In the past few years, we have observed an increase in the use of mobile devices in the nonprofit industry. Donors and prospects became more comfortable with these tools, and this trend has accelerated significantly since the start of the pandemic.
According to the latest M+R Benchmarks report, cell phones and tablets account for 54% of nonprofit website traffic, with desktop computers making up the rest.
This statistic should not be taken lightly. Indeed, M+R Benchmarks also tells us that mobile users give at lower rates, with lower average gifts. In 2021, the average gift made on a desktop device was $75; for mobile users, the average gift was $46.
Why, you ask? Well, it could be that filling out forms is easier on computers. Wealthier donors also tend to be older, less tech-savvy, and prefer donating through computers instead of mobile devices.
In any case, this trend means nonprofits should invest time and money into being more mobile-friendly to convert more mobile users and increase their average gifts.
Here are four ways to make your nonprofit more mobile-friendly.
Optimize your website for mobile viewing
The first step to making your nonprofit more mobile-friendly is to optimize your website. This is important not only for your visitors to have a good experience but also for them to just find your website! In fact, search engines, like Google, prioritize websites that are mobile-friendly in search results.
- Make sure the design of your website is responsive, so it automatically adjusts to the screen width of the device the visitor is using.
- Choose simple layouts, with attention-grabbing graphics and buttons. Avoid lengthy texts so users don’t have to scroll down too much. Make sure the most important information is at the top of the pages.
Google created a great guide to create mobile-friendly websites. Check it out!
Optimizing your donation page is especially important. The form should be short, with clear steps, and it should be easy to use with a finger! You can significantly improve your fundraising results by optimizing your donation form. Read more tips here.
Send mobile-friendly emails
To be mobile-friendly, your nonprofit must also make some adjustments in terms of email marketing.
- Just like for your website, use an email template that is responsive so that the content of the email automatically adjusts to any device. Most email platforms like Mailchimp and Constant Contact provide ready-to-use mobile-responsive email templates.
- Keep the copy short so the recipient doesn’t have to scroll too much. Use graphics and bold font to spotlight the call to action.
- Make emails easy and pleasant to read using graphics, photos, bullets, paragraph breaks, and buttons (“Donate now”, “Sign up”, etc.).
The goal is to make sure the reader can understand the message by just quickly scanning the email.
Don’t forget mobile users on direct mail pieces
The mail you send to your donors is a great tool to promote online giving. More and more organizations are including QR codes on their fundraising letters to encourage supporters to give quickly on the website. But not everyone is comfortable with QR codes yet, so fundraisers also often add a URL that the reader can type into their web browser to access the website. While this is a good idea, you must make sure the URL is very short so that it can be easily and quickly typed on a small mobile device.
Try texting mobile users
Another way for your nonprofit to be mobile-friendly is to simply contact your supporters directly on their mobile phones! The past two years saw a huge lift in engagement for fundraising campaigns through text messaging. This is not surprising when we know that text messages generate a 6% average click-through-rate, which far exceeds the 1.7% average email click-through rate!
Text messages are ideal to reach busy supporters with simple, quick reminders to participate in your fundraising campaign. They help stand out in the crowd during big fundraising seasons like November and December, when inboxes and social media feeds are full of emails and ads from various organizations.
At Faircom New York, we can help you make your nonprofit more mobile-friendly. Contact us to learn more about our services!
