Nonprofits ask us all the time: “how can I raise more money through our website?” Although there are many moving pieces to the answer, there are several donation page best practices that will help raise more money online.
Our team has compiled a list of features from the best nonprofit donation pages on the web so that you can create a donation page template for your organization that rocks!
Use Compelling Imagery on Your Donation Page
To put it simply, do not make the donor read your page. Compel them to support your mission with imagery.
Preferably use a human that is looking directly at the camera. Studies show that website users are immediately connected to humans. So, an image of humans will draw the donor in and reinforce why they are donating in the first place.
Your Donation Page Title
The headline on the page should be short and catch your attention.
The purpose is to get the donor to read the initial content on the page and start a flow of working their eyes down the page.
First Two Sentences
The first two sentences of the page are critical to orienting the donor and reinforcing the donation process.
The copy focus on:
- Reinforcing the donor’s initial intentions to donate. Remind them what they are doing
- Reminding the donor of the impact their donation will make
- Reminding the donor of the larger problem that they are solving by supporting your organization
Donor Quotes and Testimonials
Quotes and testimonials support the credibility of your mission and organization. They can also speak to the impact that your work has had on their lives.
Quotes are best if they come from an individual that is impacted by your work, or a well-known or well-respected person (maybe a celebrity) that supports your work.
Donation Page Security and Privacy
Remind the donor that you respect their privacy and personal data. More than ever donors are aware that their personal and financial data is vulnerable online, so make sure they know they can trust your organization.
It’s critical that your donation page is served over https.
You can also reinforce this by ensuring donors that your organization does not sell personal data to any 3rd parties.
Include a Form on a Branded Donation Pages
Include your donation form on a branded donation page. Do not send donors to a third party page that has different layout and design from your website.
Donation pages that have the same branding as your website generate 6x more donations than those that don’t.
When donors go to a page that looks completely different from your site it is jarring, and often creates issues with trust. Both of these issues will lead to increased drop off rate.
Provide Recurring Donation Options
Always give the donor an option to make their gift recurring on the donation form. Recurring gifts help provide your organization a steady flow of revenue.
Also, research shows that donors that give recurring gifts versus one-time gifts usually end up giving more over the course of the year.
If a donor considers a donation to your organization as part of their monthly budget, it is a clear sign they are advocates for your cause. They can be your most valuable donors.
Establish Trust on the Donation Page
Reinforce that your organization is responsible with your donor funds.
Use banners or badges from watch dog organizations like Charity Navigator, GuideStar or the Better Business Bureau to prove to your donors that their funds are going to good use.
Mobile Responsive Donation Pages
According to research, mobile donations made up almost 18% of all online donations in 2016. More importantly, this number is growing rapidly each year as consumers become more comfortable making purchases on their mobile devices. Allowing users to donate on their mobile devices is critical.
Remove Navigation From the Page
Navigation will distract users (Squirrel!). Remove your main navigation from your landing page so that prospective donors don’t leave.
One Step Further…
Your donation page is one very important part to raising money online. But, there are additional pieces as well. Download our guide to building a whole website that will help you raise more money online.