Phone List Value
The Phone List Value tab in the Fundraising Analytics dashboard our best estimate of the value of the selected phone list(s) based on ActBlue donations. Specifically, we match ActBlue donations to phone numbers on a list by matching either:
- Using the token that we include in the ActBlue donation link (refcodeSB) when using a tracked link;
- Using the phone number that a donor can choose to provide ActBlue when they make a donation;
- Using contact links to associate donations from an email address with a phone number on the list.
Contact links indicate a relationship between that phone number and email, and Switchboard can use this to better understand donor behavior.
Using this feature
Choose a list in the drop down menu. Any list you’ve created on Switchboard will show up here, regardless of if you’ve send a broadcast to that list.
- New to Universe Only (toggle): When selected, the dashboard will only show data associated with any phone numbers that were first seen in Switchboard, as part of the selected list.
- Via Switchboard Tracked Link (green bars) shows how much was raised by these phone numbers directly from Switchboard broadcasts via phone/email linkage (requires Switchboard shortlink + tracking).
- Via Email Linkage (yellow bars) shows how much has been raised from email address(es) associated with the phone numbers on this list.
- Off Switchboard (not texted) - light blue bars show the total amount raised from these numbers, even if you have not yet texted them on Switchboard.
- Off Switchboard (texted) - dark blue bars show how much has been raised from these numbers after they have individually received at least one text via Switchboard. This is beneficial if you’re trying to get a sense of what down-the-road donations can be attributed to this list, without including donations that these people already gave before you texted them.
- Charges to List Phones (black line) shows how much you have spent on Switchboard broadcasts to these numbers.
- Lifetime raised: total raised from all numbers on the selected phone list for this ActBlue entity.
How We Match Donations to Phones
We match donations to your phones in one of two ways, a direct match or via contact link. In either case, we “winner pick” so that a donation is only matched once to a phone contact.
We also ensure that, if we are using contact links, we use only the email address most recently linked to a given phone.
Direct Match
For a direct match, there are no steps between the donation and the phone number. We match in these two cases:
- If the recipient donated via ActBlue after clicking a Switchboard tracked link in a message.
- The phone number on your Switchboard list matches the phone number provided when the donor fills out their personal information on the ActBlue contribution form.
Via Contact Link
For a match via contact link, there is one “step” between the donation and the phone number — an email address associated with both. Details on contact links can be found above, in this document. We match in these two cases:
- If the phone on your list is linked to an email address that donated via ActBlue after clicking a Switchboard tracked link.
- If the phone on your list is contact-linked to an email address that matches the email address provided when the donor fills out their personal information on the ActBlue contribution form.
Examples
Example Scenario 1
You have two phone contacts, K. Harris and J. Biden. When they were each uploaded, both of them were associated with the email nominee@dnc.org, like so:
first_name | last_name | phone | uploaded | |
Kamala | Harris | 555-123-2024 | August 20, 2024 | |
Joe | Biden | 555-321-2020 | August 18, 2020 |
The Harris record was uploaded in 2024, and the Biden record was uploaded in 2020. When they were uploaded, a link was created to an email address for nominee@dnc.org.
Later, each of them chooses to donate to your campaign. They both give, but only include their email address on the ActBlue contribution form.
donation_id | donor_first_name | donor_last_name | donor_email | amount |
50242030 | Kamala | Harris | $5 | |
10362097 | Joe | Biden | $5 |
Because the Harris record was most recently associated with the email, we attribute the donation 50242030 to her phone number (555-123-2024).
Example Scenario 2
A phone number for Jan Smith is uploaded to Switchboard. Later, Smith donates via ActBlue. The donations from Smith would be associated with the phone number, if and only if Smith provides their phone number when they donate.
Example Scenario 3
A phone number for Steph Jones is uploaded to Switchboard. They are sent a message containing a tracked link to an ActBlue contribution form. They donate! This donation is associated with Jones’ phone number via a token in the ActBlue refcode (from the tracked link).
If, when they donated, Jones provided both an email and phone number as part of their donation, Switchboard will also created a contact link between the phone number and email.
In the future, if Jones donates without clicking on a tracked link and without providing their phone number, we still link the donation to the phone number using the contact link.
Example Scenario 4
A phone number is uploaded to Switchboard. They are sent a tracked link to an ActBlue contribution form page and the donation is associated with the phone using the token.
If they choose to donate again, using an ActBlue link that is not tracked (like on your website or on social media), and they provide their phone number during the donation process, we also match the donation using the donor information.
