Tanya Urschel, Nonprofit Engagement, PayPal
Last year we published a white paper in collaboration with Network for Good titled “Why Mobile Matters: A Guide to the Mobile Web,” where we talked about the importance of mobile fundraising for nonprofit organizations. Fast-forward one year and mobile device use is still continuing its explosive growth – and has come to have an even greater impact on the ways we communicate, work and give. As smartphone and tablet adoption continues to climb, these “smart” devices are becoming even more integral to our daily lives, making it more important than ever for nonprofits to adopt a “mobile-first” strategy.
Consider the following facts from Gartner: In 2013, more than 967 million smartphones were sold worldwide, surpassing sales of traditional feature phones. Additionally, eMarketer research also tells us that in the United States, it’s expected that 163 million people – 51% of the population – will use a smartphone by end of 2014, and that the number will reach 220 million by 2018.
The numbers don’t lie: we are becoming a mobile, always connected society. That means that people who are used to mobile communication, shopping and banking expect to have a similar easy-to-use experience with all the brands and organizations they encounter online. In fact, 61% of online adults surveyed said that they have more favorable opinions of brands that offer good mobile experiences. This means that mobile users expect the sites they visit to be friendly and easy to navigate, from whatever device they use – and if that’s not the case, frustration easily leads to site abandonment.
Luckily, for nonprofits looking to be where their donors are (and help them have the best experience), there’s plenty of research on how to reduce frustration with the checkout experience and increase conversion, giving donors the seamless donation experience they are looking for. In fact, we’ve partnered with Network for Good on a new white paper, “Your Mission is Mobile,” that includes a number of specific suggestions for optimizing mobile checkout processes for maximum donations.
Did you know that Network for Good and PayPal powered close to $20 billion in nonprofit payments in the last four years? That’s a pretty big number and shows that the opportunities for nonprofits in all areas of mobile giving are boundless. Knowing how to take advantage of mobile will only help nonprofits increase donations and donor engagement.