A website might be the information center your organization needs in order to let people know about your fundraising efforts and programs. However, you must avoid missing out some important details related to a website – the content and the design of your website are not the most important things when trying to reach out to your potential supporters. You need to focus on your website because it is a true tool and resource for your organization. When considering the content and design of your website, you will have to consider the outreach intent of your organization. This outreach content is your overall messaging and it has to be developed in order to increase your fundraising potential and return the visits. In order to optimize and maximize the fundraising potential of your website, you will have to pay attention to the following pieces of advice that can help you.
You need to find out more about the persons who visit the website and how often – everyone in the organization must know who your visitors are and what they are doing. Therefore, you should test your team – for instance, you can ask around the office how often the members of your team visit your own website. You need to make your website visible because it can become your surest way to raise the necessary funds. Keep in mind that your potential supporters really want to give you money. Therefore, you should review the design of the website in order to make sure that every single button is functioning. The so-called calls-to-action must be displayed on the website in a prominent way – they also have to be displayed on every single page of your website. Don’t limit your website to an interface that includes just the support us page.
You will also have to remind your supporters about the main features of your website – tell them why it is important to come back and visit the website often. You can achieve this by sending them emails, newsletters and promotional handout materials – if you send them all these, make sure that you have the web address on every item. Make your website a genuine online destination that people are interested to visit over and over again. The content of your website needs to motivate your supporters in order to return and you can try and increase its attraction by implementing some of the following ideas.
You must keep the website up to date and provide new content on a regular basis. You will also have to pull your visitors back to the website by using the tag lines in each of your communications and newsletters. For instance, you can use a tag line like this - check the website for further information. You may also put some photos and testimonials on your website in order to display the true heartbeat of the community because these people are very likely to tell other people to visit your site. Another wise idea you might consider is an incentive such as a t-shirt promotion. This incentive is an attractive and fun method to use in order to make people come back and visit your site. Finally, you should consider a professional site evaluation in order to find out more about the weak points of your website. A professional can provide you with efficient ways to increase the traffic to the website and transform your online presence into a virtual destination that people want to visit again and again.
