KEY WEBSITE FEATURES

to INCREASE
CONVERSIONS

nonprofit.212mediastudios.com | 574.269.0720 | info@212mediastudios.com

 INTRODUCTION

For many potential donors, your website is the first—and possibly only—impression they have of
you. If you cannot drive engagement as soon as people land on your site, you run the risk of being
forgotten in a long list of non-profits asking for support. Your website should balance creativity
with ease of use, which means it must grab your audience’s attention without distracting them from
your mission.

Don’t settle for average responses from prospective donors—you cannot afford to let these resources
go untapped. As you evaluate your organization’s website and decide where and when to make
updates, there are several best practices you should consider to increase conversion rates.

MAKE YOUR MISSION CLEAR

A common mistake non-profits make is getting too caught up in the details. While the stories will stir
your donors’ compassion, you must balance your messaging with short, punchy facts and calls to
action (CTAs) that encourage people to get involved. Sixty percent of all donors look at a non-profit’s
website before giving—which means you need to grab attention immediately to see conversions.1
What do visitors see when they first land on your site? Is it clear or confusing?

To ensure straightforward communication with potential donors, your home page should break
your mission down to a few key words. This serves as an overview of what you do for someone
who might be visiting for the first time—and it should emphasize the transformative work your
organization does in the community. Summarize how donors will change lives when they give to
you. For example, when it launched its “Chosen” campaign in 2019, the international non-profit

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 World Vision put this phrase on its home page: “Empower kids for a future full of choices.”2 This
messaging not only explained what donors could do through the organization, but it also tied in
with their campaign to recruit donors who children could choose, instead of vice-versa. As soon
as visitors landed on the site, there was a clear transition to child sponsorship. In the same way,
your organization should summarize your mission and include a powerful CTA to move people
toward making a gift.

Everything from text to imagery should have a singular goal: getting site visitors to go to your
donation form. To connect emotionally, share stories from people you have served. These real-life
testimonies show the tangible impact donors can make when they get involved in your mission.
Effectively balancing this engagement with your calls to action is critical. Asking for donations
without explaining why can lead to mistrust and uncertainty, but overexplaining your mission can
lead to boredom—and people may leave your site early.

To reinforce the power of your mission, choose a few impact stories to feature on your home page—
but make them clickable to a separate page so they do not take up too much space. Ultimately,
while your story is the cornerstone of your success, you cannot afford to overexplain and distract
your potential donors. To drive conversions, place a succinct explanation of your mission front-
and-center.

DIRECT BACK TO YOUR DONATION PAGE

An easily accessible donation page should be a priority for every non-profit. If your site visitors
click on an impact story that takes them to a separate page, that page should still have donation
button that leads to a giving form.

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 A confusing website will force your visitors to leave too soon. If they cannot figure out how to
donate, they will give up—and they may not come back. Seventy percent of people who visit a
website will not come back later.3 Build an easy path to the desired action. Rather than wasting
time with too many clickable links and interactive pages, make your website as straightforward as
possible. When it comes to asking for donations, less is more. Your audience will not be impressed
with gadgets and features; they want your stories to move them and inspire them to give.

Once a visitor has clicked on the “Donate” button, the donation form should be the immediate next
step. Additional forms or pop-ups between the two pages will decrease their likelihood of giving.
It is your job to make that process as easy as possible. You can promote more information and
involvement opportunities after the donation is complete.

To ensure all site visitors will eventually find their way back to your donation form, make the “Donate”
button viewable from every page in the site—whether it is your home page, about page, or FAQ
page. Your CTAs should be unmistakable. Someone who visits your site is already interested in
your mission, and a strong CTA can push them to the next step in their giving journey.

CUSTOMIZE YOUR DONATION PAGES

The more personal your asks are, the better. Consumers value personalized, targeted information—
from suggested shows on Netflix to purchase recommendations on Amazon. Your donors are no
different, and the rise of personalization can work to your advantage if you know how to use it to
target your donor segments.

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 When you implement fundraising campaigns, you work hard to segment your audience and deliver
the best messages to various people on social media and in your email list. This kind of specific
targeting is just as valuable on your website. If your donors are used to seeing personalized
messages, they may be disappointed if your donation page is generic. You risk losing credibility
when you do not customize your website in the same way you customize your other messages.

