Your Nonprofit Website Isn’t Generating Donations? Here are 6 possible solutions
Published by Incomedia in Guides and Tips · Thursday 22 Apr 2021
As technology has seemingly seeped into every crevice of our lives, it has become inevitably harder for every business to shy away from it. The sheer benefits that come from embracing technology far outweigh any other reason to avoid it.
Nonprofits have been on the opposite end of this spectrum. While many have benefited hugely from the advent of the internet and media, nonprofits have only recently entered the fray. Gone are the days when reliance on traditional means of communication would work. The importance of phone calls and emails has diminished heavily in today’s world.
The best nonprofits have realized that the way to survive and even thrive is through effective engagement on the internet. This is why when you start a nonprofit, you have to put in massive efforts to create well-thought-out websites and use digital marketing more effectively.
Why go digital?
The most important aspect of going digital is the fact that organizations do not have to invest as heavily as they do in traditional marketing campaigns. A website and a digital marketing campaign cost a fraction of traditional ones. Their reach is also significantly wider. Statistics show that internet fundraising rose by 21% in 2020, and by 32% in the last 3 years.
Benefits of having a website
Through an optimized website, nonprofit organizations can benefit heavily. In this section of the article, we shall take an in-depth look at these benefits and help you understand why a good website is a must.
Why is having a website crucial?
Through a website, users can come and learn everything they need to know about a nonprofit. From the number of volunteers to their mission statement; every piece of information can and should be found on the website. A website should be the center of any nonprofit’s brand.
To make your website as effective as possible, take a look at some of the pointers below. Incorporating these into your website will enhance its reach and you are likely to get more conversions due to it.
- Have a donation page or form on your website: Perhaps one of the biggest advantages of having a website is that you can put up a donation form or perhaps even have a dedicated donation page on it. Ensure that your form or page is optimized for mobile, and it greatly increases your chance of receiving donations from donors. The best part is that donation forms are easy to embed into your website and manage as well!
- Have the latest information displayed: An updated website is perhaps the most important aspect of having one in the first place. You want to ensure that it does not look like an archaic site with little to no relevant information. Having up-to-date information on your website is the key. You do not ask donors to come to your website only for them to find out that there is no recent accomplishment or a progress report. You should ensure that there is a dedicated space on your website that showcases the nonprofit’s progress and goals. Doing this boosts engagement and people will want to get involved.
- Engagement with the audience: When you are looking to attract people to your website you want to give them a reason to interact with the website. Interaction could range from something as little as giving the website an email id, to something as big as donating. While the latter might be uncommon, the former is a good way to lure visitors in the long run. You can offer visitors invites to events and newsletters in exchange for their contact details.
- Content: “Content is the King” is a very frequently used term in the world of digital marketing and rightfully so. Having informative and creative content is what drives visitors to reach out and inquire. It is the best way to engage with the internet folks. The content that you publish has to be continuous. The internet is a very reactionary place and trends start very frequently. Pushing out good content regularly is considered a best practice. Nonprofits should aim to curate content that their donors enjoy and publish it frequently.
- Mobile optimization: In a study, it was noted that around 53% of all internet users were using a mobile platform. This is because telecom networks have started reducing the rates of data by a huge margin. There is also the factor of smartphones being cheaper than laptops or desktops. These factors have been a major reason why mobile optimization is key. Most websites are built with desktops in mind, but ensuring that your site has good functionality for mobile devices will help you in the long run. Having a site that is optimized for mobile simply means you will be able to reach out to more people.
- Social media: Perhaps the key to everything, social media rules the world today, and being active on social media will help drive traffic back to your website. The goal of using social media is to grab the attention of the users. Having a social media account that is active and stays engaged with many users is very beneficial. You can also have social sharing tools, i.e. embed icons on your website. Doing this allows visitors to share your website with their networks. It is also a good idea to make the website first if you are going to start a nonprofit, and then promote it using your social media.
Final Notes
Having a website can undoubtedly help nonprofits. Reaching people through the internet is an effortless way to ensure the growth of your nonprofit and websites are the key to the endeavor. Ensuring that you have a strong web presence, and also offer your donors the ability to donate through your website can go a long way in helping you reach your goals.
Do you want to get donations via website? Try our free Option Object right away and follow our partner DonorBox’s tips.