By Heather Thornton, Project Manager
A recent Chronicle of Philanthropy article about online fundraising trends caught my eye, as I am working with a client in a campaign whose online presence is of particular importance and for whom social media has played a role in spreading the word about their endeavor.
This article* outlines several emerging trends to watch for and to take into account as you consider your online presence within your nonprofit, including:
The growing popularity of mobile payments
- Apple Pay and Google Wallet, among others, are developing apps that allow one to make online payments, making donating quick and easy for your supporters.
Google’s new emphasis on mobile friendliness
- Google added “mobile friendliness” to the criteria for determining which websites rank higher and show up first in search results. If your organization is not easily readable on mobile devices, this may make it harder for potential donors or volunteers to locate your website.
Getting your supporters to raise money
- Experts suggest not only having a “Donate Now” option on your website, but also having a button that would allow individual supporters to spread the word about your organization by setting up their own fundraising page or sharing about which nonprofits they support through social media.
So what does this mean for your organization? If you do not already have a strong web presence, it may be a good time to consider bolstering that. You could think about adding an online payment option app to your site, making sure your website is “mobile friendly,” or implementing methods to allow your donors to spread the word about your organization.
*(Please note that you must be a subscriber to see the full article.)