When I ask my clients their top three actions they want someone to take on their website…DONATE is always #1. As a charity, there is obviously a practical reason for this but have you stopped to think more about why and how focusing your website to be donor focused will level up your visitor experience as a whole?

This week we explore the ways a donor focused website supports ALL desired actions for your charity (not just a donation).

So what is a “DONOR FOCUSED WEBSITE”?

You might have run across these terms unethical designers like to throw out rush a deal… UX (user experience) and UI (user interface). When it comes to design… layout, intuitive placement of items, color theory and some of the now subconscious locations and expectations visitors have when they arrive at a website are these UX and UI elements.

So UI (user interface) is how well the visitor and the website communicate with each other. The programing, the heavier engineering bits. UX is literally how pleasant was the experience. Was everything where it needed to be? Did all the links work? Was it well organized? These are all easy items to check off for most website designers.

What charities + nonprofits NEED to do is change the UX, to be DONOR FOCUSED.

What we do with a donor focused website is disrupt traditional UX (but leave subconscious expectations of UI) and push it to be specifically DONOR FOCUSED. How does a potential donor go through the site? What is a corporate sponsors experience like? Pleasant? Are they seeing everything they need to see to trust your charity? Are they hearing your passion, potential, seeing your need?

Ultimately we are addressing the main reasons someone will give to a charity. We looked at their “avatars” on this blog. HERE IS THE SECRET! These reasons actually support ANY OTHER efforts of wooing foundations, gathering volunteers + enticing partners.

THOSE AVATARS ARE

#1 FIRST LEVEL

SUBSTITUTE YOUR “CONTACT” PLACEMENT FOR “DONATE”

There are always a few spots on a website that are just begging for a “contact button”. It”s a simple substitution, change it to DONATE.

This helps potential donors quickly donate yes.. but you are just as likely to get clicks from foundations, corporate partners, volunteers etc interested in your giving levels. They want to know what levels of investment support what in your cause. Remember those impact statements and how important they are. If $100 helps fund the training of a volunteer and $500 covers travel for a treatment… say it on your donation form!

DIRECT UX FOR DONORS
INDIRECT UX FOR FOUNDATIONS, VOLUNTEERS + PARTNERS

#2 SECOND LEVEL

LEVEL UP PICTURES OF YOUR CAUSE TO SITE + SOCIAL

Use quality + brand aligned images of your cause. Sometimes these are hard to come by, however, you can still use some of my favorite free sources www.unsplash.com and www.pexels.com to pull images that look like you. As you are pulling consider what your donor wants to see and your TONE. What are your trying to communicate? Urgency? Fear? Hope? Action? Find images that also communicate that. Look for similar colors to what is in your logo and branding. HINT HINT

Make sure to also share real images (no matter the quality) on all social media and even connect those feeds in proper places on your website.

Donors will want to see who you are helping and this will help spur them to make a donation. Nothing like a cute puppy face, a diverse group of event attendees or an adorable child to open hearts and pockets. Foundations and corporate partners will need this data subconsciously to help decide if they want to align with your organization and volunteers will stalk photos for what volunteering looks like to your organization and how appreciative you are publicly to those who give their time and treasure.

INDIRECT UX FOR DONORS, FOUNDATIONS, VOLUNTEERS + PARTNERS

#3 THIRD LEVEL

PUT YOUR BADGES OF TRANSPARENCY + AWARDS ON DISPLAY

When it comes to nonprofit transparency, morals + awards, its not cute or helpful to play humble. SHARE IT. You must!

Sharing openly allows those who need verification for tax or trust to do their own digging. And for those who don’t need to do their own “research” being forthright is admirable.

Share those annual reports too. All of the financial proof the better. Nonprofit status, badges, awards. Put this in your footer and prominently in your donation acknowledgements. Donors + Foundations want to see this for their assurances. Partners + Volunteers need to see this to make sure they are aligning themselves with a trustworthy organization.

DIRECT UX FOR DONORS + FOUNDATIONS
INDIRECT UX FOR VOLUNTEERS + PARTNERS

#4 FORTH LEVEL

ADD IMPACT STORIES + TESTIMONIALS

Add an extra layer of legitimacy to your charity with not only impact stats but real examples of your impact and change.

This is important for those who want to make an impact on their community or for your cause.

Sharing touching stories will engage visceral responses from everyone (donors, foundations, volunteers + partners) and help to not only communicate the need but also why you are better than others. They all will want to know the real people, fur babies, or communities you have touched… share it.

DIRECT UX FOR DONORS, FOUNDATIONS, VOLUNTEERS + PARTNERS

CONGRATS! YOU LEVLED UP!

It’s NOT ONLY important to do these + address these AVATARS on the website but consistently in ALL that you do.
Events, social media + programing.

REMEMBER

Consistency represents stability

DONORS WILL NOT GIVE TO YOU IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A CLEAR IDENTITY THAT IS CONSISTENT. Why? Because you look flaky AF.

Consistency represents stability so you want everything to appear intentional and DEFINITELY NOT haphazard, rushed or unprofessional! 

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