Revenue was visible for the organization's other digital products, but not for its two mobile apps. Engagement and reach numbers lived in separate tools that didn't agree with each other.
Without one trusted view, we couldn't tell what people responded to, or what motivated them to give.
First, I tagged links with UTM parameters that tied revenue to a solicitation code, so every dollar could be traced to its source.
Next, I added a banner inviting everyday giving outside of campaigns. That made donating easier, and more visible, inside the app.
Then I began monthly and quarterly reports showing how much was coming in and which content moved the needle.
The banners worked immediately and generously. People wanted to support the content but had no clear place to do that.
The strongest banners were mission-centered and specific: a clear goal, how much was left, and what a gift accomplishes.
Once giving in the app was visible, strategy moved from creating content for social media toward the organization's own platform, the app. For the first time, content was tied directly to a business KPI: revenue.
The next step is extending the revenue attribution model to all of the apps' content, not just new content. Leadership will see the full revenue contribution of the app, and which content moves the needle most. That will shape what gets created.