Let’s face it, not every visitor that stops to explore your website comes with the intention of donating to your organization. (We wish it could be that easy!) The good news is, once there, the strategic design of your nonprofit’s site can help drive them to the donation page and inspire them to give.
In our last couple posts we offered up some ideas for getting them there and some good tips for creating a positive giving experience, but your fundraising page is really what closes the deal. Fundraising page content can feel challenging for nonprofits who are mindful of finding the balance between encouraging financial support without getting too sales-pitchy. So here are some ideas we’ve gathered to get you started on the right track.
Before you get started, make sure your fundraising page is branded consistently with the same look and feel of the rest of your site. Your logo should be clearly visible in the banner. Consistency creates credibility and builds trust.
Your fundraising form will be the most prominent feature of your donation page.
Remember, the form should be as simple as possible for the donor to complete. We don’t want to overwhelm them with the amount of information or time it will take to complete it.
This is true for your fundraising page content as a whole. The goal of this page should be focused on inspiring donors and giving them confidence in giving to your nonprofit. As a best practice copy, images and media should be limited and organized in a way that supports that goal rather than distracts from it.
Here are three examples of content that could help support your nonprofit’s fundraising page goal.
A compelling “Why donate?”
Your story is told across your website. As a nonprofit organization, sharing how you are bringing your mission to life is deeply connected to creating a social impact. Your fundraising page should continue telling your story, as well as opening up the opportunity for visitors to be part of it. Your passion moves people.
According to a study published in 2018, 30 percent of millennial (ages 20-36) and 45 percent of Gen Z (ages 18 and 19) chose “passion/sincerity of appeal,” as a sign of a nonprofit’s trustworthiness; 13 percent of baby boomers and 19 percent of Gen Xers agreed.
Disclose how donations are being used.
Transparency is also a big factor in establishing trust. A 2015 study cited in the Chronicle of Philanthropy found that “In deciding where they will donate, 50% of survey respondents said it was ‘very important’ for them to know that charities spend a low amount on salaries, administration, and fundraising; another 34% said it was ‘somewhat important’.” Your donors are interested in how much you raise and what you’re doing with it. It’s important to donors and potential donors that when they give, they really are making a difference through your organization. One example of how to demonstrate this is to tie donations to tangible gifts.
A picture is worth 1,000 words.
We are visual creatures. Pictures convey emotions in a way that words fall short. Is there an image of the impact you’ve made? Or one that sums up the need that called your heart into action? Let it speak to your potential donors.
It’s no secret that online giving has increased steadily each year for the last several years. But if you’re running a smaller nonprofit don’t sleep on your donation page! According to this article in Philanthropy News Digest, online donations accounted for 13.4 percent of total fundraising for small nonprofits. Compared that with 7.8 percent for midsize organizations and 4 percent for large nonprofits.
Want to focus on fundraising and leave the technical stuff to us? At DefySites, we specialize in designing an amazing nonprofit website platform so that you can focus on your organization’s mission and strategic goals. We want to help you create an epic online presence by providing beautiful web design, as well as helpful little tips that help you make your impact. Contact us!
