Your website is an invaluable asset for your nonprofit. It’s the hub where the world learns about your cause. A poorly built website can limit your reach, diminish donations, or even leave a negative impression of your organization. On the other hand, a well-designed website can improve your nonprofit’s credibility, increase awareness of your cause, raise donations, and vitalize volunteer signups. If your organization’s site isn’t helping you to reach your goals, it’s time to consider a redesign. 

At Big Storm, we’re experts in nonprofit website redesign and know how to push your organization’s goals forward with strategic online marketing and impactful content. Read on as we share five tips to help you restructure your website’s design and content so you can better communicate your mission and engage your audience effectively.

5 Tips for Your Next Nonprofit Website Redesign

By focusing on these five areas, your nonprofit website will not only communicate your mission more effectively but also engage, inspire, and motivate your audience to take action.

1. Include a Donation and Fundraising CTA

We recommend replacing the standard “Contact Us” button with a more compelling call to action (CTA) that resonates with the spirit of giving and community support. Use language that evokes emotion and a sense of urgency, like “Join Our Cause” or “Support Our Mission.” With that CTA, make it clear that their contribution, big or small, makes a significant difference. Offer them a glimpse of the impact their donation could make, and ensure that the donation process is as straightforward and transparent as possible.

2. Make Space for Volunteers to Join the Cause

Create a section dedicated to potential volunteers, showcasing the various ways they can contribute their time and skills. Use language that appeals to their giving nature to help them quickly identify where they could fit best within your organization. Consider using a questionnaire or a simple interactive tool to guide them through different volunteering options, helping them understand where their skills and interests align with your needs. This not only makes the process more engaging but also ensures that you match the right volunteers to the right tasks.

3. Showcase Your Community Impact

Consider displaying notable data points on your website to spotlight the verifiable difference you are making in the community. Keep in mind—your achievements should be more than just statistics and numbers. Stories are important, too! Tell the narratives of individuals or communities whom your work has impacted. Use a mix of compelling testimonies, photos, and videos to bring these stories to life. Highlighting real-life examples of your work in the community makes your mission tangible and relatable, encouraging more engagement from your audience.

4. Harness Hiring and Recruiting Language

When discussing opportunities within your organization, ensure the language is inclusive, welcoming, and speaks to the values and culture of your nonprofit. Instead of just listing job openings, talk about the opportunity to be a part of a team that’s making a real difference. Highlight the supportive and collaborative work environment, the learning opportunities, and the chance to grow personally and professionally.

5. Keep Improving Your Website

Finally and most importantly, stay committed to regularly refining your website. Doing so enhances the user experience and increases engagement because a well-designed website provides a seamless experience for visitors. It encourages them to engage with your website more! When creating a plan for your nonprofit website redesign, here are a few factors to consider:

• User-Friendly Navigation: Ensure your website is easy to navigate with clear headings, a well-structured layout, and a prominent search function. Visitors should easily find what they’re looking for, whether donating, volunteering, or learning more about your projects.
• Strong Visuals: Utilize high-quality images and videos that tell your story and showcase your community involvement. Visuals are powerful and can convey emotion and impact more effectively than text.
• Engaging Content: Write content that speaks to the heart, educates your audience, and keeps them updated on your projects and success stories. Regular blog posts, impact reports, and newsletters can keep your audience informed and engaged.
• Mobile Optimization: Ensure your website is mobile-friendly. Many users will access your site from their phones, and a seamless mobile experience can significantly boost engagement and conversions.
• SEO Best Practices: Optimize your content for search engines to increase your visibility. Use relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and alt text for images to improve your search engine rankings.

ADA Compliance: Ensuring ADA compliance for a nonprofit’s website significantly enhances accessibility. This allows individuals with disabilities to engage fully with your content and services, thereby expanding your organization’s reach and impact. Use correct color contrast, alt text, and captions to ensure you foster a commitment to inclusivity and mitigate any legal risks.

How Big Storm Helps Nonprofits Reach Their Goals

The Ohio Children’s Alliance is a remarkable nonprofit organization that tirelessly works to improve the services used by Ohio’s vulnerable children, young adults, and families. The challenge facing them was that they wanted help to increase awareness of the need to get more foster caregiver providers. Using our nonprofit digital marketing expertise, we helped OCA experience a 66% increase in more caregivers opening their homes and applying to offer foster homes for children in need! Learn more about OCA and how we helped impact their success.

Ready to Take Your Nonprofit Website Redesign to the Next Level?

Your website is often the first point of contact for potential donors, volunteers, and employees. If you want to make every interaction count, contact us. With strategic marketing, impactful web design, and compelling content, our web design expertise can help drive your organization’s goals forward. Reach out to us today!