Generations And Internet Use
Always "must read" for me are the reports from the Pew Internet Project on internet habits by generation.
Here’s the latest, from which I’ve extracted a few factoids.
Internet use by older generations:
- Age 55-59 – 71%
- Age 60-64 – 62%
- Age 65-69 – 56%
- Age 70-75 – 45%
- Over 75 – 27%
I focus on the old folks ’cause this is where the donors are.
A good indicator of how many in this universe might be online donor prospects is the percentage who have purchased something online.
Of internet users, these percentages have shopped online:
- Gen Xers lead the way at 80%
- Older Boomers (age 55-63) – 72%
- Younger Boomers (age 45-54) – 68%
- Age 64-72 comes in at 56%
- Age 73+ is 47%
Pew observes that through age 32 online users are focused on entertainment and communications (especially via IM and social nets). Beyond that age, online interest shifts to research and email communication.
Worth a read.
Tom
P.S. Pew’s research on online habits is pretty good. But so is our DonorTrends research that focuses on donors and their online giving habits. Check out our online giving white papers, available only to Premium service subscribers.
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
Read Full Answer
I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
Read Full Answer
Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
Read Full Answer
Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
Read Full Answer
There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
Read Full Answer
I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
Read Full Answer