Making the most of mobile forms

September 2, 2014

Nonprofits expand enormous expense and energy collecting contributions. Without the help of concerned individuals and organizations in the local and global communities, charitable groups would be hard-pressed to continue their missions and maintain and develop the programs and projects that provide needed assistance to the populations they serve. Considering the importance of continually collecting donations and making the process as easy as possible for contributors, it's vital that nonprofits have a set of best practices in place for their online donation forms.

Here are a few important components that can help form such a list:

Make the forms responsive to mobile devices: Mobile Web browsers are becoming more sophisticated as time goes by, but they still aren't quite as functional as the programs used on traditional computers. The physical limitations of mobile devices are also apparent in terms of smaller screen size and lacking a physical keyboard. Nonprofits that encourage online donations but don't have mobile website functionality are missing out on potential contributions, as Nonprofit Bridge pointed out. A relatively simple consultation with a nonprofit's webmaster can lead to a significant boost for contributions without a major outlay in terms of costs.
Don't ask for too much information: No one likes filling out dozens of fields on an online form. The enthusiasm generated by a successful outreach program can be squashed by a long, tedious period spent filling out a donation form. The Nonprofit Times pointed out that a streamlined approach is far better than a cluttered, tedious one that can cause potential contributors to drop out of the process. Keeping the requested information to a minimum is key, as additional data can be gathered in follow-up messages and other means.
Test internally: Creating what seems like a more effective form can seem easy, especially with a few pieces of relevant advice to guide such efforts. The perception and the reality can differ, however, especially when there isn't any testing done on the part of a nonprofit. Having staff members, volunteers and frequent donors test out a new donation template on mobile devices and traditional computers can reveal important feedback that helps to further optimize these forms. This simple, quick piece of testing will pay off in terms of keeping potential contributors engaged.

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Making the most of mobile forms