{"id":16206,"date":"2019-01-03T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-01-03T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/?p=16206"},"modified":"2024-05-08T22:03:02","modified_gmt":"2024-05-08T22:03:02","slug":"mobile-giving-fundraising-checklist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/blog\/mobile-giving-fundraising-checklist\/","title":{"rendered":"Mobile Giving & Fundraising Grader"},"content":{"rendered":"

  <\/i> JUMP TO GRADER\/CHECKLIST<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

It’s safe to say that the mass adoption of mobile devices, and smartphones, in particular, has changed the way we fundraise. But unlike some technologies that have come and gone in our lifetime (mp3 players, Discman, VHS tapes), mobile technology<\/a> is here to stay.<\/p>\n

Even now, mobile use is continuing to grow. In 2015, 64% of Americans owned a smartphone<\/a>, compared to 35% in 2011.<\/p>\n

As opposed to many other types of technologies which only touch on one aspect of our lives (music, movies, communication), you could say that mobile technology has fundamentally changed the way we operate on a daily basis because they do the job of multiple devices.<\/p>\n

Try walking down the street today without bumping into someone whose nose is inches away from their smartphone screen. It\u2019s not likely!<\/p>\n

2014 was the first year that mobile usage was higher<\/a> than PC usage. Since then, the gap has widened and sales of mobile devices outpace all other technologies.<\/p>\n

\"mobile<\/p>\n

One could argue that \u201cgoing mobile\u201d isn\u2019t just trendy, it\u2019s necessary. Many consumers believe a non-responsive website is an indication that a business or nonprofit simply doesn’t care about them.<\/p>\n

Has your organization decided to take the leap and optimize your donor\u2019s mobile fundraising experience<\/a>?<\/p>\n

If not, then make this a priority in the upcoming fiscal year. Incorporate the following ideas and tips into your plan, and then use the fundraising audit and mobile giving to ensure that you\u2019ve covered all the bases for your upcoming campaign.<\/p>\n

Reaching Your Donors On Mobile<\/h2>\n

Gone are the days when you pick up the phone and call your most loyal donors for another gift. Sure, this still happens, but many donors need multiple points of contact before they choose to give, and this includes electronic communications.<\/p>\n

When crafting online communications, it is important to remember that people donate on mobile devices, not just their computers.<\/p>\n

For the average nonprofit, 18% of donations come from mobile devices<\/a>, but for some organizations (especially those with a younger donor base), it\u2019s common for that average to be as high as almost 21%. You don\u2019t want to miss out on this audience, so it\u2019s up to you to make sure that you\u2019re giving your donors an opportunity to give through mobile.<\/p>\n

When your site is mobile optimized, it\u2019s not just easier for people to give and read, it actually increases the chances of your nonprofit being seen. When someone does a Google search on a mobile device, Google won\u2019t rank a page that provides a bad mobile experience. But if it\u2019s optimized, it has a better shot at a higher ranking.<\/p>\n

An optimized mobile giving experience for your donors should become part of a larger plan for capturing more donors and a wider audience. Here are some of the ways you can reach donors via mobile:<\/p>\n

1. Social Media<\/span><\/h3>\n

As of April 2016, almost 80% of time spent on social media<\/a> is done through a smartphone. If your organization is following nonprofit marketing best practices, then you\u2019re likely on at least 2 social media platforms (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat). The question is, are you using these platforms to your advantage?<\/p>\n

\"World<\/p>\n

Studies have shown that 55% of people that engage with a nonprofit through social media are inspired to take action. 59% of those respondents engaged with a monetary donation<\/a>. The key is to provide relevant content that is engaging, shareable, and oftentimes includes a call to action. Just don\u2019t post too often or too infrequently.<\/p>\n

Take a look at this chart from HubSpot\u2019s 2015 Social Media Benchmarks Report<\/a> to see how your nonprofit\u2019s social media strategy compares to others, and then adjust as necessary. If you find that you don\u2019t post images as frequently as other nonprofits, it may be time to incorporate this into your social media content.<\/p>\n

\"2015<\/p>\n

2. Email<\/h3>\n

Not only do people donate on mobile devices, but they do so because they receive an email that they read on a mobile device<\/a> and they choose to donate at that moment. In fact, about 1 in 5 donors give as a result of an email they read on a mobile device.<\/p>\n

But don\u2019t just send out your normal email. Be sure that it is optimized for mobile. According to Constant Contact, 75% of email recipients<\/a> said that they are highly likely to delete an email if they can\u2019t read it on their smartphone.<\/p>\n

3. Websites<\/h3>\n

Organizations often direct donors to their website from social media and email, and this is a great way to educate your donors and provide them with the tools they need to make an educated donation.<\/p>\n

61% of consumers<\/a> say that they have a more favorable opinion of brands that offer a good mobile experience. As well as providing a good experience to your donor, a mobile-friendly website<\/a> may wind up validating your cause and legitimizing your organization.<\/p>\n

4. Applications<\/h3>\n

According to Go-Globe, over 52% of the time spent on digital media<\/a> and 89% of all time spent on mobile devices is through mobile applications. And while this is great for larger nonprofits with the resources, content, and following to support an entire application, small to medium-sized nonprofits shouldn\u2019t create an app just to have one for donation purposes.<\/p>\n

