Why Your Website Technology Is Hindering Your Online Fundraising and Awareness

    i. Tech Soup, based near San Francisco, is a valuable repository of information pertaining to nonprofits’ use of the Internet. This includes information about various website tools, platforms, and vendors.
    ii. Nonprofit Matrix:  NonProfit Matrix as the name implies, is a matrix of tools and vendors to meet nonprofits’ IT needs.

How You Might Be Alienating Half of Your Website Visitors – and Losing Their Donations!

a. When was the last time you used your mobile phone to access a website? It probably was within the last 24 hours. Well, it stands to reason that if you used your phone to access someone else’s website recently that other people are using their phones to access yours.
b. Studies show that more than 25% of website searches and website access is now done via mobile devices.
c. That percentage is growing rapidly.
d. Some nonprofits get more than half of their website traffic from mobile devices.
e. Some of your online visitors ONLY access the web from a mobile device.   They don’t even own a desktop computer.

a. Greater usability. If a visitor is accessing your website using their iPhone, and your website is not mobile optimized, they may have difficulty navigating, donating, and doing the other things that you want them to do.  In other words, having a mobile optimized site can help you to maximize your conversion rate -- that is, the percentage of your website visitors who become converted into donors, event attendees, volunteers or others who do things that you want them to do.
b. Better search engine optimization.  Google has announced that if your site is not mobile optimized it can significantly hurt your search engine standing.
c. Catering to mobile vs. desktop needs.  Mobile users typically have different needs than desktop users. For example, mobile users may be more likely to need your contact information, directions, or to be able to quickly do transactions such as donating or buying event tickets.  Therefore, your mobile site should focus on these focused pieces of information and transactions than replicate your entire desktop site.
d. Boosting traffic.  Studies show that more than 25% of website searches and website access is now done via mobile devices. That number, of course is growing. Your organization should want to get your share of that growing mobile traffic. One way to do that is to have a website that is easily accessible and navigable by mobile users. Also, related to this, you should be tracking your website traffic -- including the percentage of your website traffic that comes via mobile users, and you should be tracking the change in that percentage over time.
e. Reducing bounce rate.  Just because you can pull up your website on your phone doesn’t make it mobile optimized.  Any website will display on any mobile device!  However, if a mobile user of your site must pinch, zoom, scroll, or squint excessively, that may not be the most pleasant experience for them – and they may leave.
f. Better brand perception. Even if you are a small local nonprofit, branding should still be important to you. People will develop their perception of your brand not only based on your off-line marketing and your desktop website but also your mobile site. In fact over 90% of people say that they access the same websites on multiple devices.  Therefore you should make sure that the experience of your mobile website users is just as rewarding as their desktop experience.
g. Avoid Flash.  Since Flash will not work on an iPhone, iPad, or any Apple device, you should avoid any use of Flash in the mobile version of your site.

a. “Responsive design” is sometimes used synonymously with “mobile optimization”.  However, there is a distinction.  A responsive site, sometimes called liquid, will automatically morph as the size of the user’s window changes.  This can even happen on a desktop – as a desktop user decreases or increases the size of their browser window, a responsive site will automatically change to fit the size of the window.  Of course, if a user access your site on a tablet, phone, or other mobile device – which has a smaller screen, the website presented to them will automatically adjust to that smaller screen.  As cool as this sounds, one issue with this approach is that it can be very difficult for a graphic designer to create a design that looks good and confirms to best practices even as it is constantly changing.



 

b. On the other hand, a non-responsive but still mobile optimized design should automatically detect the device used by each of your website visitors, and then automatically redirect them to a version of your site optimized for that device – say an iPhone or iPad version.  This way your designer can develop a design for each type of device that is optimal for that device and fits its screen size.

a. Some mobile optimization is done manually.  This could result in the mobile optimization being more expensive, time-consuming, and risky. With manual coding, even one bug in the programming could result in the mobile optimization not working properly. The better way to do it is to mobile optimize your site in an automated fashion. This will entail less time, cost, and risk, in part because it will should properly the first time without any testing. Also by having your site automatically mobile optimized, you’ll be able to make any changes you want to your website without having to go back and read mobile optimize your site. If you make a change to your desktop website it should be instantly reflected in the mobile version of your site.

1. Don’t mobile optimize your site manually.
2. Don’t avoid mobile optimizing your site altogether.
3. Don’t assume that few of your website visitors are using mobile devices.

1. Use an automated approach to mobile optimize your website.