Online Donations Insight Use modern technologies to secure your fundraising future www.ezidebit.com.au
Fundraising Managers Online giving grew by a massive 14% in Jan-Jun 2013 versus 1.5% growth in overall giving. Yet online giving represents just 10% of overall giving. The opportunity for charities to grow their donations lies squarely in the online giving space. Charities have realised they have to jump on the digital wave and make the most of modern technologies to secure their fundraising success in the future. With mobile and tablet use on the rise, charities need to appeal to these new tech savvy donors. This means competing on modern donor s terms and taking online fundraising seriously.
Your top 5 digital strategies are: Peak the peaks According to Google, more than 50% of all web searches for charities happen in September, October and November. Use this to your advantage and create a digital campaign during these months. Freshen up your web content Over 75% of all donors use online resources to look for information about a charity. Give your donors what they want, and let them find you online and donate online. Furthermore, online content was found to have 20% more impact on donations than traditional content such as direct mail. Stay top of mind Create a monthly enewsletter for your donors and create / actively manage a Facebook page. The more you stay top of mind with your current and potential donors the more you stand to receive in donations. Accept online payments Use a branded webpage to increase your average donation amount. Research shows donors give more when the payment is made on a charity s own website. Use technology for repeat donations Leading not-for-profits encourage repeat donations in line with a donor s own income cycle. You can do this too without increasing your costs.
Online giving As online giving grows, successful charities are taking control of their digital donation strategy by allowing donations on their own website. Branded webpage vs portal Your charity needs to have a branded webpage dedicated to taking donations. Online donation amounts through a branded page are 55% greater than donations received through a portal page. Donations via portals, that is those services that exist to provide a dedicated online portal for charitable donations, represent just 8% of overall donations, whereas branded webpage donations account for 58% of online giving. Branded webpage vs events The average gift size made through a branded webpage is $118, compared to peer-to-peer fundraising events which raise an average of $72 per donation at a much higher cost. You can increase your average donation size by 63% just by having a specific online donations webpage. When you venture into online payments, you need to use a reputable, PCI compliant payments company to ensure your donor s details are kept in bank-vault security. Source: http://www1.networkforgood.org/digitalgivingindex
How to use technology to increase donations Having mobile friendly websites, blogs and a social media presence will ensure your charity s good work is at everyone s fingertips. Internet browsing is the most common smartphone function (28% of all web traffic is on a mobile*) and technology savvy donors are an audience in waiting. You can tap into an individual s everyday lifestyle, enabling increasingly seamless opportunities for generosity. People want to donate money, so make it easy for them. Catch their attention when they are in the moment, browsing the internet, within a second they can be on your website with a donate now option in front of them. By embracing technology, you can increase your range of donation options to appeal to more donors, more often. Donors can make donations anywhere. Charities can use web and mobile technologies to make giving more convenient, more social and more compelling. Harness the power of convenience. Donors will also appreciate the instant response and instant gratification of being able to donate on the go. *Source: http://bgr.com/2013/11/08/ mobile-devices-internet-traffic-q3-2013/
Add some variety to your technology mix You can increase your donations by using video and email to engage with your donors. You could create content and options that donors can access in social media or on the web. This can be videos about your charity s good work, or emails keeping people up to date with fundraising goals, or a blog where donors can post comments and participate. Remember, staying top of mind helps increase your chance of donations. This will help you build and maintain a relationship with your donors and get them involved with your charity. It will also build good-will and get people talking about what you do. This word of mouth will lead new donors to your site, keen to donate and make a difference as well. The key to regular donations If you don t take care of your donors, someone else will. Retaining donors is one of the most important goals your charity can have. Not only is it highly profitable it also helps you to develop and grow at lightning speed. Charities that take the time to actively listen to donor feedback; gathering, managing and analysing the information, are thriving when it comes to attracting, retaining and competing for donations.
Understanding your donors Think about your current donors, what stereotype do they fit? Every charitable organisation has a different donor profile. Getting multiple donations from your donors relies on you communicating with them at regular intervals. Our research shows those most open to direct debit are 18-40 year olds who have grown up with technology, value the convenience of the process, are time poor and do not feel they have relinquished control of payments. They tend to not go looking for direct debit but are more likely to use it over other methods when it is on offer. Don t get left behind Ezidebit has helped thousands of Australian businesses including charities grow their organisation by producing successful online payment services. As experts in the payments industry, let our team guide you through how to set up a simple payment plan and offer it to your donors. Get a trial account setup today by talking with an Ezidebit payments expert. Call us on 1300 763 256. Take the charity quiz to see how your online donations compare
Take this short 5 question quiz and find out... How does your Online Fundraising compare? If you cannot access the QR code please visit www.ezidebit.com.au/nfp Can t scan the code? Go to www.ezidebit.com.au/nfp www.ezidebit.com.au