Macmillan achieves 200% increase in online event sign-ups in one year
Howard Lake | 15 January 2004 | News
Macmillan Cancer Relief has reported a 200% increase in sponsored event sign-ups online and online income since the revamp of its Web site in January 2003.
Website Manager Samantha Fanning believes that the development of microsites for Macmillan challenge events has proved to be particularly successful, with a 25% conversion rate from online enquiries. For example, 151 participants registered online for the Great North Run in 2003, compared to just 10 in 2002. More than £250,000 has been raised as a result of Web site event sign-ups in 2003.
The Macmillan online catalogue, which sells a variety of gifts and greetings cards, enjoyed a 47% increase on orders for the Christmas 2003 period compared with the same period in 2002. Over £70,000 was raised in total last year from merchandise sold online, an increase of 30% from 2002.
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Macmillan confirms that its Web site is generating new donors, and is not simply offering an alternative method of giving to existing supporters. The charity says that 80% of online donations in 2003 came from new supporters.
In December 2003 the site took top prize in the Design for Good category at the annual
Design Business Awards. Based on measurable performance of a design, the award acknowledged the achievements of the site, including an increase of online donations of 35% at that point.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.