exciting ways.
Here are tips to spruce up your results in 3 areas of mobile fundraising mentioned in the infographic.
1. Mobile Responsive Website
(pictured: Food for the Hungry)
Surveys show 51 percent of visitors to your nonprofit’s website are viewing on their mobile devices in 2017. To emphasize: More people are looking at your website via a phone or tablet than a computer. That’s huge!
Is your website mobile responsive, meaning it’s set up to automatically adjust, resize and shift text and images for both mobile and desktop viewing? Or does the text become impossibly small to read, the images get stuck in awkward formatting issues, and the donate button stuck off-screen?
We’ve previously reported that donors viewing on mobile are 34 percent more likely to give when the site is mobile responsive. What’s more, a whopping 62 percent of millennials—your future donor base—prefer giving by phone than any other method! So having a website that’s visually compelling on both mobile and desktop, is paramount.
For more website tips, see…
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2. Text-to-Give Campaigns
Texting is not just for personal chats anymore. These days you can confirm doctor appointments, get flight updates, subscribe to newsletters, contribute to campaign funds and more all by SMS. Why not donate to charity?
One notable text-to-give campaign: In 2007, the American Red Cross raised money for relief when a major earthquake struck Haiti and killed, injured or displaced 3 million people. They asked the public to text “HAITI” to a certain number to donate $10 at a time. Just like that, donation by donation, they raised $43 million in relief funds. What’s more, more than half of those givers went on to donate via text again, to additional disaster relief funds.
To increase donations, you want to make the act of donating as easy as possible—and what’s easier than simply firing off a text? When you don’t need to collect payment information, donors are less likely to overthink the gift. Donating becomes an impulse buy, like tossing a candy bar into the cart at checkout, fueled by emotion. Plus the amounts tend to be lower (the average text-to-give donation was $167 in 2016), so people are more likely to chip in.
It’s been said that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”—texting to give could be an easy way to invite new and existing donors to support your organization.
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3. Social Media
Finally, one of the biggest pillars of smartphone use today is the meteoric rise of social media. You don’t need stats or an infographic to reinforce how often your donors are checking their Facebook, scrolling Twitter and finding that perfect Instagram filter.
Social media is a low-cost marketing and communication channel that’s more interactive than a typical annual report or email newsletter. It also empowers your supporters to share your organization’s posts, updates and achievements with their own networks, amplifying your reach.
Are you making a conscious effort to connect with current and potential donors via social media? In 2016, 65 percent of all social media interactions with nonprofit accounts occurred on mobile devices. What’s more, 55 percent of people who read, ‘like’ and ‘retweet’ your content go on to take a subsequent action to support your cause. These are the people donating money, volunteering time, attending fundraising events and more.
For more tips on improving your social media strategy, see…
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In the nonprofit world, it’s natural to be hesitant of change, and today’s infographic certainly demonstrates how mobile giving is a game-changer. We hope this post inspires you to view mobile giving not as a hurdle but an opportunity, and you have ideas to brainstorm new strategies with your development team.
Your turn: Have you tried a text-to-give campaign, updated your website for phone viewing and more? What made the biggest difference in results? Let us know in the comments below!
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