Five Things to Consider When You’re Creating a Nonprofit Website
Introduction
Creating any website requires skill and strategy. Creating a nonprofit website is an entirely different ball game altogether. In fact, creating a nonprofit website is truly an art. There are multiple aspects to balance, which can be quite tricky. You need to ensure that your site is mobile-friendly, aesthetically pleasing with compelling content and images, and that it has clear contact information and donation options.
Top 5 things you’ll need when creating a nonprofit website
- Clear donation options
- Heartfelt storytelling
- Simple involvement instructions
- A reflection of your organizational success
- Mobile optimization
#1 - Clear donation options
Every nonprofit organization knows that donations are essential. They keep the organization up and running, the propel the mission of the nonprofit, and they ensure their seamless continuation. These days, one of the best ways to garner donations is on the organization’s website.
That’s why, when you are designing your website, it’s important to make sure there is a simple and clear way for your visitors to contribute to your cause. The easiest way to do this is by including a donate button in an obvious place on your website. Your button should be visible and present in an easily accessible place, preventing your visitors from having to hunt for it.
No matter how much or how little you’re seeking, most people won’t make the effort to donate if they have to write out and mail a check. With a simple online button and form, website visitors tend to feel compelled to donate. If it’s easy, they’ll feel inspired to give to your organization. Even a little bit of giving will make them feel good, which is likely to encourage them to come back and donate again. Or, you can set up a simple method for regular donations, including monthly, quarterly, or annually.
For our client's WordPress sites we use a great donation plugin called GiveWP.
#2 - Heartfelt storytelling
When someone visits your website, they won’t necessarily know a ton about your organization. In fact, their visit could be their first introduction to your nonprofit and the work that you’re doing.
That’s why it’s imperative that you provide key information about your organization directly on your website in a way that reaches the heart of your visitor. Through clear and evocative storytelling, you can share the vision and purpose of your organization in a way that showcases the cause you’re helping and gives your visitors a look at how they can get involved. Make sure that your website provides essential information and heartfelt messaging in order to gain the support of your visitors for your cause. This helps encourage them to get involved and/or make a donation to further your mission.
#3 - Simple involvement instructions
As people get to know about the purpose of your organization, they may feel compelled to get involved. Donations are not the only way that people can join in with your organization’s mission. Many organizations have multiple ways for people to get involved, including volunteer programs and other activities.
Include a “Get Involved” page on your website where your visitors can find information about your volunteer programs. The page should explain the types of opportunities that you have available and how people can sign up. Make sure you also include more information about your cause and how your visitors can become an advocate.
It’s important to make your involvement instructions as clear as possible. Remember, if it’s hard for your visitors to learn about your cause, volunteer, or donate, they won’t do it. Keep everything simple, obvious, and streamlined for optimal results.
#4 - A reflection of your organizational success
Every nonprofit organization has their own definition of success. Some organizations may simply have the goal of creating awareness of a certain issue. Others will be attempting to offer tangible help to a cause.
Your website should reflect your definition of success with a clear call to action for your visitors. If you are raising awareness, you might have a call to action for your visitors to sign up for your newsletter. Your success would then depend on the number of sign ups you receive. If you are attempting to get people involved in your cause, success might be the number of people that enroll in your volunteer programs. If you’re fundraising for your organization, success would depend on the amount of money you raise.
When you set goals for your website and your organization, keep in mind the specific action you need your visitors to take. This will help you design a clear call to action for your website to encourage your visitors to support your cause.
#5 - Mobile optimization
These days, every website needs to be optimized for mobile. A growing majority of people use SmartPhones and tablets to access the internet. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, your visitors will quickly head elsewhere.
Optimizing your website for mobile devices means ensuring that it’s easy to view and read on small screens. Your visitors should be able to access your website, navigate through it, and take your call to action without any difficulty. To make your website relevant for people today, make sure that you optimize it for mobile devices.
Conclusion
To craft a successful nonprofit website, you need to be able to balance a wide variety of components. While there are many things to consider, there are 5 basics that you’ll want to keep at the forefront of your mind; ensuring clear and easy donations, having a concise mission statement, showcasing essential information, creating an obvious, simple call to action, and ensuring that your website is optimized for mobile.
Let our expert team know if you need help creating this type of nonprofit website from scratch! We offer seamless web design services that will help you create a successful nonprofit website. Our sites are always geared towards driving donations while raising awareness about what it means to be part of the cause.
Learn more about our Nonprofit Website Design process at Dogpaw Studio.