Think back to the last time you searched online for a product, researched a business, or just checked the time. Chances are, you were using a mobile device, like a smartphone, since more than 60% of all online searches are made on mobile devices. How does this relate to mobile fundraising? Think about it: if the use of mobile devices is on the rise, then more and more of your supporters will expect to donate to your cause on their phones or tablets. If you don’t give your constituency the option to support you via mobile, you risk losing out on revenue.
Let’s say someone sees an ad for your organization in-person on a community bulletin board at their local grocery store, or online while they’re standing in line at the bank and browsing the web on their tablet. In both cases, if they don’t have the option to give right there and then on their mobile device, it means they have to go home, open their laptops, search online for your organization, and figure out where and how they can contribute. Let’s face it: they’ll have forgotten all about your ad before they even get home! With mobile giving, they can see your ad and donate right away no matter where they are simply by tapping a few buttons on their smartphone.
It’s also a matter of delivering a memorable donor experience: donating to your cause on a mobile device should be a smooth, intuitive process. Read on for our breakdown of what makes mobile fundraising unique and how to make it work for your nonprofit.
Mobile Giving Vs Online Giving
If your nonprofit has ever set up donation pages or hosted fundraisers on an online fundraising platform, then you’re already familiar with the concept of virtual giving. The difference between online giving and mobile giving is that the latter is dedicated exclusively to donations received through hand-held devices, like smartphones, smartwatches, and tablets. Since a substantial number of your supporters are already relying on mobile devices to learn about your mission on your website, social media pages, and newsletter, it makes sense to empower them to donate without first having to switch over to a desktop or laptop computer. In other words, mobile giving is effortless giving.
Mobile Fundraising Benefits
It broadens your reach
We said it before and we’ll say it again: the use of mobile devices is on the rise. Younger donors are especially keen to interact with your organization through their smartphones and tablets. The more mobile-friendly your strategy, the more followers, engagement, and support your nonprofit will see.
It’s cost-effective and saves time
While there might be small fees associated with rolling out mobile giving, it will quickly pay for itself as you see donations grow. After that, it will be easier to collect funds without expending resources on accepting checks or issuing refunds, which leaves more time to fundraise.
It brings in more cash. The quicker and easier it is for your supporters to contribute to your cause, the more likely they are to do so, which is good news for your bottom line.
It’s accessible
Multiple online donation platforms design their software with accessibility in mind, making their pages easy to use for folks with disabilities. At RallyUp, for example, users with dyslexia can make the text on the site easier to read, which helps attract and retain a wider donor base.
It’s convenient
Most mobile users have their personal and credit card information saved on their devices, making purchases and donations seamless. Donors can contribute without having to fumble with their wallets while typing out their address. And with social media integrations, you can collect funds from your Facebook or Instagram followers while they’re scrolling social media. Easy, peasy!
Mobile Fundraising Types
There are a variety of ways to harness mobile fundraising strategies depending on your funding goals, timeframe, and the other fundraising efforts you’re running. Here are some of the most effective ways to deploy mobile giving in your organization:
Donation Pages
While online donation pages have remarkable benefits for your organization, building a donation page that prioritizes mobile users enables your mission to reach farther than ever before. Mobile donation pages look great even on small screens and make it intuitive to donate even when you’re doing it with one thumb!
Text-To-Give Campaigns
Since everyone is always texting anyway, why not take advantage of that tendency and let donors support you by simply sending a text message? Promote your campaign with text-to-give by following these steps:
- Your nonprofit shares an easy-to-remember number with supporters.
- When prospective donors send a text to that number, they get an automatic reply with a link to donate.
- You can set up your campaign to prompt donors for a recurring donation via text, so all they need to do is hit a few buttons on their phone and presto! They’ve contributed.
This mobile fundraising strategy is especially popular with younger demographics who grew up in a digital landscape and prefer interacting with organizations on their smartphones and tablets. The best part? It streamlines the entire donation process, so your busy staff members and volunteers don’t have to spend a ton of time taking credit card numbers while trying to spell out someone’s 11-letter last name over the phone!
Mobile Giving Apps
There are some donors who are so comfortable in the digital landscape that they prefer to use mobile applications for everything: banking, email, grocery shopping, scheduling appointments, and even regulating the temperature of their homes. These apps are optimized for mobile and often have better functionality than websites. A mobile giving app is exactly what it sounds like: an application downloaded to a mobile device that allows your donors to contribute without having to open their browser. If you have the right team, you can create a mobile giving app for your donors!
