If you’re a nonprofit, you’re a motivated difference-maker—there’s no doubt of that! You make a meaningful impact on your community and juggle multiple hats within your organization. On any given week, you can be hosting an event to bring awareness to your cause while also planning a donation drive the next. You know how to make things happen on a shoestring budget, and you’re an expert in both policy and signing up volunteers.
However, with all that knowledge and care, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when it comes to creating a nonprofit marketing strategy. Marketing your cause is essential, but you might not know where to start, who to ask, or even what to prioritize. One of the best places where nonprofits can start honing their marketing strategy is their website.
A well-designed website can be an incredible tool for nonprofit organizations, as it’s the foundation of your digital impact. It’s the modern world’s hub for learning more about your cause, getting involved, and donating. So, it’s paramount to have a website that truly puts your nonprofit’s best foot forward. So, how do you even start using web design to amp up your nonprofit marketing strategy? Breathe easy—we have you covered! In this article, we share how web design can help you push your nonprofit’s goals forward and show how you can improve your nonprofit’s web design in five easy ways. Soon, your mission will be reaching all corners of the digital sphere and making a real-world impact— read on!
Why is Web Design Important for Nonprofit Marketing Strategy?
Your website is like the beautiful front door of your nonprofit’s house. It is often the first point of contact donors, supporters, and volunteers have with your organization. Because of this, having well-planned, quality web design is essential to your nonprofit marketing strategy. Strategic web design can help you amplify your mission and achieve your goals, such as increasing donations, growing memberships, and furthering your mission.
Web Design Helps Your Nonprofit:
1. Promote Your Mission
Your website is an effective format for promoting your cause and raising awareness about the issues your nonprofit champions. By using compelling visuals, creative storytelling, and impactful messaging, you can help visitors learn more about your organization’s cause and inspire them to action.
2. Encourage Membership & Volunteer Sign-Ups
Your website needs to make a strong first impression. Based on how people see your website, it can motivate them to learn more about your organization or turn them away. A well-designed website can attract members and volunteers to your mission and help them discover how to get involved, increasing sign-ups. Likewise, a poorly designed website can discourage potential members or volunteers from ever participating.
3. Drive Donations
A secure donation page that thoughtfully conveys the impact donations have on your mission can make it easier for donors to want to give. Here, you can make the donation process straightforward and user-friendly. Ensuring the donations page is optimized for mobile can make the process even easier, giving donors the opportunity to provide recurring donations. Implementing these simple steps can help you raise your donations.
4. Improve Your Impact on the People & Community You Serve
Your website is a great opportunity to tell your organization’s story in a powerful way, connecting your audience with your cause. When you bring together your mission with the people who support it, you further your goals and improve your impact on the community you serve. It all starts with a well-designed website!
4 Ways You Can Improve Your Nonprofit’s Web Design
Now that you better understand the importance of web design in nonprofit marketing strategy, you can start optimizing your nonprofit’s website. Here are a few of our top recommendations for how you can improve your nonprofit’s web design: use attention-grabbing visuals, make your website user-friendly, show your impact, incorporate calls to action, and make your content shareable.
1. Use Pictures & Videos to Tell Stories
As they say, an image is worth a thousand words! Creative visuals help to tell the story of your nonprofit. They visually show how your organization is serving your community and the impact you have on others.
For example, sharing images of volunteers planting trees, building homes, or interacting with your community conveys your mission to your supporters. Images can capture attention and educate potential supporters about your cause, which can inspire them to get involved. When designing your website, use high-quality pictures, videos, and graphics that capture attention and make a strong first impression. Make sure your visuals are relevant to your nonprofit’s mission and align with your organization’s identity.
2. Make Your Website Easy to Use
If your donors can’t navigate your website, they can’t financially support your mission. Making your website user-friendly and accessible helps engage your supporters and volunteers and build trust. A website is user-friendly and accessible when it can be used by anyone, including individuals with disabilities. For example, using clear navigation, intuitive design, and responsive layouts can make it easier for volunteers to find the information they need and sign up to volunteer their time. When your supporters are able to easily take action, like donating to your cause through your website, your mission is supported and your goals are reached.
3. Show the Good Work You Do
The best website design not only informs readers about your cause but also shares your wins. It tells how you have reached your goals and shows all the good work you have accomplished. It does this in a compelling way by including captivating photos, insightful case studies of your work, and engaging statistics and testimonials of the impacts you have made. For example, a testimonial from a donor can explain why supporting your nonprofit is important and builds trust. Likewise, sharing a statistic such as how many meals your organization has served your community shows your reach and the impact you have upon people’s lives. So, go ahead and celebrate!
4. Use Buttons that Tell Visitors What to do
In the book Don’t Make Me Think, the author shares, “It doesn’t matter how many times I have to click, as long as each click is a mindless, unambiguous choice.” What this means is that when your supporters visit your website, it should be obvious to them to easily find the information about your nonprofit that they are searching for. Don’t make them have to dig to find out where to donate. You’ll miss out on valuable support! That’s where Calls to action (CTAs) come in and can be incredibly helpful. CTAs are essential for encouraging visitors to your website to take action, like donating or volunteering. It is crucial to use well-planned CTAs throughout your website to help reach your goals. For example, using “Donate Now” buttons can help drive donations. Be sure to make the buttons an eye-catching color that is consistent with your branding throughout your site.
Ready to Improve Your Nonprofit Marketing Strategy?
You already have the membership drive planned, the donation cards sent, and the volunteers staffing the booths. Why not work with a web design company who can improve your website and take your nonprofit to the next level?
Contact us to enhance your nonprofit marketing strategy and work with a web design firm that will help you push forward your mission! We are nonprofit web design experts who have extensive experience helping nonprofits like yours succeed. Read our case study, where we collaborated with Ohio Children’s Alliance to grow foster caregiver awareness and increase new foster caregiver applications by 66%!