Why mobile-first matters for giving season
The 2024 giving season is fast approaching, and with most donors now browsing the web on their phones, it’s essential that your donation pages are mobile-friendly. Gone are the days when shrinking down a desktop site was enough. Today, your mobile donation experience should be built with smartphone users in mind from the very start.
A mobile-first design means your nonprofit’s site is straightforward, fast, and easy to navigate—no pinching or zooming required. It allows donors to quickly and easily connect with your cause, making it more likely they’ll follow through with their donations. After all, who hasn’t abandoned a donation attempt because the mobile process was too clunky?
Short on time this Giving Season?
If the idea of mobile optimization feels overwhelming, don’t stress! Even though the best giving season prep happens earlier in the year, there are quick wins you can focus on right now to give your mobile donation pages a serious boost.
- Speed-audit your site: Take 30 minutes to navigate your mobile donation pages and see what’s working (or not). Pay attention to load times, text size, and ease of navigation. Fix any glaring issues like slow pages, small buttons, or confusing layouts.
- Simplify your donation form: Remove unnecessary fields and make the “Donate” button easy to tap. A quick and simple form means fewer drop-offs.
- Enable mobile-friendly payments: Offer options like Apple Pay or Google Pay for quick, hassle-free donations. The easier it is to give, the more likely donors are to follow through.
- Optimize for mobile landing pages: Create a focused, fast-loading donation page that’s designed for phones. Keep the message clear and include a can’t-miss call-to-action button.
- Boost email performance: Make sure your emails are mobile-first with single-column layouts and large buttons that are easy to click.
- Track your progress: Set up Google Analytics to monitor key mobile stats like conversion rates, bounce rates, and the average donation amount.
These quick tweaks can make a big difference in how donors experience your site, and you can implement them relatively quickly.
Mobile-first design and development: Make donating easy
Now that you’ve made those quick fixes, it’s time to think about the bigger picture. Mobile-first development is all about designing your site with the mobile experience as the priority. Here’s how to keep the process donor-friendly:
- Fast load times: No one likes waiting for a page to load, especially when they’re trying to donate. Keep it under 3 seconds by optimizing images and cutting out unnecessary redirects.
- Smart forms: Keep your donation form as short as possible. Break it into small steps if needed, and make sure to use the right keyboard for each field—like a number pad for phone numbers and credit cards.
- Thumb-friendly design: Most people navigate with their thumbs, so keep important buttons and links within easy reach.
- Intuitive navigation: Use a simple, uncluttered design with a “hamburger” menu to keep things organized and easy to find.
With mobile-first development, you’re creating a seamless experience that makes it easy for donors to give—even if they’re on the go.
Leverage payment solutions to simplify giving
You’ve optimized your donation form, but don’t stop there. Giving should be as frictionless as possible, and that means offering mobile-friendly payment options. Here are a few ideas to consider:
- Apple Pay and Google Pay: These options allow donors to make donations in just a few taps. No more typing out credit card details.
- Recurring donations: Make it easy for donors to set up monthly or quarterly gifts with just one click.
- Standalone platforms: Solutions like Classy or Stripe offer mobile-responsive pages and one-tap donations for returning donors.
- Salesforce integration: Make sure your payment processing is fully integrated so that donor data flows seamlessly and you can track donations in real time.
By offering a variety of payment options, you’ll make it easier for donors to give in a way that works best for them.
Don’t guess—test
Testing your mobile donation experience is key to making sure everything works as it should. Don’t assume it’s all running smoothly—take the time to test it out yourself, and if possible, bring in a few actual donors to see how they navigate the process. Here’s what to focus on:
- Make a donation: Try making a donation on different mobile devices (iPhones, Androids) to check for any issues. How easy is the process? Are there any stumbling blocks?
- Test load times: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to see how quickly your donation page loads. If it takes more than 3 seconds, figure out where the bottlenecks are.
- Check payment methods: Ensure all your payment options (Apple Pay, Google Pay, credit cards) work seamlessly across devices.
- Use heat maps: Tools like Hotjar or Crazy Egg can show you where people are clicking—or trying to click—on your mobile site. This can help you spot areas of frustration or confusion.
Testing isn’t a one-time activity—keep revisiting it to ensure your mobile experience stays top-notch.
Metrics matter: tracking your mobile success
Once your mobile donation pages are live, you’ll want to keep an eye on how they’re performing. Here are some key metrics to track:
- Mobile conversion rate: This tells you how many people who visit your donation page on a mobile device actually complete the donation.
- Bounce rate: How many people are leaving your site without donating? If your bounce rate is high, it might be time to revisit your mobile design or messaging.
- Average donation amount: Are mobile donors giving more or less than desktop donors? This can help you figure out if your mobile experience is optimized for larger gifts.
- Time on page: Are mobile visitors spending enough time on your donation page to give, or are they leaving too quickly?
- Traffic sources: Where are your mobile donors coming from? Email, social media, search? This information can help you focus your marketing efforts.
Tracking these metrics will help you spot areas for improvement and fine-tune your strategy for maximum impact.
2025 full-year planning: Start early for maximum impact
While these quick fixes can help you improve your mobile donation experience right now, the best time to start planning for the giving season is earlier in the year. Here’s how to structure your mobile-first strategy for 2025:
January to March: Reflect and plan
- Review your 2024 results and mobile metrics.
- Set specific goals for 2025, like increasing mobile donations or lowering bounce rates.
- Conduct surveys or interviews to gather feedback from donors on their mobile experience.
April to June: Build and test
- Update your mobile donation pages based on feedback and trends.
- Add or improve mobile payment options.
- Run user tests on different devices to ensure the best experience.
July to August: Finalize and prepare
- Lock in your designs, forms, and payment systems.
- Do a final round of testing and tweaks.
- Train your team on how to monitor and troubleshoot mobile issues during Giving Season.
September to December: Launch and optimize
- Go live with your updated mobile donation pages by early November.
- Track performance and adjust based on real-time data.
- Push mobile-friendly campaigns through email and social media and encourage recurring donations.
By focusing on mobile-first strategies now and planning ahead for next year, you’ll ensure a smooth, seamless giving experience that boosts donations—this year and beyond.
Do your donation pages need an audit and recommendations? Contact Fíonta to learn more about getting started.