Thanks to the World Wide Web, expanding your organization’s mission to a worldwide audience is now possible. Besides endless dog videos and shopping cart abandonment on Amazon, the seamless nature of online interactions can expose different causes to various communities. This allows patrons and supporters from across the globe to get to know your mission and intention to fund your operation—I mean it’s pretty cool this wasn’t even possible 30 years ago! However, just because internet connectivity makes websites easier to access, doesn’t mean your donation page should just be bare bones.
Your supporters are eager beavers to donate to your organization’s mission but they may have difficulties navigating your payment portal. This can lead to halts and delays in their experience of supporting you. Or worse, just like those bedsheets you’ve had in your Amazon cart for three weeks, they might lose interest and forget about you. Remember that there’s an art and science to setting up a donation page!
So, let us share four *sweet* tips on how to make a donation page really stands out!
How to Create an Effective Donation Page
1. Simplicity in Site Elements
When online users browse the internet, they’re bombarded with numerous elements that can distract them from what they want to achieve. Pop-ups, related products, sponsored ads, it’s a smorgasbord of overwhelm! It’s why many people make side purchases when shopping on eCommerce websites. (We’ve all had that last minute impulse buy…)
If you want your site visitors to comfortably digest your organization’s mission, remove as many distractions as possible. You can do this by simplifying your footer design, relocating ads to the right places, hiding your social media icons, and optimizing white spaces. Remember that your donation page should be the start of your website since it will allow site visitors to actively contribute to your cause.
2. Appealing Donation Links and Buttons
Simplifying your site buttons serves to make your donation links and calls to action easier to spot. Since your website might have several calls to action like volunteering, campaigns, or events, you need to direct your patrons to the right buttons with ease.
People should see your donation link in just under a second of loading your landing pages. Typically, the most successful placement for your “donate” button on your landing page is next to the top part of the navigation. It’s said that people usually remember the first or the last thing in a series, use this psychology (that we didn’t make up!) to your advantage by placing your button as last in your navigation menu. This makes it easier for site visitors to spot and engage with.
Related Post: The Psychology of Color in Marketing and Branding
3. A Compelling Story
Every non-profit organization has its roots in telling a compelling story—hello, it’s why ya started! It can be a passionate tale of realizing the world’s difficulty with climate change or needing bike lanes and safe commuter policies in your local community. No matter how large or small your goal is, it’s important to present it to an online audience briefly and compellingly.
Highlight the early beginnings of your organization and how you intend to make actionable changes to an issue. Allow your prospective patrons to have an assurance of your promise to serve. You can do this by providing updates through newsletters or giving your thanks through every subscription or donation.
4. Clear Instructions and Calls to Action
Getting to your donation page is one thing, but instructing your site visitors is another ball game! This is why it’s important to craft your donation page with clear invitations to perform specific actions. It can be an invitation to share a post, support a particular community, or donate to affiliated banks. The easier to follow your instructions are, the fewer apprehensions your patrons will have in supporting your goals.
Utilize Your Online Presence
Maintaining an online presence is as vital to businesses as it is for your non-profit organization. By utilizing these digital spaces, you’ll have more opportunities to spread your mission to a broader audience. This allows you to bridge the gap between different online users and build a positive community that can make a difference.
Telling your non-profit organization’s story is a essential aspect of spreading your mission to a wider audience. With our team at Honey Creative, we can give you the right tools to navigate online spaces and spread the good word of your advocacy! If you’re looking for an accessible website designer to optimize your digital platforms, contact us today!
