Use a pin drop in mobile maps
None of these charity shops have used a pin drop.
When you’re using the Google Maps app, you are a captive audience. You need it to get where you’re going. So if I am St Vincent de Paul and I have a shop near where you’re going, I want you to see my shop for the whole duration of your walk – and perhaps drop in on the way.
And if you think that dear old Granny doesn’t use a smartphone, let alone Google Maps, well think again.
Older donors are on mobile
81% of Australians own a Smartphone and 14.7 percent of Australians are over 65. In the last 3 years this age group’s smartphone ownership has increased by 38%. Despite the stereotypes about older Australians, they do venture to new places, they do use technology and have smartphones and they do use apps like Google maps.
This is what a sponsored pin drop looks like when targeting a competitors map search
I was in Melbourne for work this week and while eating dinner at Movida on Hosier Lane I had a lovely chat with Doug and Fran, two older Australians who were on their way to the Yarra Valley for a romantic 5 days together. We had a nice chat and when I was leaving I pulled out my phone and opened the Uber App to hire a car to take me back to my hotel. Doug looked at my app and said “I think Uber is the best thing since sliced bread!”
We then had a 10 minute conversation about the mis-conception amongst fundraisers that older Australians don’t donate online and definitely not by phone (or app). Fran has had her own business for years and told me that they do donate every year at Christmas to their favourite charity in Geelong and they now do it online.
Mobile facts
In May 2015 Google saw the first month that had more mobile searches than desktop searches.
56% of mobile searches are location based. That means they have a post code, a suburb or address or a “near me” keyword in their search.
Have mobile touch-points in your marketing & fundraising
Mobile Google Maps Pin Drop Listing
If part of your strategy is having more touch-points with your supporters and prospective donors, then you should start dropping some pins in Google Maps because it is the 2nd most popular app in the world, behind facebook!