When donors feel valued and appreciated, they’ll form a deeper connection to your organization.
To engage them more effectively, segment your donation pages, such as first-time donors,
recurring donors, major donors, lapsed donors, and event attendees. Regardless of how you
choose to target your audiences, you should always show that you know who your audience is—
and that you’re grateful for the support.

While it might seem overwhelming to create a variety of donation pages, it does not have to be
hard. Rather than spending hours personalizing each page, simply adjust your basic messaging
and imagery. The extra effort matters.

DON’T OVERDO YOUR MESSAGE

As imperative as it is to engage site visitors with your mission, you should also remember that
once people get to your form, they have probably already made the decision to donate—you
need not convince them anymore.

Beware of over-informing or over-encouraging your donors. Before you make additions to your
donation page, ask yourself if they will make the giving experience smoother or clunkier. Don’t
lose conversions over a frustrating website.

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 When you create a donation page, avoid large blocks of text on the page. Users should be able
to skim the instructions and grasp their action step: a donation. Important information can be bold
and italicized so it stands out, but avoid using too much of it. Too much text will get distracting and
stand in the way of the donation process.

Even though auxiliary text should be chosen carefully, a key statistic or dynamic image can be
a valuable addition. When you’re creating and updating your page, determine what will be most
motivating for donors—then, let your mission do the rest.

DON’T LET YOUR CONTENT BECOME OUTDATED

Your communication on your website is just as essential as your communication on social media
outlets. If you do not consistently inform your donors of current events, they may start to think
you do not need them anymore. Promote new initiatives, upcoming fundraisers, and unique
involvement opportunities. Your website should include a calendar with all your events so people
can get connected in the ways that matter to them. This strengthens the rapport between your
organization and your supporters.

Website content should be refreshed regularly. As you interact with clients, ask them how your
non-profit has affected their lives—and update old stories on the website with new features. If
returning donors see the same thing on your website multiple times, they might assume you are
not keeping up with current events and needs—and may take their money somewhere else.

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 One way to provide fresh content is to start a blog for your non-profit. Your articles can include client
stories, volunteer interviews, and event updates for website visitors to explore. This showcases
your activity—without having to adjust general website content every single month. A blog also
provides the opportunity to link back to your website on social media, expanding your reach in the
community and drawing in even more potential donors with your life-changing stories.

ALWAYS ASSESS YOUR CHANGES

Constant updates to your website increase the potential for mistakes. Every time you tweak a
story or a page layout, you should ask people in your donor demographic to test them. Because
you are so close to your organization, you might overlook things that are confusing or hindering
to donors. Simple actions that seem intuitive to you might not be so easy for someone who is not
a staff member or active volunteer.

Instead of assessing your changes from your own perspective, try to see through the eyes of your
donors. To get an idea of what your supporters’ perspective, ask yourself these questions:

• What is slowing you down?

• Are there any features or pop-ups you find distracting?

• What is confusing about your website and the donation process?

• Is there anything you can remove without affecting your messaging?

• How long does it take you to complete a donation?

Mistakes can cost you conversions. Never assume you got your updates right the first time—
always test them to be sure. It is difficult to bring donors back once you have tarnished your
credibility through a preventable mistake.

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 CONCLUSION

Designing and implementing an engaging website is a significant task—especially when your

staff is already busy running your organization. You cannot afford to sacrifice quality for speed
and convenience. Choose website features that are simple and efficient. When you have a
straightforward website, you can invite your donors into your mission without confusing them,
which will increase your conversions and build lasting relationships.

If you don’t have the time to handle all your website components by yourself, let us know. From
web design to final assessments, 212 Media Studios can see your website to completion. We’ll
work with your organization to maximize your conversion rates and ensure you get the revenue
you need to continue serving your community.

REFERENCES

1. https://www.techsoupcanada.ca/en/learning_centre/articles/top-10-elements-effective-nonprofit-website
2. https://www.worldvision.org/
3. https://optinmonster.com/nonprofits-boost-year-end-donations-popups/

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Email info@212mediastudios.com
Phone 574.269-0720
Web nonprofit.212mediastudios.com