Raising money for your cause, whatever it may be, can be difficult. By utilizing the Internet, you can help increase donations to your cause.
Online fundraising takes more effort than simply adding a donate button to your site. You have to pay attention to the layout of your site, make it user friendly, and create a donation process that’s as simple as possible. You have to ensure that the site, as well as the cause, appeals to visitors, and that the process is not too difficult. These tips will help you “tweak” your website so you can maximize your online donations.
Have a large donation button – By making your button extra large, you increase your chances of visitors seeing it and making use of it. Small buttons tend to get lost in the background of the page and if a donor cannot find the donate button with ease, you lose potential donations.
Avoid being bossy with your button – While you may be tempted to use words like “donate now” on your button, making demands of your visitors will not increase your chances of donations. A bossy button may work against you by making donors feel forced – simply saying donate is sufficient.
Keep the process minimal – Avoid gathering unnecessary information from your donors during the donation process. People do not have time to input their life history just to make a donation. Require only needed information to make the process quick and easy.
Be nice – The information on your site asking for donations should always be worded in a polite manner. Do not demand donations or plead for them – instead, use please and thank you, just as you would in a normal conversation. Donors do not need to be ordered into donating – they need to be persuaded and your words should reflect that.
Test your site – Have people you know visit your site and give honest feedback. You can even arrange for testing with anonymous individuals. Pay attention to what your testers have to say and make any needed changes. Update along the way as you increasingly get feedback.