Top notch non-profit website design requires the same level of professionalism as is expected of any business web design, especially when accepting donations or aiming to increase awareness.
How do non-profits justify the need for a web design budget?
In today’s world, people browse online when they want to learn more or contribute to a cause, so a powerful web presence is a must to help stand out.
Prioritize The Features You Want
Get more bang for your buck. Limit your focus to the issues in dire need of attention. Should you focus on fundraising or increasing engagement? While a redesign presents the best time to tackle many issues, sometimes it’s best to spread them out over phases or budget cycles. For example, maybe a basic website is phase one and additional functionality (like a resource center or volunteer portal) is a phase two item.
What’s your number one goal in the next year? Prioritize areas in need of special attention.
Revisit Your Non-Profit’s Current Web Design & Strategy
Evaluate the effectiveness of your current website.
Are people visiting your site and staying because of compelling content and ease of use, or are they clicking away quickly?
A user-friendly website will retain people longer, which results in more conversions and more ROI. Tools, like Google Analytics and Visual Website Optimizer, can help you determine who users your website, how they use it and for how long.
If donors and volunteers struggle to navigate your website, it will affect the impact of your non-profit.
Through analytics and data, you can determine if your current website is strong enough to redesign, or if it would be best to start from scratch with more than a fresh “coat of paint,” instead focusing on a larger discovery process and strategy.
One way we can maximize your budget is by using a customizable WordPress framework, instead of building a website from scratch. This allows us to quickly build out a website on a tight budget while providing a custom designed frontend with the features you need and care about. Through frameworks, we use “off the shelf” for the backend to save money, focusing more time on the design and overall strategy.
Focus on the People
Is it easy for volunteers to get involved on your current website? If it is difficult for people to find and choose volunteer options, they may look elsewhere.
Volunteers provide valuable services free of charge, so it is only right to highlight the positive impact volunteers have on the organization.
Make it as simple as possible for people to contribute via time, skills, and/or money. On that note, are donors happy that their contributions are used wisely?
Donor testimonials speak to your authenticity and are free advertising. They put to work the sentiments of happy customers. Take the time to connect with donors and volunteers to keep them updated on progress with a cost-effective email campaign.
Let’s talk when you’re ready to maximize your non-profit website design budget.