Weigh the pros and cons of creating an app for your organization, including cost, staff time, maintenance, and the anticipated return on investment. If the numbers don\u2019t add up, try optimizing your website to mimic a mobile app<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Why You Should Optimize For Mobile Today<\/h2>\n

So, now that you understand how fast mobile technology is growing and how to reach your organization\u2019s audience on their mobile devices. But you may be wondering why you should be focused on mobile optimization for fundraising today.<\/p>\n

Here are a few reasons why there\u2019s no time like the present to get started.<\/p>\n

1. Your Donors Are Using Their Smartphones Right Now<\/h3>\n

Every day, adults spend an average of 3 hours and 8 minutes<\/a> reading email, interacting with social media, and making decisions (such as which causes they will donate to) while on their mobile devices.<\/p>\n

We use mobile phones to make talk to other, watch television, order food, connect on Facebook, share pictures, bank, etc. so it\u2019s only natural that your organization connect with current and prospective donors where they are– on their phones.<\/p>\n

The last thing you want is for your audience to see a broken or jumbled site that wasn\u2019t meant to be seen on mobile and think less of your cause enough to question giving a donation.<\/p>\n

\"CauseVox<\/p>\n

2. It\u2019s One Part Of The Overall Fundraising Plan<\/h3>\n

A great study by SocialBrite<\/a> found that mobile fundraisers raised about 2.2 times more than traditional web fundraisers. They noted that as nonprofits begin to change to a mobile responsive layout, fundraising becomes easier.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not to say that you should put all your eggs in the mobile fundraising basket. You\u2019re always going to have donors that prefer a phone call or a direct mail letter, and you don\u2019t want to lose these loyal givers with a sudden change.<\/p>\n

Instead, look at mobile fundraising as one piece of the fundraising pie.<\/p>\n

3. Mobile Will Give You Access To A Larger Audience<\/h3>\n

Optimizing for mobile isn\u2019t just about giving your donors a good experience. There are many benefits for your nonprofit or cause as well.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest perks that will come out of focusing on a donor\u2019s mobile experience is access to a broader audience<\/a>, including younger donors between the ages of 18 and 29, those with a lower socioeconomic status and lower education levels, and minorities. These are donor populations that aren\u2019t often targeted with typical fundraising methods.<\/p>\n

Mobile fundraising gives you access to groups of donors that wouldn\u2019t necessarily know about your campaign otherwise.<\/p>\n

4. Mobile Connections Are Instant<\/h3>\n

<\/a>
\nOptimizing for mobile giving also allows your organization to instantly connect with your donors through email and social media. This is especially great if you are running a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign<\/a> with a quick turn-around time!<\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n

  <\/i> Is Your Fundraising Ready For Mobile?<\/h2>\n

Are you ready to connect with your donors and collect donations<\/a> on mobile devices? See how you’re doing by grading your fundraising website, donation form, and emails mobile readiness.<\/p>\n

1. Grade Your Website<\/h3>\n

How to perform this audit: Using a mobile smartphone, disconnected from wifi and using only your cellular internet connection, navigate to your website and answer the following questions. If “YES”, check the box.<\/p>\n

  <\/i> Is your website responsive to your mobile device? Does it respond to the size of your browser or redirect you to the mobile version of your website?<\/p>\n

  <\/i> Does your site pass the grunt test? Are you able to identify exactly what your organization does (and why that matters) within 5-10 seconds?<\/p>\n

  <\/i> Can you navigate to various pages throughout your site with ease (i.e. About, Donate)?<\/p>\n

  <\/i> Perform a speed test<\/a>. Did you score over 80 on mobile speed and optimization?<\/p>\n

  <\/i> Does the site, including layout, images, and content appear as you want it to (ie. no issues with resizing of images or missing\/chopped off words)?<\/p>\n

  <\/i> Are you able to click on your links with the tip of your index finger?<\/p>\n

  <\/i> Are all images visible without zooming?<\/p>\n

  <\/i> Do all videos play without issue?<\/p>\n

  <\/i> Has your mobile content been simplified per best practices (small paragraphs, adequate white space, minimal links)?<\/p>\n

8-9 checks:<\/strong> Your audience can view and navigate your website on a mobile device with little to no issue. Way to go!<\/p>\n

6-7 checks:<\/strong> While there are some areas for improvement, your website can be viewed on most mobile devices. Focus on the best practices outlined below to create more user-friendly mobile website experience.<\/p>\n

0-5 points:<\/strong> There\u2019s no time like the present to better prepare your website for a mobile audience. Follow the best practices outlined below to get started or build a new fundraising site<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Example:<\/strong> MANNA Foodbank mobile site. Total points: 8\/9 \/\/ This mobile site is ready for a mobile audience. However, it is missing a link to the desktop site on the mobile homepage.<\/p>\n

Example:<\/strong> American Cancer Society mobile site. Total points: 6\/9 \/\/ This mobile site appears to follow most mobile website best practices. However, it does not pass Google\u2019s speed test and many web pages feature images and content that aren\u2019t optimized for mobile (too large, content not simplified).<\/p>\n

\"MANNA     \"American<\/p>\n

Mobile Website Best Practices<\/h3>\n