Often, people think of a fundraiser page as something you set up on a website and forget about afterward. However, a fundraiser page is more than just a checkout page. In reality, it’s a closing argument and can be part of the foundation of your campaign’s success.
To make the most out of your donations, you must ensure that it is closing the deal. Here are the do’s and don’ts when creating a fundraising page.
1. Do Keep Branding Consistent
Branding consistency is vital, which you should have throughout your website, social media and fundraising pages. That’s because a custom-branded fundraising page is the key to receiving more donations.
Consistent branding often prevents confusion for the donor, and they can assume they trust the nonprofit asking for donations.
When creating a fundraising page, ensure you add the organization’s brand colors, logo, fonts and messaging.
2. Don’t Make the Page Complex
A complex design creates distractions for the user. For example, suppose you fill the page with unnecessary links and long-winded paragraphs of copy. If potential donors see this, they might become easily distracted, fizzling out the transaction.
Therefore, it’s better to focus on simplicity.
You can achieve this by incorporating only essential elements. For example, you may want to leave out navigation menus or sidebars since these can distract users from donating.
3. Do Use Compelling Images
Images offer up the chance to receive more donations. According to a survey by Campaign Monitor, 36% of respondents stated that pictures give them a compelling reason to donate to an organization.
While it may be tempting to grab any image, you are missing the opportunity to communicate the organization’s story.
Instead, you can avoid this mistake by including high-quality images that resonate with your audience. For example, people love photos that foster an emotional connection, such as photos of people who benefit from the donation. Or, you can use pictures of people who volunteer or work at the nonprofit.
Using photos of real people gives you the chance to instill authenticity and communicate the organization’s mission more clearly.
4. Don’t Use Too Many Fields
Remember that too many fields in a fill-out form require more time for users. Therefore, you may consider asking for only the most pertinent information.
When you keep it simple, you’re creating a lesser “ask” of someone’s commitment. And the more you ask of a user, the higher the chance they’ll opt out of the page.
However, that’s not because the cause isn’t worth donating to or the donor doesn’t have enough care. It’s because the process is too lengthy because of too many requests.
In exchange for personal information, consider only choosing the first and last name, email, phone number and ZIP code. Rather than asking too many questions, consider keeping the process quick and easy for donors to avoid driving them away.
5. Do Make It Mobile-Friendly
These days, people spend much of their time on smartphones. In fact, 60% of website traffic comes from a mobile device compared to 37% of desktop traffic. Therefore, you may find that at least half of your nonprofit’s website comes from mobile users.
Having a mobile-friendly fundraiser page is crucial to converting more people into donors. While creating your fundraising page, check to see what it looks like on mobile. You may need to streamline the design, so the fundraiser page is functional.
Otherwise, users could be missing part of the text, which means they’re missing out on the important message of the organization.
Create a Fundraising Page That Converts
Providing a seamless experience is achievable through good design. And with a great design comes more donations. Follow these tips for creating a fundraiser page that converts – and keep track of the results you bring to keep improving.
Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine. She was the creative director at a digital marketing agency before becoming a full-time freelance designer. Eleanor lives in Philly with her husband and pup, Bear.
