It’s what Ritu Sharma, CEO and co-founder of Social Media for Nonprofits, calls a “natural evolution” – more and more, people are using mobile devices for their communication needs. Simply having a digital presence is no longer enough; communications need to be tailored for mobile viewing and interaction. 65% of emails are now viewed first on a mobile platform, so if your content isn’t mobile optimized, you’re losing the chance to make an impact on viewers. Sharma discusses ways to strengthen a mobile presence, like prioritizing what parts of an organization need to be optimized for mobile first. She discusses how using text/SMS messaging is an underutilized tool nonprofits can use to increase participation, as well as places to look for templates and information on mobile-friendly content. But no matter the medium, Sharma emphasizes that the message needs to be about the organization’s impact, not the organization’s needs.
Ritu and Beth discuss:
- Startling statistics on how important the mobile medium has become
- A hierarchy of importance when it comes to making parts of your digital experience mobile-friendly
- The strengths of SMS messaging, a platform not used by many organizations
- Strategies to avoid looking “spammy” when it comes to email and SMS
- Useful tools for designing sites and content for different devices
- Specific ways using mobile messaging can increase participation
Resources:
- Ritu Sharma on Twitter, LinkedIn, and her Huffington Post contributions
- Social Media for Nonprofits: Homepage and Twitter
- Google’s announcement of favorite mobile-friendly sites and tips on how to get mobile-friendly status
- Mobile Communication Templates: Vertical Response, MailChimp, AWeber
- TechSoup
- PEW Research Center
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