Case Study: Leveraging Lightbox Pop-Ups to Drive Revenue Growth

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Notable Growth

in revenue

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Higher Average

in Gift Amounts

Objective:

At Brad Cecil & Associates, we explore innovative strategies to optimize digital fundraising campaigns. This case study highlights how introducing a lightbox pop-up on the homepage during a Summer Hunger campaign generated significant revenue and outperformed previous digital efforts.

Challenge:

The Summer Hunger campaign homepage provided information about the initiative but lacked a direct giving prompt, potentially leaving donor interest underutilized. Recognizing this gap, we sought to test whether adding a lightbox pop-up could guide visitors toward immediate action, increasing engagement and donations.

BCA Approach:

We introduced a lightbox pop-up feature and designed two test variations to measure their effectiveness against the standard homepage experience:

  1. Control: The homepage without a lightbox pop-up.
  2. Treatment #1: A lightbox with concise, action-oriented messaging and a direct call to donate.
  3. Treatment #2: A lightbox emphasizing urgency and impact, paired with a suggested gift amount.

The pop-ups were carefully crafted to align with the campaign’s tone, ensuring they were attention-grabbing without disrupting the user experience.

Treatment #1:

Leveraging Lightbox - Treatment1

Treatment #2:

Leveraging Lightbox - Treatment2

Results:

The lightboxes produced outstanding outcomes, validating their potential as a fundraising tool:

  • Significant Revenue Generation: Both treatments drove meaningful donations, with the lightboxes significantly outperforming the control.
  • Higher Average Gift Amounts: Treatment 2, emphasizing urgency and suggested giving, achieved an impressive average gift of $242.38.
  • Digital Campaign Success:  The lightboxes generated more revenue than the entire digital campaign of the previous year, highlighting their ability to enhance overall campaign performance.

These results emphasize the importance of integrating actionable features like lightbox pop-ups to maximize engagement and giving.

Key Insights:

  1. Strategic Prompts Drive Action: Lightbox pop-ups, when thoughtfully executed, convert passive interest into donations by providing a clear, immediate path to give.
  2. Urgency Boosts Generosity: Messaging that emphasizes time-sensitive needs and impact motivates donors to act decisively and contribute generously.
  3. Testing Ensures Optimization: Regularly testing variations in design, messaging, and timing enables organizations to refine their approach and maximize results.
  4. Integrating Lightboxes Across Campaigns: The success of this strategy makes lightbox pop-ups a scalable solution for digital campaigns across different seasons and priorities.

Why This Matters:

This case highlights how a simple, strategic addition can transform donor engagement and revenue. By integrating features that prompt action without overwhelming users, nonprofits can significantly enhance their digital campaigns.

The BCA Difference:

At BCA, we specialize in identifying and implementing strategies that elevate your campaigns and exceed your goals. From testing new tools to optimizing existing approaches, we’re dedicated to delivering measurable results.

What we bring to your organization:

  • Proven Strategies: Insights grounded in data and designed for impact.
  • Refined Execution: Attention to detail that ensures every campaign element performs optimally.
  • Long-Term Successes: Building tools and strategies that support sustained growth.

Your Next Steps:

This case demonstrates the effectiveness of lightbox pop-ups in driving digital fundraising success. Whether you’re exploring new digital approaches or enhancing your current campaigns, BCA is here to help you achieve measurable results.

Let’s build your next breakthrough — contact Brad Cecil & Associates today.