When planning your mobile site, it is of utmost importance to consider what functions your mobile users need and what functions you want them to have access to (like Donate).
In my previous post I mention a few sites that have done a good job with their mobile version. They have identified their target market and have functionality supporting their needs and habits. Christian Charities is another example of a great mobile version (personally I like it better than their full version): http://ccusa.mobi/. They have a prominant Donate function, clear navigation elements and a constantly updated Twitter feed.
What is interesting too is to understand their hierarchy of navigation. For example, when you first load this mobile site, what do you see first? I see see the icons flowing down the left and then the Donate Now button. Next I noticed the across the top navigation, which is secondary to their main elements like Donate, About Us and Act Now. It is clear they are inviting viewers to take action! Get involved and find out who Christian Charities is. Also note their Donate function delivers users to a PayPal site. Not the most sophisticated but very well done. Prominantly across the bottom they display their Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, RSS, and YouTube social sharing links. A must have for your site too.
Resources
There are many resources online for you to search and investigate. One resource we lean into is Heather Mansfield's blog: Social media for Nonprofits. Here, she does a great job exploring the current trends in mobile for Nonprofits and has many seminars and resources. Instead of repeating what she has on her site, I suggest you simply visit her site and take 10 minutes or so exploring the many resources and information she provides. Definitely take a look at her post: 5 Must-have Characteristics of Nonprofit Mobile Websites.
For those who are a bit more used to reading requirements and documentation World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has a great "Best Practices" site for mobile site development.
Ready to take the leap? (If not now, then when?) Contact Fuse IQ if you have any questions on how we can help you take this necessary next step.
ADDITION: Here is a great article on Mobile Marketing practices from PointIt, search enginge optimization company: http://bit.ly/iNrXN6
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