5 Tips to Improve Engagement on Nonprofit Websites

As I mentioned in my previous post, 10 Website Tips to Maximize Nonprofit Fundraising and Engagement Opportunities, the website is a critical tool in a nonprofit’s marketing strategy. It has to quickly tell a visitor what your cause is about, make them want to stay and learn more and (hopefully) donate time and/or money in support. Your website is the face of your organization and can be the first impression a supporter has of your organization so make it a strong one.

This list today builds on my previous post with 5 additional tips to incorporate into your on-going engagement strategies.

1. Get Mobile. According to 2011 research conducted by comScore in its 2012 Mobile Future in Focus report, almost half of all American mobile subscribers use smart phones and it’s predicted that by 2013 more people will access online content via smart phone or tablet versus a PC or laptop. The traffic from mobile users is significant enough to cater to this growing population. If your website is not viewable on a mobile device, then you may be inadvertently disregarding a healthy percentage of your visitors which will definitely not convert them to donors.You can test how your site looks on a mobile screen via mobiReady.
2. Link Building. Link building is an important step in the SEO/online marketing process as it increases the authority of the website with various search engines which improves its overall ranking. There are different types of links and each has its own purpose that contributes towards the ultimate goal of increasing the exposure of your cause to attract new supporters/donors. You can link to your social media pages, your blog, inner pages and external pages of trusted sources only. Be sure you are not linking to unreliable sources that will have the adverse effect. Linking from a site with a .gov or .edu URL not only provides access to a wider demographic with similar interests, but the link is valued more as it is being endorsed by a trusted source (either a governmental agency or educational institution).
3. Incorporate a blog. A blog is just as important as your main website as they both represent equal SEO value. On your blog, you can provide additional rich content on a variety of cause-related topics more frequently. These topics can be the latest successes and other happenings at your nonprofit or commenting on a report or other newsworthy piece. You can involve employees, volunteers or those who have benefited from your organization as guest authors. A blog can be a constant current stream of information where you can show a little of the personality behind the organization to appeal to supporters.
4. Test Regularly. Regularly testing your programming and links on all of your pages, your navigation bar and your social media platforms will ensure that you are made aware of any glitches that could give a poor impression to a visitor to your site. Most importantly, testing your donation form, newsletter registration and volunteer application pages and links to ensure these key areas are functioning properly. You do not want to lose a donation, subscriber or volunteer because they were not able to complete the transaction. Don’t rely on them alerting you to the problem or checking back later.
5. Avoid Pop-Ups and Auto-Plays. You do not want to interrupt the visitor’s session or control what they see or hear. Respect their time and let them remain in control of their visit. Keep your site clean and easy to navigate with critical information above the fold and its destinations abiding by the “2 clicks or less” rule.

I will be delving deeper into some of these tips in the coming weeks as I continue to explore the benefits of social media and other marketing strategies for nonprofits. Feel free to browse through my Social Media Summer Series for nonprofits which includes a series on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and Pinterest along with other related topics.

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Miratel Solutions is a Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional fundraising services including telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery services, donation caging, donation processing and other donor management services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all contact centre services and mail house operations and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.