Too often, nonprofit organizations see their website as simply a box to tick on their to-do list. They know they need one, but they see it more as their Yellow Pages listing than what it could be: a window into the soul of the organization. Your website is one of the most important ways the public interacts with you.
Reading: How to create a website for fundraising
A nonprofit website is critical to the success of your organization. Not only is it where donors go when they want more information about your cause, it’s also where supporters should be motivated to contribute.
Introduce Make sure your website is designed to address the needs of potential donors and therefore maximize its fundraising potential.
The design of your website can have a direct impact on your online fundraising efforts . Countless studies have shown that the layout of a website can affect whether you convert or not (e.g. if someone donates).
A nonprofit website doesn’t have to be complex or expensive to be work very effectively. We’ve compiled some attributes that every great fundraising website design should have, followed by some examples of each.
6 Best Practices for a Great Fundraising Website
- Streamline your giving process
- Optimize your website and donation form for mobile
- Problem, Solution, Impact
- Prioritize the About Us page
- Use videos
- Facilitate volunteer recruitment
1. Streamline your giving process
Fundraising is at the heart of any nonprofit, so make it easy for people to donate online. By following a few simple guidelines, you can likely increase the amount you can raise through your donation page:
Make sure your online donation page and form are easy to find.
A good rule of thumb: try to keep supporters just a click away from your donation form, no matter where they are on your site. This means you have a donate button in your main navigation menu. Make it stand out from the rest of the menu with an eye-catching colour. The donation link should go straight to the donation page and donation form.
A common mistake is to add extra steps or more text after someone clicks the donate button. Even if the intention is usually good, e.g. For example, by informing donors about other ways to get involved, these additional steps can reduce the likelihood that someone will make a donation.
Have a compelling “why”.
Your donation page should doesn’t just feel like a payment processing form. Instead, it should be a short, gentle reminder to people why they decided to donate to your organization.
Use fundraising software for your donation page.
An online fundraising software makes creating your own donation pages much easier and offers you a number of features such as:
- Pre-filled amounts with descriptions. So donors know exactly what they are contributing to.
- Integrated employer donation matching.
- Recurring donation options. Place a recurring donation option on your form to see higher donor retention rates.
- Donation thermometer to encourage more donations.
- PDF receipts and other features that give you help raise more money.
Pro Tip: Choose a powerful fundraising site to accept online donations on your site.
Doctors Without Borders Streamline your donation process by making sure visitors stay on your donation page once they get there.
The more distractions there are on the donation page , the lower your conversion rate will be. Here’s a way to focus the donation process solely on the task at hand: converting that site visitor into a donor:
- Hide the default top navigation in the donation page header.
- Use a simple footer design
- Remove unnecessary links
- Hide social media icons
- Be sparing with text
2. Optimize your website and donation form for mobile devices
Your website and donation form should be mobile-friendly. This means that the website pages are resized according to the device used for optimal viewing.
Our smartphones are becoming increasingly popular as a means of connecting, sharing, accessing information and donate. We expect optimized pages when donating.
From NP Source we learn that mobile devices accounted for 57% of all internet traffic in 2018. Over the past year, mobile donations have increased by 205%. 51% of people who visit a nonprofit’s website do so on a mobile device.
To make your website mobile-friendly, avoid using large photos that require donors to scroll down, to get the actual information. Your text should also be large enough to be read on small devices.Not sure if your site is mobile-friendly? Pull out your phone and check it out!
Proper navigation is also a key component of mobile-friendly websites. When viewing websites on mobile phones, there is not much room for drop-down menus or complex navigation with a lot of content. Simplify your mobile navigation so only the essential information is available.
NP Source also found that by incorporating a mobile-responsive design, nonprofits can increase their giving by an average of 126%. If a visitor is frustrated when trying to make a donation to your organization on their mobile device, chances are they’ll leave your site without making a donation.
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Focus on the rise in mobile giving nonprofits becoming more oriented towards mobile fundraising will have an added advantage over others. With Mobile Giving you can open up many opportunities for interested donors. Read our in-depth guide to mobile fundraising and implement some of the best practices for accepting donations online.
3. Problem, Solution, Impact
If you think of giving as a purchasing decision, your website should answer questions and counter potential donor objections.
- Why should I part with my money?
- Why should I donate to you and not to another cause?
- How do I know my money is being used wisely and ethically?