Email Mobile Giving
You’re probably sending your supporters regular email updates—and if you’re not, you should be! An email from a nonprofit organization is more likely to be opened than one from almost any other industry, so get on it! Remember: the majority of your supporters will be opening your emails on their mobile devices. Make sure that your email campaigns makes it effortless to access mobile-friendly donation pages.
Hybrid Event Mobile Giving
A great way to incorporate the convenience of mobile devices into your fundraising strategy is to employ hybrid fundraising options. For example, the next time you’re running an in-person fundraising event that involves a raffle or an auction, you can eliminate the need for complicated paper forms and tickets by allowing supporters to buy tickets online and use mobile bidding. If you’re organizing sales or a-thons, donors can register online or order items on your online fundraising platform. For donors who couldn’t attend an in-person event, live streaming brings all the excitement straight to their mobile screens, so they can participate virtually. The more digital options your supporters have, the likelier they are to contribute. So, make it easy on them!
Tips to Make Mobile Giving Work for You
Be Mobile Friendly
Your organization’s website should be easily accessible on mobile devices. To be mobile friendly, your site should have the following features:
- Quick load times. Users won’t wait more than 3 seconds for you site to load, so make sure it’s speedy. That might mean having fewer images and videos, compressing them, or hosting them by a third party.
- Clean layout. Mobile devices have small screens, so keep your pages clutter-free and easy to navigate. That means tons of negative space and simple layouts.
- Snappy sentences. Mobile users are often doing things like riding on subway trains or waiting for the bus when they’re reading your site. That means they’re not reading deeply or carefully, but scanning for relevant information. Keep your content brief and easy to skim.
- Clickable content. Remember that your mobile users are navigating your page with one thumb, so buttons should be prominent and big enough to click. There’s nothing more annoying than trying to maneuver your thumb into a too-narrow space between two buttons and landing on the wrong page. Most users will just take off for a site that’s more friendly to mobile!
- Prominent CTAs. Since mobile users are scanning content quickly, make it clear what you want them to do when they’re on your page. Whether it’s to donate, volunteer, purchase something, or register for an event, have bold Calls to Action (CTAs) that make supporting you a no brainer.
Be Responsive
Have you ever used your smartphone to check out a page, and the images or text didn’t fit on your screen or loaded incorrectly? You were likely a victim of unresponsive design. Some organizations have separate sites for mobile and desktop to get around the problem, but that solution is going the way of the dodo bird.
The majority of modern websites are responsive, which means that their content and images automatically scale to look great on all devices, browsers, and screen sizes. Today’s mobile users expect both efficiency and aesthetics, so if your site looks awkward on their device, they won’t bother with it.
Prioritize Flexibility
The beauty of mobile giving is that when just about everyone has a smartphone or other mobile device, it means that everyone is a potential donor. Here’s how to make mobile giving extra flexible for your supporters:
Create QR Codes
Anytime you generate an ad for your organization¬—whether it’s on a bus stop sign, in a print magazine, or on a simple flyer tacked up in the local coffee shop—add a QR code. Donors can quickly scan it with their phones and land on your customized donation pages, on your website, your social media channels, or wherever you want them to land!
Use NFC Technology
Wearable tech is a growing trend, especially among younger demographics, making contactless interactions easier than ever. For instance, smartwatch wearers are using their watches to check out at the grocery store or to pay for coffee simply by tapping their watch against the payment device. Embedding NFC (Near Field Communication) into your fundraising assets makes it easier to connect with tech-savvy donors who expect a sophisticated donation experience. By adding an NFC sticker to merchandise, for instance, your donors can be transferred to a site, receive a message, or make a payment with a quick flick of the wrist. No card, no phone, no problem!
Suggest Donation Amounts
Calculating donation amounts can be tricky, especially when donors don’t know what donation would be most useful or meaningful. Save time and make calculating contributions easier by offering donors clickable buttons displaying donation tiers, for example: $20, $50, and $100.
Integrate Social Media Links
If your mobile donation pages don’t have links to your social media accounts, you’re losing a lot of potential support. When your donors are checking out your social media pages on their mobile device, it should be a swift and smooth process for them to switch over to your online fundraising platform, website, or donation page by simply clicking a button or a link.
Make the Most of Your Mobile Fundraising Strategy
From text-to-give campaigns to mobile bidding during in-person auctions, there’s a variety of methods to prioritize mobile giving trends at your nonprofit. With RallyUp in your toolbox, your mobile strategy will be more effective than ever before, since our FREE to use online fundraising platform lets you create customizable campaigns, makes hybrid events a breeze, and offers round-the-clock support. Mobile strategies are taking over the tech landscape, so let’s make it work for you and your donors!
