Finding ways to influence and encourage new potential donors to donate is a vital part of a charity’s fundraising strategy. Marketing tactics have developed over recent years and mobile marketing increasingly, but why is a mobile first approach the way forward for your charity? 

We’ve looked into why charities should be adopting a more mobile first mindset,  to ensure you keep supporters engaged and re-donating. 

The primary device for consumers

In today’s society, it is easy to consume content and connect with people wherever you are, at home or work, and even on public transport. Our mobile phones provide us with unlimited internet access, messaging services, email access, apps and social media platforms, allowing us to connect and discover new content within just a few clicks. 

But do you need to target mobile users? According to research, 67% of the global population use or have access to a mobile phone, that creates a total of 5.2 billion users. So, can you afford to ignore 5.2 billion potential donors?

With so many opportunities to connect through mobile, charities need to adopt mobile marketing tactics to encourage supporters and reach new audiences. Those audiences are likely to act on your marketing, follow your mission and donate to your cause. 

Mobile makes donating simple

Giving to charity isn’t always at the forefront of people’s minds, and people are busy, so charities need to make donating as easy as possible.

Street fundraising relies on people having cash and change, which has dropped a significant amount over the past few years. A CAF survey shows that in April 2020, cash donations have rapidly declined, while web and debit card giving has rapidly increased.

The latest technologies, such as Apple and Google Pay, make payments from our mobiles quick and simple, appealing to a much wider time-limited audience. Utilising marketing tactics such as automated emails, that offer instant donate buttons, encourages people to re-donate, creating a steady flow of donations to your cause. 

Reach a younger demographic 

To reach and engage with younger benefactors it is vital to use mobile marketing tactics, by ignoring it you are missing a broad demographic who are likely to see your campaigns, act on them and support your cause. 

Millennials are the most socially engaged group; they like to share their own stories and content they admire or support, making them essential for your campaign to get maximum social exposure. Younger audiences thrive on feeling connected and being rewarded; your cause needs to acknowledge this and create a marketing approach to suit a range of demographics.  

The value of social media 

With a variety of different free platforms available for non-profits, reaching new audiences using social media advertising has never been more feasible.  

This year we have seen charity campaigns go viral on social media, helping to raise awareness and increase engagement. As a result of people sharing their good deeds on social media and influencing their friends and family also to donate, raising millions of pounds for the NHS.

Websites like GoFundMe and JustGiving have made it frictionless for potential donors to connect with charities and contribute after seeing sponsored walks, runs and other activities shared on multiple social platforms.   

We have seen the effect of feel-good emotions people feel after donating to charitable causes. Social media intensifies this feeling by allowing supporters to follow your charity’s story and see the benefit of their donation in action, leading to repeat contributions and interest in additional ways to help. 

Because of social media, it has never been easier and more accessible to understand how donors prefer to donate and support your cause. Social media platforms provide the ability to monitor social campaigns and new strategies, through engagement, conversion and reach. 

In summary, to reach and engage with a broad and diverse donor group, it is key to adopt a marketing strategy to match. Embracing mobile is a vital step all charities need to take, to reach people faster than ever before and share the success of your cause instantly.