To create the content of your website, start with the problem you are solving, how you are solving it, and why it is important for the website visitor to be involved. The stream of consciousness to scroll down a page of your website goes something like this: awareness of a problem, the solution to the problem, and the motivation to be part of the solution.
You should keep the “problem” with the your organization’s explicit solution for this issue. Then move on to the immediate impact of your organization. Prove the effectiveness of your solution by demonstrating the impact through eye-catching graphics. Did you know that the brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text!. Your content will be much more compelling and engaging if you include the following in high quality:
- Photographs
- Graphics or infographics that show statistics, data or processes
- Videos and vlogs
Donors want to know that their hard-earned money is going to a good cause. You want to know what your organization will do with its money. Transparency means being open and accountable to the donor. It means being reliable and true to your word.
People might not give if they don’t see examples or proof on your site that their gifts are being put to good use. You may find some donors on sites like CharityNavigator, but having specific information on your site will save them time and worry. This can be statistics, real-world reports, or financial data to help donors feel comfortable with your organization.
Heifer International has a box on its home page that combines transparency and accountability statistics with call to action. They have integrated donation buttons with different gift amounts.
Heifer also has share buttons on each page that let donors know that they can share the page using their Twitter or Facebook accounts.
Charity : Water does a great job of talking about the impact of their work on their project page.
They also have a separate section that contains supporting financial information to help with potential donor due diligence.
4. Prioritize the About Us Page
When prospective donors or volunteers visit the services on your website, the About Us page is probably among the top 3-4 clicks. You want to make sure they are making the right choice by supporting your organization. Don’t make it an afterthought. Understand what this site is really for. Even if your nonprofit can highlight amazing results on the site, people should be able to know who you are first. That’s what this page is about. It’s like a “first date”. It’s all about getting to know each other, building a relationship, and making an unforgettable impression.
Unfortunately, the About Us page can become a dumping ground for many things. Avoid cramming everything into this page. Your annual report, finances, mission statement, employee biographies and company history can all deserve their own place on the website as a separate page. Preventing them from crawling onto the page also helps ensure you don’t dilute their own respective meaning. Let this page reflect only the personality and values of your nonprofit organization.
Make the page reflect who you really are:
- Who do you want your charity to help ? Do you raise funds for environmental/planetary causes, human rights, animal welfare? Make it clear what or who you are raising funds for.
- What you do: All organizations have a backstory.What inspired you to start this?
- Why you’re doing it: Provide details about what projects you’ve worked on in the past, let donors know what you’re currently doing and what you do have planned for the future?
Think high and stick to highlights. This is truly an opportunity to showcase exactly what you do in a memorable and meaningful page.
You may find that some organizations have a slightly different approach to the About Us section. Some call it “Our Story”, “Who We Are” or simply “Learning”. These all convey the same intent: to find out what you’re about.
Don’t underestimate the power of visual storytelling and its ability to present your nonprofit’s story in a more compelling way. While good copy is still important on your About Us page, sometimes it’s just there to support and add context to photos, graphics, or videos.
Long content doesn’t always lead to lasting impressions. When thinking about how to write an About Us page, avoid the lengthy version of your story.
Stick to the elevator speech, but in writing. That is – write the content as if you were selling your business in the time it takes people to travel from top to bottom of a building in an elevator. Be compelling and hit all the highlights of what makes your nonprofit great and distinctive. Keep your content compelling but concise.
The Nature Conservancy does their About Us page really well. They call it “Who we are”. A three-minute video tells their story, and compelling statistics capture the scope of their work. Think show and tell. It’s not one or the other. Consider pimping up your About Us page by adding some photos, graphics or a video.
5. Use Videos
A successful fundraiser depends on the donors. It’s not about educating people, it’s about connecting with people. That’s why it’s so important to integrate videos into your website. Videos allow you to weave emotion into your story to create a connection with your audience that words and photos just can’t connect.
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Videos offer incredible opportunities for your nonprofit to engage supporters, engage them in Include your work and help you with fundraising. Videos can help your audience visualize why you exist, get them genuine emotion, and motivate them to care, share, and take action.
Online, video rules. In terms of likes, shares, downloads, and donations, a video consistently outperforms all other forms of digital communication.
A 60-second donation video for nonprofit organizations might be the equivalent of 1.8 million words, or 3,600 pages of text, but the raw emotion captured is what counts! Here are some more video stats nonprofits should know:
- Video accounted for 69% of all consumer internet traffic this year alone, with impressive growth forecast for the next few years.
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- Video content accounts for 85% of all internet traffic in the US.
