Expand Your Organization's Reach Using the Mobile Web

[Editor's note: This article is based on Annette Tonti's session, "ASPCA, Department of State and the Securities & Exchange Commission: How to Create an Effective Mobile Web Operation," which she co-presented with Giselle Tsirulnik, senior editor of Mobile Marketer and Mobile Commerce Daily, and Ran Farmer, managing director for North America at Netbiscuits, at the DMA 2010 Nonprofit Mobile Day held in New York City Aug. 26.]

In the last few years, cell phones have become full-fledged computers with high-speed Internet connections. This is great news for nonprofits, as it will change the game for enabling distribution to a whole new, growing audience. There are approximately 4.6 billion mobile handsets in the world — this compared to only about 1 billion desktop computers. As mobile data plans become affordable, people are quickly becoming aware of how easy it is to get to a browser and, therefore, the Internet on their mobile phones.

As the mobile Web expands, strategy options for nonprofits using mobile as a distribution channel have changed too. For any nonprofit, the data is clear: Donors are on mobile. They are looking for your nonprofit on mobile. The good news is the mobile Web offers a solution that meets every tight budget and urgent fundraising need.

App vs. mobile Web
Due to the way mobile has evolved, many believe that the "app" should be the primary focal point for a mobile strategy. Apps, which are downloaded from a “store," reside on a mobile device and are very expensive to build and maintain. An app store is an ineffective marketing option — people have to go through many steps just to reach your organization. Although mobile applications are what organizations may think they need, building an app costs nonprofits an average of $15,000 to $50,000, and that is for only one platform! For most nonprofits, it just doesn’t make sense to go this expensive route for a mobile strategy when a mobile website can cost less than $100 a year to maintain.