Seven Donation Page Tips

If you want to bring in more cash as a nonprofit, you need a donation page that is optimized for donations. That’s why we created this post on donation page tips.

Below you will find seven action items that you can implement immediately. These will all make your donation pages more effective – and bring in more donations as a result. 

Seven Donation Page Tips

1) Keep It Clean And Focused

Clarity is key for a donation page to perform well. This page has only one job: make donating easy. That means removing anything that could possibly distract people. Here are some things you should try to avoid:

• Outbound links. If people can navigate away from your donation page, they are less likely to give.
• Clutter. Text should be minimal, and what you do write should be focused on the “why” behind the donation.
• Multiple calls-to-action. Ask for more than one thing (donate vs. join our email list vs. follow us on Instagram) and you split focus.

When making decisions about donation page design, think of it like a checkout page. The fewer decisions, the better.

2) Prioritize Speed And Optimization

A donation page that’s slow or looks poorly on different devices simply won’t perform. It needs to be fast, and it needs to be optimized.

Speed is straightforward. Make it short and only ask for what you need (name, email, and payment info). You should also test it’s speed before it’s live. The longer it takes to load, the fewer donations you will receive.

Mobile optimization is also simple. A ton of donations will inevitably take place on phones. This means every part of your donation page needs to load and work quickly on small screens. There are multiple tools that make testing this easy, but also be sure to read up on mobile optimization best practices.

3) Use Suggested Donation Amounts Strategically

Anchoring is one of the most powerful ways to drive more donations. That’s why you should include it on your donation page. Here’s what we suggest:

• Start with a mid-range default donation. This should be an amount that is generous but also attainable. Consider something between 25 and 50 dollars.
• Test the order in which you put suggested amounts. This is the power of anchoring. By putting a smaller amount next to a bigger one (ie, 20 and 100), 20 seems much lower to the giver. Remember this: small tweaks can shift giving patterns significantly.
• Include a “custom amount” field. This allows donors to give exactly what they want. It also prevents donors from feeling “boxed in” before they make their final decision on giving.

4) Tell A Quick But Compelling Story

Even on a donation page where you don’t have a ton of space, context matters. This is the perfect place to remind people why their gift is important. A great way to do that? Storytelling.

Because space is at a premium, there are a few things you should consider.

• Use a short sentence or two at the top of the form. This is a way to introduce the story. If your nonprofit helps provide housing to people in need, here’s an example: “Your gift helps us provide emergency housing to families in crisis.”
• Show the donor who they are going to help. This should include some kind of human element. There are two ways to do this effectively: descriptive labels (“$25 feeds a family for a week”) and pictures (assuming it is real and relevant).
• Keep things brief. No origin story here (a donation page is not about you). 

5) Make Recurring Giving The Default Option

Recurring donors give more over time. They are also more likely to stay connected to your organization. Your donation page should make it easy to become one.

There are a number of best practices you might consider here:

• Offer monthly giving as a default option, not an afterthought.
• Make it as easy as possible to become a recurring donor with a quick checkbox.
• Give your recurring program a name that people can identify with (“Impact Circle” or “Monthly Heroes Club”).

While you can always let people choose a one-time donation if they prefer, recurring gives you more long-term value. Getting it right here can be a difference maker. 

6) Build Trust With Donors

If something is a bit off, people will almost always hesitate to donate. Maybe the design is inconsistent. Maybe there’s a typo. Perhaps the copy tries a bit too hard to encourage a donation. No matter what it is, anything that feels jarring will result in low conversions.

This is where credibility comes in. If someone feels that they can trust you, a donation is almost always easier. We recommend three things:

• Display (if you have them) charity ratings. These usually come from Guidestar or Charity Navigator.
• Include a brief privacy statement on your donation page (something like “We will never share your information”).
• Show your nonprofit status (for example: “501(c)(3) tax-deductible”).

Just a few quick actions, and you can reassure donors that their money is going where it’s supposed to.

7) Use A Strong Thank-You Page

After someone does donate, it’s not enough to just say “thanks” and move on. This is a great moment to deepen the connection. Donors will feel more appreciated, and will be more likely to give again later on.

Include a personal thank-you message after they successfully donate. This is relatively easy to do if you have already collected their name. You can also show the donor how their gift will be used. This specific information assures them about what they just have. Lastly, you can also consider giving them a “soft follow-up” action like sharing your campaign or joining the newsletter.

This thank you / confirmation page is the first step toward donor retention. Treat it as a way to engage, not just an afterthought.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at [email protected] or call us at (718) 855-1919!