The donation page is arguably the most important part of any charity website. No matter what type of charity or non-profit organization you run, there is always a common denominator. Donations.
The impact your organization is able to make within its sphere of influence is directly proportional to the funds it has available to do so. As such, it only makes sense to spend quite a bit of time considering the look, feel, layout, and functionality of your online donation page.
People consume information differently online. So, while a certain approach may work when you engage with a prospective donor in person, it may not be effective on a digital platform. It all comes down to understanding what works in the online space, and what doesn’t.
Fortunately, we’ve got a handy guide to help you increase the conversion rates on your charity’s online donation page right here!
Here is your concise guide to creating an appealing donation page that will convert casual web visitors to engaged donors:
More than half of web users browse the net from their mobile phones. This means that you need to make sure that your donation page looks good and operates effectively from a mobile interface. It has to be just as appealing as it would be in a desktop format, and be just as simple to use (if not simpler!)
If you are starting from scratch, advise your web designer to design with mobile in mind. I.e. use large, easily legible text, and keep the layout mostly vertical.
Make sure that your online donation form features your organization's branding quite prominently. This just helps prospective donors to be sure that they are in fact donating to your cause, and not another.
In short, design the form to look and feel like your website, using the same color scheme, font, and imagery throughout.
By the time a prospective donor gets to the donation page of your website, they are likely to understand your NPO and what you stand for. However, charitable donations are a very emotional thing. As such, it helps to add a small mission statement here as well.
Don’t inundate your reader with lots of text to wade through before they can action their donation. Keep it short and simple.
For instance: Thank you for considering making a donation to Charity XYZ. Your contribution, no matter how big or small, will go towards making a tangible difference in <insert cause>. It may seem like a little thing to you, but it’s of enormous importance to us. Without people like you, we aren’t able to do the good work we do in our community.
When a web user lands on your donation page, you want them to be clear that this is where they can make their contribution. As such, you should use the valuable real estate at the top of the page to indicate this clearly.
Use a concise, yet compelling headline, e.g. ‘Donate here to create change today’, or simply ‘Donate today’ alongside an emotive image that suits your cause.
In order to donate to your cause online, prospective donors have to share some very sensitive information. As such, it's important to assure them that this data (including their banking details, ID, and address) will be handled with the utmost care and discretion.
After all, people are far more likely to support your organization if they know that your data security is up to scratch. One of the most effective ways to do so is by placing security certification icons on the bottom of your form.
Getting a user to this page on your website is no small feat. Because of this, you need to be singular about its focus. Don’t distract them with confusing navigation or information unrelated to the process of donating. Keep things clear and consistent. It’s best practice to remove sidebars, navigation tools, and anything else that could detract from your main goal on this particular web page.
Filling in personal information and baking details is a chore that most web users don’t relish. So, make sure that your form is very easy to fill in. There must be no instances where a prospective donor has to fill in the same information twice. The shorter and easier it is to complete, the less likely you are to encounter abandoned donations, or rack up a high bounce rate on this page.
It helps to work with a seasoned web professional when it comes to the layout of your donation page and web form in particular. They know where to put the buttons, how to structure the content and create a cohesive flow that will logically guide the user from one task to the next. This way, the end result will be a page that is easy and intuitive to use.
While it is very important to get as much data on your donors as possible, the donation page is not the place to do it. Instead, make it quick and easy to make a donation, and rather reach out to find out more about the donor at a later stage. You want your benefactors to know that you value their time.
The donation page on your website should be tailored for optimal conversion to ensure that your charity gets the funds it needs to create change in your community. Start by ensuring that your design is responsive, and be pedantic about branding consistency. Provide a concise mission statement, leverage the real estate at the top of the page, and make your donation form as secure as possible.
With these best practices, you’re bound to boost your donation page conversion rate in no time!
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