5 keys to online fundraising success -... - V@g38

"How Web Design Can Improve Your Online Fundraising Categorized as: Online Donations, Online Fundraising, Webdesign by Elizabeth Beachy A lot of non-profits have online donation pages but complain that they still receive very few donations. Why? There are several reasons that could explain the lack of online giving ranging from low traffic to a poorly designed website. In essence, to be effective your entire online communication strategy must be built around increasing donations, which has implications regarding how your website is designed and what information you offer. Below are five keys to online fundraising success. While some of them sound intuitive, a recent study of non-profit websites found that a surprising number of them do not meet these criteria. Potential donors were left feeling frustrated and discouraged from donating. To keep that from happening to your potential donors, take another look at your site: 1. Does your website clearly outline who you are, what your mission is, and who you serve? The key here is that the answers to these three questions must be readily available. You shouldn’t have to dig for them, they should be apparent on the front page of the website. Site visitors often stay just 1-2 minutes, and want quick answers. Less than half of all non-profit sites studied in a Non-Profit Donation Usability Survey clearly answered these questions on their homepages, and difficulty navigating a site and finding information was the number one reported “donation killer”. If you need to tweak your site, try to keep your text short and succinct, and use photos to help communicate who your target audience is. Make your impact tangible so visitors can connect immediately with what you do. 2. Does your site appeal to visitors on an emotional level? Studies have demonstrated that statistics and rational arguments don’t drive online donations– stories of real people do. Visitors need to be able to connect with real people on an emotional level,... more... - V@g38 from Bookmarklet