4 Considerations for Creating Engaging Online Fundraisers

Online giving is one of the most popular donation methods, with 64% of donors preferring to give online with a credit or debit card. After all, virtual fundraisers allow them to give at any time, from anywhere, making it a convenient option for your community.

However, online campaigns may feel less engaging and personal than in-person events. Using creative, interactive fundraising ideas is the first step to getting supporters excited about your virtual campaigns, but there are other actions you can take to boost participation further.

Let’s discuss tips for increasing donor engagement during your next online fundraiser.

1. Prioritize donor experiences.

Donors are looking for convenient, secure giving experiences, which you can offer by providing:

• Flexible payment options. Accept credit and debit cards, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and mobile apps like Venmo. Consider less common options like donor-advised funds (DAFs) and cryptocurrency as well. Additionally, plan how you will manage recurring gifts or restricted revenue.

• Streamlined donation forms. Your donation form should only ask strictly necessary questions—like the donor’s contact and payment details—to make giving quick and easy.

• Secure platforms. Using secure technology to accept and manage donations strengthens trust and enhances your reputation.

• Dedicated support. Create a frequently asked questions (FAQ) page for common donation problems, and list contact information for your support team directly on your donation page.

Depending on the type of fundraiser you’re running, you may need to take additional steps to give supporters a great experience. For example, say you plan to create and sell custom t-shirts. You’ll need an online store designed for nonprofits to display the merchandise, manage orders, and accept payments.

2. Give supporters a sense of responsibility.

Regular online campaigns may feel too “hands-off” for donors who prefer to be deeply involved in your mission. Peer-to-peer campaigns, on the other hand, challenge supporters to actively participate in your efforts.

Bonfire’s guide defines this method as “a social fundraising strategy where individuals collect donations from their friends, families, and other peers on behalf of a nonprofit organization.”

Here are a few quick tips that can help make your peer-to-peer campaign a success:

• Give supporters a fundraising crash course. Have one of your more seasoned employees hold a virtual learning session that covers basic fundraising strategies.

• Provide the resources supporters need to be successful, such as your official mission statement, branded graphics they can post online, and social media templates.

• Hold a soft launch for your loyal supporters, like recurring donors and loyal volunteers, allowing them to get the fundraising ball rolling before you open the opportunity to other supporters.

• Stay connected with participants during and after the campaign. Check in to see if they are on track with their goals, offer guidance if they’re falling behind, and send them a special thank-you message when the campaign wraps up.

To take your campaign a step further, consider working with a team of fundraising consultants. They can help you develop effective strategies, offer their fundraising expertise, and assist you in finding the best fundraising tools.

3. Offer rewards or incentives.

Providing desirable incentives helps cut through digital clutter and motivate supporters to participate. For example, you might offer your donors:

• Exclusive branded merchandise 

• Public recognition on your website

• Invitations to special events

• Discount codes for merchandise or event tickets

• Early access to new merchandise, events, or resources

For peer-to-peer fundraisers, encourage participation by gamifying the process. Set milestones or final goals for your participants, and highlight the prizes they’ll receive. For instance, you may offer a branded tote bag and calendar for raising $250, an exclusive merch bundle for raising $500, and a VIP invite to your annual gala for raising $1,000.

4. Analyze donor data and feedback.

The only way to consistently improve your campaigns is to track and analyze the outcomes. Monitor donors’ responses to your fundraiser by considering:

• Fundraising analytics, including total donations, average gift amount, and number of donors.

• Website analytics that illustrate how donors interacted with your website and donation page, such as traffic sources, page views, time spent on page, and conversion rate.

• Social media engagement on posts related to the campaign, including likes, comments, and shares.

• Donor feedback from surveys, comments, direct messages, or live chat tools.

To gain accurate and reliable insights, you must maintain a clean and up-to-date donor database. Integrate your technology so that data flows into one unified platform, and follow best practices like standardizing data fields, removing duplicate entries, and deleting or updating old records.

With just a few small tweaks, your online campaigns can deliver tailored experiences, connect donors with new, like-minded people, and even inspire their support for years to come. Pay attention to which strategies garner the most success, honing them over time to develop engaging campaigns that resonate with your target audience.