So if I’m going to invest in a top-notch website for my non-profit, how can I be sure I’m going to get the most from it (literally)? Here are a few tips when thinking about your site’s design and user experience:
Five Tips to Maximize Online Donations
- Make a Clearly Visible Donation Button
Donors should be able to clearly see where they can go to donate online from any page on your site. This allows you to grab potential donors regardless of whether they come in on your home page, or use a search engine and start on an “inside” page. Make your donate button visually prevalent. Take a look at how the Red Cross makes it easy to see where to donate:
- Make the Donation Process Simple
Smashing Magazine gives great tips to making the donation process as painless as possible: “Don’t require visitors to set up an account to donate. Other than information required to process their credit card, don’t require other information. And use a single-page donation form if possible, with just one confirmation page. There’s less chance that there will be browser or connectivity issues.”
- Be Media Friendly
News reports are some of the best free publicity you can find, so make it easy on them. Include a media section with contact information. Smashing Magazine suggests offering images and press-ready quotes that journalists and bloggers can download and use without contacting your organization prior to publishing. Speaking of news, include your own news section or blog. Not only does it give visitors a reason to return to your site on a regular basis, but it gives bloggers and journalists information they can use when writing their reports. The more publicity you have, the more potential donors you can attract.
- Be Social Media Friendly
Beyond news outlets, another great resource for free publicity is social media. Network for Good suggests adding social sharing links on every page. Be sure to test how your links appear in Facebook and Twitter posts. npEngage suggests asking new donors to opt-in to email and spread the words through social media after giving.
- Keep your Donation Form on your Website
Website programs like Joomla and Wordpress allow you to embed secure forms on your own website rather than forcing visitors to go to PayPal or other payment processors. Keep that branding and that visitor. Plugins allow you to process credit card payments directly on your site without the danger of exposing donors’ financial data.
Cube Creative Design is a leader in non-profit website design and management. If you don’t feel comfortable taking your non-profit organization’s online donation to the next level, contact us for help!
