Nonprofits Using Mobile Sign-up Ads to Benefit and Mobilize Local Communities

Press release (Oct. 23, 2012) — Pontiflex Inc., the mobile sign-up ad platform, announced that nonprofits and organizations with a social focus account for more than 10 percent of campaigns on the AdLeads mobile sign-up advertising platform. Organizations benefiting from AdLeads, such as DoGoodBuyUs, nycTIES, Missing Autism and ChangeForGreen.com, are involved in a variety of initiatives — from connecting eco-friendly charities with donors to helping build an organic rooftop garden that will be used to create opportunities for people with barriers to move toward economic independence in New York City.

To assist nonprofits and organizations that support social causes, Pontiflex also announced a sign-up ad creative contest. Three organizations with the most compelling sign-up ad creative will be awarded free campaigns that will allow them to increase their e-mail databases by 1,000 sign-ups. Nonprofit organizations can enter the contest until Nov. 15 at: http://www.adleads.com/nonprofit.

Through AdLeads, advertisers can run mobile sign-up ads targeted to specific neighborhoods, cities, states or countries. Sign-up ads allow people to opt in to hear from organizations they like with their e-mail addresses. Organizations only pay when a person actually signs up to hear from them, and never pay for wasted clicks or impressions. The guaranteed return on investment is especially important for nonprofit organizations focused on making sure money raised from donors is channeled toward actual program work instead of fundraising.

One organization benefiting from sign-up ads is New York-based DoGoodBuyUs, the largest marketplace of charity-made products. More than 50 percent of each sale goes toward fighting poverty, hunger, disease, environmental degradation and other life-threatening ills around the globe. Through its website and weekly newsletter, DoGoodBuyUs is focused on building a community of socially conscious mobile consumers they can engage with via e-mail and social media.

Today, more than 75 percent of DoGoodBuyUs' e-mail database is comprised of people who have signed up to hear from them via the AdLeads platform via their mobile devices. Since the organization began its AdLeads campaign, more than 20 percent of the company's subscriber base visits the site more than twice a week. In addition, the average sale per newsletter has gone up by 33 percent since the start of the campaign.

"With search engine advertising, you end up paying a lot for clicks that amount to nothing," said Zach Rosenberg, CEO, DoGoodBuyUs. "As a result, managing and optimizing campaigns can be an exhaustive process. With AdLeads, you only pay when someone signs up. Getting tangible returns for every dollar you spend on advertising is a big thing for a small business."

By way of another example, nycTIES is a nonprofit organization based in New York City. The organization partners young professionals in New York City with local charities for the goal of building strong ties within the New York community.

nycTIES ran a mobile sign-up ad campaign targeted toward these young professionals, asking them to sign up for the nycTIES newsletter. The weekly newsletter outlines volunteer opportunities in the New York area and spotlights local volunteers who have made an impact by donating their skills. It also promotes upcoming events, including its annual gala in November. Proceeds from this event will go toward building a rooftop garden for the training of New York culinary chefs of Fedcap. Fedcap creates opportunities for people with barriers to move toward economic independence as valued and contributing members of society.

"With Pontiflex AdLeads, we are able to target ads locally," said Elise King, president, nycTIES. "Engaging local community members is critical to the success of our organization. Our newsletter open rates are at historic highs since we started the campaign."

Missing Autism is another nonprofit organization using AdLeads. Missing Autism helps locate autistic children separated from their primary care providers. Persons with autism may have communication problems and difficulties cognitively expressing themselves. If children with severe autism wander off, they may not be able to tell their names, addresses or other helpful information.

Through its AdLeads campaign, the organization asks people to sign up via their mobile devices for AMBER Alerts that inform them of missing autistic children in their area.

"There are so many organizations around the world mobilizing local communities to make a real change for the better," said Zephrin Lasker, CEO and co-founder, Pontiflex. "We're happy to give them an easy to use self-serve mobile ad tool that helps them reach and engage community members effectively."