2010 Nonprofit Text Messaging Benchmarks
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This document summarizes benchmarks for nonprofit organizations using text messaging. It finds that the average list growth rate for mobile numbers is 49.5% annually, while the average churn rate is 30.7%. The average unsubscribe rate for text messages is 0.69%. Fundraising and advocacy text messages had higher response rates than emails, with advocacy texts seeing a 4.7% response rate. The document outlines best practices for different types of outbound text messages and notes that 73-87% of text subscribers could be matched to email lists.
2010 Nonprofit Text Messaging Benchmarks
- 1. 2010 Nonprofit Text Messaging Benchmarks http://mobilebenchmarks.org/
- 2. This study was sponsored by:
- 3. Thank you to participating organizations
- 4. Introductions Overview of the field Review of Findings Q&A
- 5. For orgs in the study: 80% of subscribers = existing supporters recruited from online programs Mobile list growth = 49.5 percent annually Annual churn rate for text lists = 30.7 percent. The benchmark text message unsubscribe rate = 0.69 percent. The response rate for call-in advocacy SMS was 4.7 percent. Six times as high! (0.82 for call-in advocacy emails)
- 6. Outbound Messaging Messaging Types Fundraising messages: Respond to a text with a special donation keyword (such as “PLEDGE” or “GIVE”). Advocacy messages: Sign a petition or call a given decision-maker/advocacy target by either replying to the message with the text “CALL” or calling a special phone number that tracks all calls. Informational messages: Issue, event or other breaking news relevant to an organization, but do not require subscribers to reply to the message. Go-to-Web messages: Visit a given web page. Text Reply messages: Respond to a text message, but are not fundraising or advocacy appeals.
- 7. Between 73 and 87 percent of text subscribers could be matched to a subscriber in the email database. Relatively few subscribers (ranging from 0.8 to 2.7 percent) were opted-in via keyword / shortcode to receive text messages.
- 9. List Churn The annual list churn rate (rate at which mobile numbers “go bad” in a given year) 30.7 percent. If opt-out language is featured in a message, it can make up a sizeable portion of the total text. If text subscribers switch phone numbers or keep phone numbers but switch carriers, they are opted out.
- 10. Fundraising Messaging Donations Donations can be given by texting a special keyword to a donation short code (such as “WOLF” or “HAITI” to 90999). Organizations can send direct, “reply-style” solicitations to subscribers who are opted-in to receive messages from an organization’s donation shortcode. e.g. “DEFENDERS UPDATE: Safari Club Intl, a rich trophy hunting group, is fighting us in court so they can hunt Yellowstone Area wolves. Reply WOLF to give $5 to help” Gifts must be confirmed - but organizations can send one “ask message” per month. “ Reply-style” donations cannot be solicited from a non-fundraising list.
- 12. Fundraising Messaging Fundraising response rates are currently difficult to track Conversion rates for the two-step process ranged from 52 to 79 percent Carriers permit organizations to send one “ask style” message per month, which only requires that the recipient reply “YES” to give
- 13. Fundraising Messaging Text-to-call fundraising messaging: Call a special 800-number or reply “CALL” to be connected with a call center that can take donations. Email subscribers who receive a text solicitation during an email campaign may give at a higher response rate (TEST!)
- 15. Unsubscribes
Editor's Notes
- #2: M+R Powerpoint Template
- #9: Where do Subscribers Come From?
- #15: To calculate response rates, M+R looked at all qualified petition texts to the organization’s inbox within 48 hours of the corresponding advocacy alert’s launch.
- #16: To calculate unsubscribe rates, M+R looked at all opt-outs to an organization’s inbox within 48 hours of each message’s launch.