Websites for Nonprofits

Author:  Sylwia  Presley,  December  2011  

Introduction

This document contains tips for nonprofits looking for best practices of website building, structuring and social media positioning.

We have helped our clients to manage their websites during process of re-branding, update of activities or social media adoption, so here are few tips you might find useful.

Focus on content! Content should be at the heart of your website planning. Design needs to complement it, not vice versa. Content needs to be: relevant, valuable, engaging, consistent with your brand message and other social media presences.

http://www.wwf.org.uk/

Add a blog section! Tonality of your website is usually very formal. Add blog to your website to allow your readers meet your team, learn about up to date developments and the great work you are doing!

http://blogs.oxfam.org/

State your goals clearly!

Articulate the goals of your organisation clearly and support those with good design. Do not write long paragraphs, just explain what you do in one sentence.

http://www.custodialabuse.org/

Make it easy to donate!

Place donation buttons in visible places on your website. Explain clearly all possible ways to donate. Develop easy donation processes for your website visitors!

http://www.redcross.org/

Make it easy to volunteer!

Help your potential volunteers to find ways to get involved! Provide easy ways of contacting your relevant teams. Be open to suggestions!

http://www.diabetes.org/

Make it easy for press and bloggers! Place news and blog sections on your site to feed press and bloggers with news in format relevant to those audiences. Update those sections regularly!

http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/news/press-room/

Make it easy for your readers!

Place content wisely on your website, make it easy to navigate, browse and find. Consider international and local audiences! Avoid industry slang to open to new potential audiences. Explain the content of your website, provide a website map!

http://www.greenpeace.co.uk/

Help Google find you!

Consider SEO optimisation of your website – use tags, keywords and metatags on your website. Google and other search engines will help promote your website for free!

Integrate social media!

Add sharing buttons to your content. Add your social media presences to the main page of your website to let your readers know that they can also find you on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or elsewhere on the web. If you have a lot of social presences, dedicate a separate subpage to them.

http://www.savethechildren.org/

Keep up to date! Browse around the web for other non-profit websites and learn from each other. Check Mashable.com and other social media blogs for industry updates. Ask social media volunteers to train you on recent developments or simply ask for help on Twitter.

Contact

If you have any comments please contact:

Sylwia Presley E-mail: sylwiapresley@nfpvoice.com Mobile: 07850 138 178 Twitter: @presleysylwia and @nfpvoice Skype: sylwia.presley