Nonprofits Need Better Digital Strategies to Increase Online Donations
Being charitable shouldn’t be a challenge, but many non-profits aren’t making it as easy for people to donate as they should be.We’ve come a long way since the first “Donate Now” buttons were embedded into websites in the late 1990s, but many non-profits haven’t been able to keep up with the rapid rate of technological evolution, and they’re missing out on a huge amount of potential fundraising revenue as a result.While online donations have experienced steady growth over the last few years, according to Mashable, a recent study conducted by Dunham+Company suggests that nonprofits could be doing more to maximize the global humanitarian response.According to the report, 65% of existing sites require three more clicks in order to make a donation, and 84% aren’t optimized for mobile platforms.The Internet Age has cultivated a culture of impulsivity and impatience; people are more likely to partake in spur-of-the-moment charity (see: the Ice Bucket Challenge), but also more likely to abandon said donation in the face of even a minor inconvenience.
Omnichannel Fundraising
Nonprofits could stand to learn a lesson or two from omnichannel retailers. By optimizing and integrating digital donation platforms, fundraising efforts will reach more potential donors through a variety of frictionless channels, ultimately making it easier for them to give.When it comes to money-raising potential, smartphones are a nonprofit’s new best friend. The ubiquity of mobile devices offers a direct and constant channel of communication to target audiences through new digital strategies.They also make the overall donation process less time-consuming for busy people who may support your organization, but might not otherwise take the time to sit through a more involved ordeal.Mobile also offers a number of advantages in terms of time-tested marketing techniques. Retailers have used automated tools like push notifications and auto-pay options to boost sales without adding overhead with expensive physical campaigns.This same model can easily be applied to a fundraising campaign, which is a good way to do more with less, especially when the budget is already tight.Non-profits can also take advantage of mobile’s built-in metrics and data analytics to gain a better understanding of who their donors are, and when and why they donate. Information like this is invaluable when it comes to making sure you’re actually connecting with your intended audience.
The Time for Action Is Now
Those organizations looking to capitalize on the potential gains that online donations stand to offer need to act now.As tech-savvy millennials begin to come into their financial maturity, a nonprofit’s ability to raise money will likely be entirely dependent upon its ability to remain in-step with the technological expectations and digital strategies of the day.Soon, things like good UX design, financial security, and seamless integration across social media platforms are going to be baseline requirements for any viable business or nonprofit.When you consider the rapid progression of technology, it’s clear that this train is leaving the station quickly, and anyone who doesn’t jump on board now will likely be left behind.