- 57% of online donors make a gift after watching an inspirational fundraising video.
- Crowdfunding pages promoted by video raise Four times the number of donations.
- More than half of video views are on a mobile device.
- 92% of nonprofits say that they appreciate the investment they made in the video.
You don’t need to be in Hollywood to embed video on your website.
Did you know that homemade, “raw” nonprofit videos often outperform high-end videos? Productions on the web?
Videos captured on individuals’ smartphones are often the most effective way to capture and showcase the essence of your mission and the good you are doing. While many nonprofits have found success with video, others struggle to make the most of this powerful medium.
Here are just a few tips for getting started with video:
- Use iMovie App for producing videos and uploading them to YouTube and Vimeo. In just a few hours, one member of your team can master iMovie. Your nonprofit organization can easily create, edit, and publish fundraising videos that can also include titles, photos, music, and effects. Search “How to use iMovie on an iPhone” to find free tutorial videos.
- Build a library of footage shot by volunteers and staff. Show what you’re doing with inspirational behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with program recipients.
- Be passionate and show donors how they can make a difference.
- Say Continuous Thank You Recognition of donor generosity and support.
- Make sure you always have a clear call to action at the end of your videos! Don’t just leave your audience hanging – challenge them to make a difference.
- Post videos to YouTube, Vimeo and Facebook and cross-promote with email and text as often as you like have something compelling to share.
Examples of successful nonprofit fundraising videos:
Save The Children:
This award-winning Save the Children video creates an engaging narrative about children in War zones, specifically for their #SaveSyriasChildren campaign. Not only is the video very well produced, but its storyline creates a connection between the viewer and the child in the video, which embodies the core of Save the Children’s mission. The video illustrates good storytelling and messaging.
Slaying Childhood Cancer by Alex’s Lemonade Stand
This video simply and openly tells the story of one person’s struggle. The father of a young cancer patient recounts his painful experiences with the disease, but maintains a portrait of his daughter so light-hearted and uplifting it’s impossible not to be moved. It’s a compelling example of how simple, personal storytelling can be just as effective as the results of large production budgets.
The Adventure Project
The Adventure Project builds community through entrepreneurship and sponsors jobs in developing countries to improve child survival, reduce conflict and lift people out of poverty for good. Showing the results of a specific project, this video is a great example of how an organization can use video to define and demonstrate the impact of their work.
Sophia and Olive draw India for the measles and Rubella Initiative
This video is great because it’s so simple yet fascinating. At 3 minutes, it’s long enough to get a deep understanding of the work of the Measles and Rubella Initiative. The focus on one person’s experience in a region allows the viewer/listener to connect more deeply with the story being told.
Love Does
This non-profit organization uses a long-length video loop for your homepage. It contains no sound but only shows scenes of their work fighting for human rights and educating children in conflict zones.
6. Make volunteer recruitment easier
If your organization employs a large number of volunteers, then consider incorporating volunteering opportunities into your website.
- Have a link or a button to a volunteer page on your home page?
- Does this page adequately describe the volunteer experience and their requirements?
- Can volunteers easily contact you from your volunteer page?
- How Is it easy for volunteers to sign up from other pages on your site?
Of course, if volunteers contact you, you must respond immediately.
Even if you only need a few volunteers, a volunteer site is valuable. Your volunteer link allows you to connect with unexpected people interested in your work.
You don’t have to name your volunteer page “Volunteer”. “Participate” is often used. This action section on the Girl Up website is just as effective. Not only can you easily find out about different ways to support them, but you can also search for the Girl Up Club near you. They go out of their way to give visitors every opportunity to get involved.
An online fundraising website doesn’t have to be expensive and complex to be effective. Beyond Bars Animal Rescue is a small organization that has a prominent link to volunteers on their home page.
Conclusion
Basically, you want your nonprofit website to be straightforward, clean, and easy to use navigate is . Limit the number of images, media, and links to the bare minimum, and organize your content in a way that feels logical. Make your media count. Remember, each additional step in the navigation process is a chance for a donor to become distracted or question their giving decision.
Here’s the bottom line:
Once you start thinking With your website as a potential generator of sales, PR and partnerships, it becomes clear how important it is to keep your website up to date and user-friendly. If you have a mediocre website with mediocre content, you’ll get mediocre response from visitors. But when you have a website that illuminates your cause, makes your impact and touches visitors, you have a powerful 24/7 recruitment and fundraising tool at your disposal.
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