More on Mobile

Right now, almost every nonprofit equates mobile giving with text-to-give. Some want to equate it with mobile apps. But Apple, the great mobile sheriff, doesn't allow donations to flow through any of its approved apps. That hurts, but the mobile world is already quickly moving beyond apps and into mobile browser content. There are, according to Taptu's The State of the Mobile Touch Web Report, released in January 2010, nearly twice as many mobile-optimized Web sites as apps. And they — and I — expect that margin to continue to grow.

The future is not just about sending your online page to a mobile-ready CSS version. It is about utilizing usability and functionality best practices (for fundraising, communication, advocacy and more) and adding outstanding creative that allows nonprofits to tell their story and reflect their brand well. It is about strategically prioritizing what you want to communicate to the rapidly increasing number of people accessing Web sites from their phones. It's also important to be accessible from multiple mobile devices, not just the iPhone.

The power of the mobile browser is remarkable. We can accept credit card donations of any amount — safely and securely — from almost any smartphone in America. That's a huge audience — and an affluent one. The only hurdles are awareness and education.

Take a quick look at urcause.org on your desktop or laptop computer. Then go to the same address on your iPhone or any current-generation smartphone with a browser. You will see the difference immediately. The mobile version makes information easy to read, easy to access, easy to respond to. That means easy to give.

TA: The biggest hurdles remain awareness and experience — both on the part of donors and nonprofits. As donors and nonprofits become more accustomed to mobile fundraising, they will create more successes, inspiring even more success and innovation in campaigns. And as people adopt ever more capable technologies such as smartphones, the methods for mobile fundraising will become more powerful and flexible.