Your website is your nonprofit organization’s most important brand asset.

People may first learn about your cause from a shared social media post or a news story about your work, but the website is likely the first place interested people will go to learn more about your organization.

An effective nonprofit website must provide an intuitive experience so users can easily find the information they need. It should offer clear paths to action, such as volunteering, donating or sharing content. And, ideally, it would encourage return visits.

Here are a few tips to ensure your website is effective.

Lead with Your Mission

Look at your nonprofit mission statement and identify the action words – those that state what your organization does. Next, look for the recipient nouns – the people your organization works for. Then, locate the motive terms – the reasons your organization does its work.

Those words can define how your website is presented visually and the messaging within its pages.

Simplify the Navigation

Along with the main navigation, you may think your site needs a sub-menu that drops down. However, 51% of visitors to nonprofit websites use mobile devices, so many organizations are opting for scrolling pages and anchored text links, rather than sub-menu navigation.

Streamline Content Visually

A 2009 report revealed that American consumers take in 100,000 words of information each day, but the human brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than it does text.

Combining text and visuals increases comprehension and retention. Engaging visuals, such as infographics, illustrated timelines and animated counters, can communicate valuable information quickly without forcing your visitors to read.

Inspire Action

Most nonprofit organizations want their website users to donate, volunteer and share. While those calls to action are clear, they’re not powerful. Think back to the action words in your mission statement. Then, incorporate those words into the calls to action throughout your website. For instance:

• End Hunger
• Fight Poverty
• Stop Violence

Best practices aside, your nonprofit organization’s website will be most effective if it’s built on a flexible platform that makes it easy for your team to manage content and scale the site as your organization evolves.

Could your nonprofit’s website be a better brand asset? Let’s talk. Give us a call or send us an email today.