8 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Designing a Nonprofit Website
The proper web design practices can work wonders for your nonprofit organization and website. This allows you to deliver your desired results by boosting your online presence. You also need to provide high-quality content that your audience finds helpful.
More than ever, it’s essential to connect virtually in a highly digital world. Your nonprofit organization must leave a positive mark on your website. Even better, for your site to inspire action among donors and members.
Think about your site as a place where you compel the most dedicated volunteers you haven’t met yet. This could be your chance for people to fall in love with your organization.
Your site could be a deciding factor between someone joining as a member of your community to clicking away to look for a different organization to offer their support. It is best to avoid these most common website mistakes for your nonprofit site.
Check out these eight most common site mistakes:
1. Non-responsive web design
An unresponsive website is another crucial factor to consider if you want to boost your conversion rates. A responsive site makes it easier for users to read your content and take action.
At Sytian Productions web developer philippines we always tell clients to ensure that their nonprofit website should display correctly on mobile devices since many people are now using their mobile devices to browse online. You might miss out on many conversions if your site isn’t responsive.
2. Unclear messaging
There might also be times wherein the wrong message can miss the mark. Just like having a clear call to action, there needs to be clearer messaging to prevent potential donors and members from leaving.
When writing your messaging, a great rule of thumb is to put yourself in your site visitors’ shoes. Why should they care, and how will it make them care? Make sure that you include details that are both necessary and relevant. You should also be concise with your site copy and be intentional with your wording.
3. Underestimated content preparation
A site with useful and meaningful content is effective. Great content is crucial to provide an excellent site for users.
Allowing your content to resonate with your audience can be done via content mapping. Ideally, it’s a user journey tool for prospective visitors to let them see the right content at the right time. This content map nurtures visitors to see the relevant information depending on what behavioral stage they’re in.
Content mapping will lead visitors to a specific destination and usually has three main categories:
Awareness: During this stage, the visitor knows what a particular problem, cause, or opportunity is. They might be visiting your site for the first time or looking for information about you and their problems.
What content ideas needed to be created to keep them informed?
- Content that engages their curiosity
- Catchy content
- Explanatory content
- Informative content
Consideration: At this stage, users know that problem or opportunity and the key problems that often come with it. They’re reviewing or evaluating their options. Here are some content ideas that can help them during this stage:
- Evaluative content
- Comparative content
Decision: The visitor already has a definite solution or approach to dealing with the issue. Here are content that makes it easy for them to follow through with their decision:
- Promotional content
- Sales related content
4. No ‘About Us’ page
You can also dedicate a page on your site explaining what your organization is about. This includes your company history, your mission, accomplishments, and goals. It should also be evident for people who visit your site for the first time to know what your organization does and where all the fundraising money goes.
Just because your homepage does an excellent job of including all the essential information doesn’t mean prospective donors or members don’t want a back story.
5. Lack of calls to action
Online donations play a vital role in any nonprofit site. Many sites need to hide their donation buttons and make it clear for people to donate to your site.
Your site should include a clear call to action, such as a donate button on the top navigation or a prominent place on every page. CTA buttons guide your site visitors to take the proper path.
An excellent nonprofit site allows users to give a prompt online donation and helps stakeholders take the right action. On the critical pages of your site, you want to add the right CTAs to guide visitors toward the right goal.
You can provide a newsletter sign-up for your general supporters and partners to collect their email addresses. This is a fantastic way to follow up with them, sharing news and events.
6. Autoplay videos, music, or pop-ups
Other common site design mistakes many nonprofits should avoid are autoplay videos, music, and pop-ups. If you hired a web design agency to help you out and the videos are still on autoplay, you should have a serious conversation with your agency.
Autoplaying videos can annoy visitors, driving them away from your site. Not only are they intrusive, but they can also be overwhelming and distracting.
Moreover, autoplay features quickly consume bandwidth and slow down other content loadings, causing visitors to leave your site because of poor performance.
Similarly, autoplay videos, music, and pop-ups also hurt your search engine rankings. Google, for instance, penalize sites that use these strategies by ranking them low on search results.
7. Lengthy donation form
A well-designed online donation page can be the ultimate decider of whether users go through with the donation or exit the page without thinking about it.
One of the main reasons people don’t complete a donation, even if they’re genuinely interested or passionate about a cause, is that they’re too complicated or take too long.
8. Slow loading
Never build a slow-loading site. Users will abandon your site if it doesn’t load within a few seconds. Your hosting capacity and the complexity and richness of the data on the page determine your site’s loading speed.
So, if you have a slow-loading site, it’s because you’re loading large images, have too many redirects, or may have installed a lot of unnecessary plug-ins.
Over to You
The proper web design practices can work wonders for your nonprofit organization and website. This allows you to deliver your desired results by boosting your online presence. You also need to provide high-quality content that your audience finds helpful. Good luck!
FAQ
What Makes a Good Nonprofit Website Design?
Clear messaging, user-friendly navigation, and a strong call to action.
How Important is Mobile Responsiveness?
Essential, as many users access websites via mobile devices.
What Features are Crucial for a Nonprofit Website?
Donation buttons, event calendars, and volunteer information.
How Can Nonprofit Websites Best Showcase Their Mission?
Through impactful imagery and compelling storytelling.
What Role Does Color Scheme Play in Website Design?
It sets the emotional tone and should align with branding.
Should Nonprofit Websites Include Social Proof?
Yes, testimonials and success stories build credibility.
How Can Nonprofits Optimize Websites for Donations?
Make the donation process simple and secure.
What’s the Best Way to Display Contact Information?
Clearly and accessibly, preferably in the header or footer.
How Often Should a Nonprofit Update Their Website?
Regularly, to keep content fresh and relevant.
Should Nonprofit Websites Be SEO Optimized?
Yes, to increase visibility and reach a wider audience.
How Can Nonprofit Websites Utilize Multimedia?
Videos and images can effectively convey the impact of the organization’s work.
What’s the Importance of Blogging on a Nonprofit Website?
Blogs can provide updates, stories, and engage the community.
Should Nonprofit Websites Include Financial Transparency?
Financial transparency can increase donor trust and credibility.
How Can Websites Facilitate Volunteer Recruitment?
Include a dedicated section for volunteer information and sign-up.
What Accessibility Features are Important for Nonprofit Websites?
Screen reader compatibility and easy navigation for all users.
How Can Nonprofit Websites Encourage Community Involvement?
By featuring upcoming events and information on how to get involved.
What Security Features are Necessary for Nonprofit Websites?
Secure donation processing and protection of donor data are critical.
How Should Nonprofit Websites Handle Donor Data?
With strict privacy controls and in compliance with data protection laws.
What Role Does Effective Copywriting Play in Nonprofit Websites?
Clear, compelling copy is crucial for engaging visitors and conveying the mission.
Can Nonprofit Websites Benefit from SEO?
Yes, SEO can improve visibility and attract more visitors and potential donors.
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