Why Nonprofits Cannot Ignore Engaging Millennials Online Share: Date Published 11 November 2016 Categories Blog Reading Time 2-Minute Read According to the 2016 Global NGO Online Technology Report, 72% of Millennials prefer to donate online and online donations increased by 9.2% last year. If you are wondering who Millennials are, those are people born between 1980 and 2000. The generation known for selfies and narcissism is also the most active when it comes to online donations. 4 Essential Rules of Engaging Millennials Online 1. Offer them an experience Millennials care about issues, not organizations. One in four Millennials is more willing to pay for an experience rather than a product and this fact is not limited just to the consumer market. Don’t forget that this is the “ice bucket” generation that doesn’t want just to click the donate button. They want to be engaged, to feel, to participate and to share. They are inspired by cause-based activities. A good example is the St. Baldrick’s Foundation’s event for raising money for childhood cancer research with combining donations and head-shavings. 2. Millennials need to see the impact of their contribution Value and impact are important for Millennials. They want to see the results of their engagement. Provide them with information about where and who will be using charitable funds and expected improvement. Show them life stories, photos, videos and as many facts as possible. Millennials want to know if their donations really make a difference. 3. Your website has to be mobile-friendly Millennials grew up using smartphones. Nowadays, mobile phones are more widely used than PCs or Laptops. Nonprofit websites need to be perfectly responsive. Do you know that 8 out of 10 crowdfunding donations are made via mobile? Be sure that yours donate button is visible enough and stands out on the mobile version of your website. Rich media content, photos and videos, should also be highly accessible. 8 out of 10 crowdfunding donations are made via mobile 4. Millennials want to share their stories 46% of Millennials are reported to have 200+ Facebook friends and they are more likely than any other group to share a fundraiser’s story. As we already said, Millennials are in a pursuit of the cause but moreover to make a memory and get society’s affirmation. Let them share their experience and invite friends to join.