The State of Online Giving

{Infographic} The State of Online Giving

Quick! Name your top three all time favorite parts of the holiday season. How close is your list to mine?

1. Giving an annual gift to a cause you’re passionate about
2. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
3. Grandma’s Rum Cookies topped off with some warm cinnamon Schnapps icing. And more rum.

online giving

Ahem…. Let’s tackle number one on the list. If your organization has accepted online donations in the past, you may have noticed an increase in online giving compared to the year before. If so, you weren’t the only one! Search Mojo compiled data from numerous surveys and found online revenue increased 11.6% in 2012. Let’s look at the different ways your organization can drive more online donations this holiday season.

Get Prepped

To begin your online holiday fundraising campaign, be sure your website is optimized for mobile devices. According to a study from The Pew Research Center, 63% of adult cell owners use their phones to surf the web. That’s not even accounting for the number of folks using tablets, notebooks, or other small robotic devices to Google it up on a daily (hourly) basis.

Next on your list should be making sure your cause & overall mission end up smack dab in front of your target audience. Below are a few ways to make it so.

Google Grants

Receive grants up to $10,000 in Adwords text advertising by applying for Google for Nonprofits. Eligibility for Google for Nonprofits varies based on your IRS status and location. If approved, you’ll receive a plethora of awesomeness: Google Apps for Nonprofits, Google Ad Grants, YouTube for Nonprofits, and Google Earth Outreach.

YouTube

If you’re currently a member of Google for Nonprofits, you’re already signed up for YouTube for Nonprofits (seriously, go sign up if you haven’t). Once you sign up for YouTube for Nonprofits, you can create your own channel complete with a donate button and add call-to-action overlays to your videos. Go see for yourself!

Facebook Ads

Facebook allows you to target ads based on location, demographics, likes, and keywords, among other factors. Create a specified landing page you can link your ads to with a highly visible donation button set at the top of your page. Post regularly letting donors know how much closer you are to reaching your fundraising goals. Keeping your audience motivated is key to holiday fundraising success!

These are just the basics of launching a successful online holiday fundraising campaign. Good luck, happy holidays, and play ball! Do you think online giving will go up this holiday season? Tell us what you think in the comments section below!

Nonprofits are able to launch campaigns using  Google for Nonprofits Google Grants.

Many Thanks to: Search Mojo