Maybe you’re in the midst of working on a list of New Year’s resolutions, or maybe you’re just contemplating how you might do some things differently in 2015. In either case, the beginning of the year is a great time to reflect on the past and consider taking some new strides in the year ahead. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of six tips to build a solid nonprofit website presence in 2015.
1. First impressions really are the most important.
Just like in life, you only get one chance to make a first impression on your nonprofit website. The difference on the web is that you have less than three seconds to do it. Studies show that if your site takes longer than three seconds to load, you could potentially lose 50 percent of your would-be audience to page abandonment. All this to say that in 2015, it’s worth investing some additional resources to ensure your pages are optimized. If you’d like to pinpoint exactly what’s slowing you down, check out tools like PageSpeed Insights from Google, GTMetrix.com, and Dotcom-Monitor. GTMetrix.com not only shows you exactly what is slowing you down, but if your images are causing the problem, this tool will provide you with compressed versions of each of your images. If your focus is international, Dotcom-Monitor allows you to see average load times of your site in different cities around the world.
2. Leave no one behind.
As we’ve mentioned in the past, a responsive template is critical to a successful web presence. If you’re entering 2015 without a mobile template on your nonprofit website, you’re likely alienating a significant portion of users. If you’re currently using an open source CMS, free and commercial responsive templates abound, so there’s no reason not to make the switch. If you’re using WordPress, check out our post on free responsive themes for a few good options.
3. Show, don’t tell.
Think about the last time you made a donation. What was it that compelled you to give? Did you feel a sense of empathy for those who were being served? Images and video can oftentimes convey raw emotions that are difficult to describe in words. The use of powerful images and video can effectively communicate the needs of your organization and draw visitors in to your site.
Not only are images and video powerful, but they’re becoming increasingly easier to obtain. In February 2014, Nielsen published the U.S. Digital Consumer Report, revealing that as of September, 2013, 65% of Americans owned a smartphone. That means that over a year ago, 65% of all Americans were walking around with a handheld still and video camera a majority of the time. With so many affordable and free image editing tools at your disposal (we’ll share some of these in a future post) and regular access to photo/video equipment on your phone, publishing a few quality images on your website is a must. You can also offer a steady stream of imagery using an Instagram feed or links to your social media profiles on your site.
4. Quality is king.
Quality content is the key ingredient for SEO in 2015. SEO has changed dramatically in the past few years, and Google has made countless changes to their algorithm since the early days of online search. Going all the way back to Google’s Florida update in 2003, which caused many businesses to lose their standing in the SERPs due to black hat SEO tactics, Google aimed to provide high quality, relevant content to its users. As we’ve seen with their more recent Hummingbird and Panda updates, it’s obvious that Google continues to take significant strides to this end. What this means for us in 2015 is that the keyword-stuffing, content farming, and link building schemes that once improved your rank in the SERPs, will only serve to hurt you today. In 2015, the focus needs to be on quality content that will draw people to your nonprofit website, reveal your expertise, and cause them to share your content with users who will find it equally relevant.
5. Keep it simple.
Never make a user guess how to get back to “that page that said something about…”. Your users should be able to intuitively determine which main menu item will get them to the content they’re searching for on your nonprofit website. Think about the key reasons a visitor might arrive at your site. Is she making a donation? Is she interested in learning more about your organization? Does she require some type of service? No matter what brought her to your site, she should see a specific call to action during her visit. For example, let’s say the user is simply looking for more information about your organization. A newsletter opt-in form on the pages he’s most likely to visit would provide a clear call to action, which will allow him to get the information he wants. On the other hand, if the user is looking for services, perhaps you’ll have a “Call now” box with a large phone number, or maybe a sign-up form on the page describing your services. Whatever the call to action is, it needs to be specific and clear: “Sign up for our Newsletter,” “Call Today,” “Share this,” “Make a Donation,” “Join our Facebook page,” …and the list goes on. Think about what you want your users to do, and direct them through your site to achieve those results.
6. Don’t be shy.
It’s no mystery that fundraising is a critical step to effectively carry out your mission. Chances are, you got involved with, or started your nonprofit because the cause resonated with you. Think about all of the reasons why you chose to invest yourself in the work you’re carrying out, and communicate that to those who visit your site. But don’t just tell them why your work is so important, invite them to get involved using your donate button. As a nonprofit entity that relies on the generous gifts of your supporters, your donate button needs to be a prominent element of your homepage. For more information about effectively collecting online funds, read our Four Elements of a Successful Donation Experience.