If you run a website for a nonprofit organization, it is becoming increasingly important that you optimize your site for a number of reasons. Given that so many users prefer smartphones and tablets over traditional computers, mobile optimization is essential to engaging these users in your site. Additionally, chances are good that, as a nonprofit, your organization relies on your site to encourage donations. To that end, you want to optimize in a way that encourages donations.
Why is Mobile Optimization Important?
It is estimated that in the United States mobile users account for more than 60% of ALL searches on the web. Further, more that 75% of users check their Gmail from a mobile device vs. desktop. (Source: https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-statistics) If your site is not optimized for these devices, there's a chance you'll miss a majority of the market.
How Can You Optimize Your Site for Mobile Users?
There are some simple steps you should take when working towards mobile optimization:
- Understand the habits of your target audience. You should know who your primary audience is and how they are accessing your site—either through social media, by clicking an email link or ad or simply finding your site by an internet search. Using some simple dashboards for Google Analytics can yield this information.
- Clarify your goals for this audience. Once you know who your audience is, determine what action you'd like them to take to support your nonprofit organization. Are you seeking financial donations? Volunteer support in the form of a specific time commitment? You want to be as specific as possible so that you can use mobile optimization to direct visitors to these specific options.
- Choose a method to make your site mobile friendly. There are several options. You may choose to:
- Optimize your entire site by creating a mobile version of the site that is separate from the desktop version.
- Optimize only particular sections of your site, those sections that receive the most mobile traffic. This is a relatively easy way for a small nonprofit to move towards mobile optimization.
- Program a responsive design that allows you to maintain a single site for both mobile and desktop users but that automatically rearranges and resizes for smart devices.
- Finally, you should make your content mobile friendly. It should be written in such a way that encourages the mobile visitor to take action. For example, your homepage should clearly state the mission of the nonprofit, demonstrate why donations are important and provide an easy way for mobile visitors to make these donations.
What Tools Are Available to Easily Support the Optimization of Donations?
- Wordpress: For nonprofits, getting set up on WordPress is an easy way to optimize your nonprofit website. WordPress offers a number of plugins that allow visitors to easily donate, and you'll have access to many plugins that may prove useful. In addition to plugins that encourage donation, you'll find some that allow visitors to connect through social media, sign up for email lists and access an event calendar, all while allowing you to track users. Many common nonprofit tools will integrate with WordPress right out of the box. (Shoot us a quick email and we can send you a list)
- In addition to WordPress, Hubspot is a solution that can support nonprofit organizations in the quest to mobilize your site to increase donations. Hubspot can help you create strategies designed to engage clients in a way that encourages donations or other actions that you wish them to take. With their powerful automation tools, reporting, and integrated CRM, you can easily turn visitors into advocates.
- View a comprehensive list of some easy-to-use website tools for nonprofits from our partner, Tech Impact.
We understand how hard it is for organizations to take on the technical and design roles necessary to get the most from their website and digital presence. Whether you're redesigning your nonprofit's website to optimize it for mobile users, or looking for a simple way to increase donations, you do not have to go it alone. There are a number of services and options that support you in creating or recreating a mobilized site that helps you achieve the goals of your nonprofit.
