Your nonprofit website is, in many ways, the front door to your nonprofit.
Whether it’s someone looking for the services your organization offers, or a prospective donor that heard about your cause from a friend, chances are that the first thing many people do is do a quick Google search to find our nonprofit’s website.
Understanding how people may find your website is the first step to identifying ways to increase online donations. Let’s dive into a two big techniques that can help to bring people to your nonprofit’s website.
- SEO: Search engine optimization is a tactic that uses keywords and inbound links to bring your website up in search rankings to bring in organic traffic. Check out this blog post for more information on SEO.
- PPC: Pay-per-click is a paid marketing strategy that uses targeted ads on places like search engines and social media platforms to bring people to your website. As the name suggests, you pay each time someone gets to your website via these ads
But, these techniques only bring people to you. It is up to you to keep your visitor’s interest, not just in your website, but in giving.
“It is up to you to keep your visitor’s interest, not just in your website, but in giving…” tweet this
There are a number of ways that you can keep your website visitors engaged in your website so that they may be more inclined to give a donation. These include:
- Providing quality shareable content
- Engage visitors with a call to action
- Offering a clear, intuitive layout and appealing design
3 Simple Ways To Increase Online Donations
1. Encourage Sharing
Your website visitors want to read well-researched and engaging content that highlights your expertise in the field. When people believe that you know what you’re talking about, you are much more likely to have the buy-in of your audience.
Create content that is shareable. This means incorporating tried-and-true storytelling and content marketing strategies onto your nonprofit website. Also, make sure that your site is mobile-friendly to capture the majority of the population that browses the web on their phones!
Your content should always include a call to action at the end. After all, you don’t just want your audience to read the material… you want them to act.
You may be wondering how this method actually brings in donations to your website. In fact, this strategy is all about reach. The more people you reach, the more traffic your website receives, and the more your call to action is acted on.
“The more people you reach, the more traffic your website gets, and the more your call to action is acted on…” tweet this
2. Make Your Donate Button Work For You!
Speaking of calls to action, have you considered a strategy on the language you want to use to encourage people to donate on your website?
Many nonprofits use a big and bold Donate Now button. This feature is great because it is straightforward, and donors want the entire process to be easy.
If you do decide to go with a similar type button, whether through your fundraising platform or with a service like PayPal, then you need to be sure you are using an impactful statement to bring people to action.
Try one of these strong phrases:
- Be Part Of The Change
- Pledge Your Support Here
- Get Involved
- Do Something!
In this instance, strong language is essential, but it isn’t the only thing you should focus on. Follow these tips to make your Donate Now button stand out:
- Place it at the same spot on every web page
- Use a distinct font and a bold color that stands out from the rest of the page
3. Use Graphics and Metrics
Visuals are a great way to bring in donations, and I don’t just mean captivating pictures that help tell your nonprofit’s story. I’m referring to informative graphics that serve as an educational tool for your visitors.
You can use visuals a number of ways in order to get more donations through your website. Try some of the following methods:
- Use a meter such as a thermometer to show your prospective donors how close you are to reaching your campaign goal.
- Try an impact meter, like the one provided on Causevox’s platform, to inform your donors as to how many lives are impacted by each gift.
- Capture information about your donor’s physical locations and place them on a map so that prospective donors can visualize your support network.
Conclusion
These are just 3 of an almost unlimited number of ways to increase online donations through your nonprofit website. If you are new to online fundraising and don’t know where to start, then begin with creating (or redesigning) a solid website and feature great content.
Along the way, add features such as a Donate Now button and engaging graphics that captivate and educate prospects.
