Online giving in 2018 grew 1.2% year over year
8.5% of total fundraising dollars raised came from online giving in 2018; an increase from 7.6% in 2017
In 2018, 24% of online transactions were made using a mobile device
Since 2016, online giving has increased 17% in the US
| EVALUATION
Before moving forward it is important to take a step back and look at your numbers and strategies from 2019. This is your starting point. Do you have a clear understanding of what worked … and what didn’t? With a firm foundation in place and a clear outline of your goals for the upcoming year, below is what you can focus on.
| GAME PLAN
EMAIL PERSONALIZATION
Leverage your email communications to reach more donors. Include custom variables within your email; greet your constituents by first name or call out where they gave to last.
A step further: Add a clear call to action within your email to increase your email click-through rates
SOCIAL
It is no secret that social media is a prime way to connect and engage with donors. But are you getting your message across clearly? Create clear, concise and visual posts that hold a purpose. When it comes to your social posts think ‘quality over quantity’.
A step further: Upload donor lists to the backend of social media and use targeted ads and promoted posts to reach your specific audience.
ONLINE PRESENCE
Is your website and giving page easily accessible to the end user? If we are sending the user to the landing page be sure that the navigation is clearly laid out and ensure that everything circles back to ‘making a gift’. How many clicks does it take for a user to get to the giving form? Hint: it should take less than two.
A step further: Keep your giving form clean, concise and easy to navigate. Only ask for what you need versus what you want. You can always follow up with additional surveys. On the giving form, you want your constituents in and out as quick as possible.
| NEXT STEPS
It is not about completely reinventing the wheel. Take what worked for your institution or not-for-profit last fiscal year and toss out what didn’t! Step out of your comfort zone and try new things – you may be surprised at what works! Implementing the above tactics to your 2020 digital fundraising strategy is a great place to start.
Sources: Blackbaud Charitable Giving Report: https://institute.blackbaud.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/2018CharitableGivingReport.pdf