online fundraising: overwhelming stats

If you had any doubts that the whole Internet thing is completely out of control, allow me to blow your mind. Pingdom.com recently released some stats that still have my head spinning. I mean, you know there’s lots of “web-stuff” out there, but consider:

There were 90 trillion emails sent in 2009.
247 billion per day! (Makes me feel better about my inbox).

81% of those emails were spam — see you’re not the only one getting those pharmacutical offers.

There are 243 million websites online as of December 2009.
47 million were new in 2009.

There were 27 million tweets per day in 2009.

There were 350 million people on Facebook in 2009.

YouTube serves 1 billion videos per day.

82% of Internet users view video online.

Fun numbers, huh?
What’s it mean?

Draw your own conclusions, but for me I think you should consider:

1. It’s crowded out there. Obvious, I know, but most of the time it can be hard to think this way. Just posting a website is not enough. The competition is too stiff and the clutter is too crazy. You have to think integration and give people reasons to come to your site. Everything you do should connect online somehow. And you have to give people a reason to show up at your site — a google ranking is not going to do it.
2. You can’t ignore Social Media. Maybe you’re not that into Twitter or Facebook, I get that. The problem is most of the world is into Social Media. And the target demographics that you need to pay attention to are growing. You don’t have to spend your life playing Mafia Wars or Tweeting what you’re having for breakfast. But you do have to live in this reality.
3. Mass email is tricky. To you that carefully crafted email “blast” to your donors that has all the pretty pictures and cool icons, may look like just another offer from an overly zealous e-marketer. If you want your email to get read, you need to remember you’re one of 247 billion going out that day. Hmmmm….I think you should really think through those subject lines and if you really know that person. You better make that mass email look very personal.
4. Video is a winner. I know, I know, we struggle with video, too. We recommend it, but there’s always some reason why we can’t manage it or it is going to take too long. I have to tell you though it is worth it. And we’re going to do more; you should, too.

You can read more of the Pingdom stats here.

So what did you think? Were you surprised at some of these statistics? What do they mean to you? Let me hear what you’re thinking.

Oops, nearly missed that this is Good Job Monday. Here’s a shout out to our buddy Tim Soerens who’s the Pastor of an unusual, interesting and a wonderfully, new-fangled church. The name (Dust) and their website aren’t what you’re expecting from a church. Good job, Tim. We love to watch your work.

Steve Thomas
Partner, Oneicity


(photo credit: altemark)