Online Fundraising Basics: Lesson 3
We’ve taken a look at some online giving options for your nonprofit. As you move forward, make sure you’re doing things right by creating the best possible donation webpage.
Donating to your organization should be easy. Use a button with the “Donate,” “Give,” or “Support” on it that links directly to the giving page. Make sure it is prominently featured on your website homepage and social media profiles. Don’t make your donors hunt for a way to give!
If your organization doesn’t have a website, don’t worry. A third-party platform can host it for you. Then you can include a link in emails and social media that takes supporters directly to the donation webpage.
What You Need On A Donation Webpage
Many donors will come to your website prepared to give. Here are some best practices to optimize your donation webpage:
- Simplify
Ask for only the information you need and nothing more. If you slow people down too much, they will leave the page without donating. - Branding
Use your organization’s logo and colors to assure your donors the information they submit is going to your nonprofit and not somewhere else. Make sure the logo is high quality and easily visible so you give donors extra confidence. - Compelling imagery
Good pictures help keep donors emotionally connected to your cause. - Consistency
Use similar images, messages, and headlines to those in your campaign materials and emails. Being consistent reinforces the cause that engaged the donor in the first place. - Security
In addition to knowing their donation is going to the right place, donors want to know their information is secure. Make sure your payment processor uses appropriate security measures, such as PCI compliance and data encryption. A cleanly designed, professional donation page with an icon indicating security measures are being taken will boost donors’ confidence so they continue with their donation. - Defaults
A lot of online giving is impulse giving, but impulses can be fleeting. Capture the impulse by simplifying the decision-making process. Provide default giving amounts so people can just fill out a simple form, select an amount, and click “Donate.” - Mobile friendly
People use their mobile devices to make donations from any location. Make sure your donation page is operable on phones and tablets so people can easily enter their information and donate. - Recurring giving
Provide a way for donors to make recurring gifts. Recurring gifts can increase your long-term online fundraising performance and monthly revenue predictability. They also improve the likelihood of retaining donors over a longer period of time.
Help For Accepting Donations
To learn more, check out this article at NPEngage.com for some donation form tips. Also, take a look at the other great information they offer nonprofits.
How To Launch Your Donation Page
Don’t miss an opportunity to receive an online donation, especially the first gift. Statistically, it is far more difficult to acquire a new donor than it is to maintain or renew someone who has already given. Learn how to launch your online donations platform in our next lesson.