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The mobile Web is often discussed as a future trend that nonprofits have time to prepare for, but the reality is that by the end of 2014, the majority of your supporters and donors will be viewing your website, e-mail communications,  blogs and social-media content on smartphones and tablets. In truth, the mobile Web is already here. Going mobile will not be free and for many small nonprofits a costly upgrade, but to successfully communicate your mission and programs and fundraise online in coming years, it is a necessary investment.

Google is still the biggest search engine on the planet. So paying attention to SEO that matters to Google is critical. But Facebook is the biggest social-media site on the planet. Did you know Bing is the search engine that controls all the "Web search" searches on Facebook? So when people are doing searches on Facebook, if your site isn't optimized for Bing too, you could be missing out on traffic.

E-mail is an important part of our fourth-quarter fundraising strategy, but this old dog sees too much wasted opportunity in her inbox.

Donors are engaging with causes they care about on social media more than ever before. For a wholly consistent supporter experience, be sure to integrate social media into your end-of-year fundraising campaign. Consider using these 10 tactics to get you started.

The Direct Marketing Association presented its 2013 International ECHO Awards at its annual conference, including 11 to nonprofits. The nonprofit winners include, Chill Out E.V., Food for the Poor, World Vision Canada, ASPCA, American Cancer Society, FAD — Anti-Drug Foundation, Operation Smile, Fundación Once & FSC Inserta, Amnesty International, Inspiring Denmark, and The Norwegian Cancer Society.

Want to know the biggest mistake nonprofits make on Facebook? It’s thinking that Facebook is about them, not their community. Or so I’ve gathered from working with hundreds of nonprofits. Whether it’s on Twitter, in the newspaper or on Facebook, your nonprofit’s voice should always come second to the voice of your supporters or the voice of the cause. This is particularly the case with Facebook, where friends come first 100 percent of the time.

If your website doesn’t have as many viewers as you would like, don’t fret. There are a variety of ways to easily drive more traffic to your site without paying for ad space or being too pushy. By becoming more involved in your business, building your social-media presence and following a few other tips, you will soon have hundreds or thousands more views regularly.

How quickly an organization responds to a crisis and how transparent it is in its communications will determine how rapidly it will emerge from the crisis and, in some cases, its long-term survival and reputation.

Crisis communications planning is a long-term, comprehensive process. But here are a few key points to keep in mind: 1. Have a crisis communications plan. 2. Make sure your plan is updated. 3. Practice your plan on a regular basis. 4. Don't let your plan gather dust.

Our research surfaced five actions nonprofits can take to grow their donor pools and maximize their exposures during the holiday season: 1. Get an early start. 2. Use digital to drive discovery. 3. Video turns viewers into donors. 4. Mobile is a must. 5. Build your brand around your mission.

For nonprofit organizations, an effective website is essential for success. With all the nonprofits out there these days, potential donors use nonprofit websites as a screening tool. If your nonprofit organization’s website is missing any of these elements, make a concentrated effort to add them immediately: how each donation makes a difference, the population you help (names and faces), a prominent donate button, a blog or other updated content, icons linking to your social-media pages, and your one-of-a-kind personality.