Glossary

Ease of Use is a UX-discipline that refers to how simple and intuitive a product or service is for users to interact with. In the context of digital tools and software, e.g. for charity users, ease of use is critical because it directly impacts user satisfaction, adoption rates, and overall effectiveness. A system with good ease of use allows users to complete tasks efficiently, without unnecessary complexity, thereby minimizing frustration or the need for extensive training. For online fundraising tools, ease of use not only improves conversion rates but also plays a key role in building trust. A well-designed donation form should intuitively guide users through the donation process, ensuring transparency by e.g. clearly displaying fees and notifying users that a donation confirmation will be provided. This transparency and smooth experience help assure donors of your charity’s trustworthiness, encouraging repeat donations.

eBill Donations is a Swiss donation method that allows donors to give directly through their online banking. They receive a digital donation invoice (eBill) that can be paid securely and conveniently with just a few clicks – without the need for additional payment forms. For nonprofit organizations, eBill is a alternative to traditional direct debit methods (LSV) and is particularly well suited for recurring donations.

Integrating eBill into fundraising platforms like Soulclick enables a highly user-friendly and trustworthy donation process.

Ecommerce encompasses the online buying and selling of goods, services, and donations through websites and online platforms. For charities, it includes processing online donations through donation forms and establishing donation platforms and shops. Soulclick is the first full-scale ecommerce platform that assists charities in setting up donation shops and websites on a single content management system.

Elasticsearch is a powerful search and analytics engine based on Apache Lucene, enabling the fast processing of large amounts of data. Typical applications include full-text search, log analysis, and data analytics. Soulclick’s on-page search leverages Elasticsearch to deliver relevant results from the donation shop or content hub in real time, ensuring donors quickly find the content they need.

Email Marketing is a crucial instrument in digital fundraising, especially when significant online donation volumes have already been generated with a large subscriber base in place. Email marketing enables charities to target donors with personalized communication, while keeping them informed about campaigns, projects, or current fundraising efforts. Marketing automation is a discipline within Email Marketing, where donor journeys are pre-defined and automated. Once a specific trigger is reached (e.g., filling out a form), messages are automatically sent to donors. For effective e-mail marketing, a strong data foundation, including clear segmentation of target groups, is essential. For organizations with larger audiences (~15k+), A/B testing is a great way of systematically optimizing open and click-through rates.

Employee Matching Gift programs are typically part of a company's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts. In an Employee Matching Gift program, the company matches or supplements its employees' donations to charities or nonprofit projects. From a company perspective, this strengthens employee engagement while also emphasizing social responsibility. From the perspective of nonprofits, Employee matching gift programs are a sub-discipline of community fundraising and an important tool in both offline and online fundraising.

Engagement Rate refers to a metric that measures the level of interaction a piece of content (e.g. an online ad or a social media post) generates from its audience. Engagement typically includes actions such as likes, comments, shares, or clicks. The engagement rate represents the total number of engagements in relation to the number of followers or impressions a marketing action generates. In digital fundraising, the engagement rate is a key metric, as higher engagement rates often indicate stronger audience interest and involvement, which can lead to higher conversion rates and growth in online donations.

An ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software helps organizations with comprehensive resource planning (HR, projects, finances, etc.). ERP solutions typically cover core processes ranging from production and procurement to financial management. ERP software is also utilized in nonprofit organizations, for example, to manage project and program work or handle financial operations.