Step up Your Donation Pages
Joanne Toller, CFRE (Ret.)
30 Years of Nonprofit Consulting, Coaching, and Courses—Still No T-Shirt, But Plenty of Impact ??
You've got a great cause and an amazing mission; now it's time to step up your donation page to encourage people to give. Donation landing pages for most nonprofits, charities, and foundations are the bread and butter of their online presence. A website donation page needs to make an excellent first impression on donors to encourage website donations that will sustain your organization's mission. The key is making it stand out from the competition.
But where do you start? It can be daunting to investigate creating donation pages for nonprofits from scratch. Don't worry – we've compiled some tips and inspiring donation page examples from other nonprofits, charities and foundations.
Some Fun Facts: The average online donation is $177. 51% of wealthy donors prefer to donate online, and branded donation pages on a nonprofit website raise six times more money.
?Step up Your URL
You should choose a domain name or URL slug for your donation landing page or donation pages for fundraising that is easy to remember, easy to spell and SEO friendly. If you are raising money for domestic violence, be sure to include it in the domain to help boost search results. In addition, your URL should start with HTTPS.
Step up Your Copywriting and Design
Use catchy headlines that grab people's attention and draw them in. Make sure your copy speaks directly to potential donors. Explain why donations are essential for your cause and how they can help you reach your goals. Keep it short and sweet; no one wants to read an essay on why you need their money!
Another vital component of donation page design is imagery. A Picture is worth a thousand words. Just be careful of file size so you don't slow down your load speed.?
Step Up Your Call to Action
The best donation pages use creative and catchy language for the call to action (CTA) that inspires community members to give. To ensure your message resonates with readers, craft a unique CTA that speaks directly to them. Choose phrases that emphasize the value of their contribution by highlighting the positive impact your organization will be able to make because of the support you receive. Remember, donations aren't just gifts but investments in critical causes and communities.?
Step up your donation form
Keep contact information and payment forms simple. Ensure they are optimized for all devices and aim for as few clicks as possible by adding payment options like PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Shoot for requesting as few required fields as possible. Finally, include recurring gift options and tribute options and use pre-select donation amounts or donation tiers.?
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Step up Your Other Fundraising Efforts
There are so many other creative ways to give back, so include additional ways to give support.
Step up Your Mobile Game
Mobile devices account for over 26% of digital donations, and mobile-friendly donation pages yield 34% more gifts. It has never been more critical to ensure that your donation page looks great – no matter what size screen. A mobile-friendly donation page will look professional on small screens and make it easier for donors to give back at the click of a button.
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Step up Your Accessibility
Ensure your nonprofit donation page is accessible and inclusive of people with disabilities by ensuring the colours used on the page are contrasting enough for people with low vision. All navigation should include HTML text labels so that screen readers can interpret content accurately. Use captions and alt text for images and ensure data tables and forms have built-in accessibility features like 'labels' or dropdowns. This will ensure it remains unreadable by those who rely on screen readers.
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Step up Your Next Steps
In addition to a thank-you email, include a thank-you message redirect as soon as someone submits their payment information. A secondary page will show donors that you appreciate their support and let them know that you're grateful for their contributions. You could also include social share links and encourage donors to promote your campaigns with their networks.
Here are some final tips for stepping up your donation page game:
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An effective donation page is essential for any nonprofit organization looking to raise funds for its cause. Plenty of inspiring donation page templates are available online that can help you create one of your own. By keeping these tips in mind when creating your donation page, you can ensure that it stands out from the competition and engages potential donors in meaningful ways. With creativity and passion, you can craft a unique donation page that will step up your fundraising game.
Need help with your donation page? We do that! Give us a call at The Cause Specialists.