According to recent YouGov research, UK charities could earn a collective £35 million extra each year if they provided a more personalised experience on their websites. The research also highlighted that 17% of British consumers would donate up to £15 more per month if charities provided a more personal approach via their website or email. Subsequently, it is fundamental that charity websites improve their engagement tactics in order to generate more donations and online awareness for their charitable causes.
By scrutinising the techniques of some of the UK’s best charity websites, you can learn how to adapt their successful digital marketing strategies to improve your charity’s website. By doing so, you can significantly improve your website’s online reputation, which in turn will exponentially increase the amount of donations your charity receives. To help you achieve these aims, here are seven of the best UK charity websites with some helpful hints highlighting what you can learn from them.
Red Nose Day
The Red Nose Day website is perfectly engineered to appeal to its target market; families. Users are immediately presented with is a bold and energetic design complete with a trademark red nose in the top left hand corner and an invitation to participate in the design challenge. This fun and enthusiastic mood transitions throughout the website; with quotes from kids, parents and schoolteachers describing how they raised money for Red Nose Day.
Charity Websites Takeaway Tip:
Identify your target market and engineer your website to appeal directly to them. If you ensure your site design relates to your charity’s subject matter you will be much more likely to capture and sustain the interest of your users.
Breast Cancer Now
According to the YouGov research, a third of donors don’t believe that charity websites relate to them on a human level. Breast Cancer Now are one website who achieve this human interaction because they invite and encourage their users to share their personal stories and associations with breast cancer. There are also informative health checks which provide educational and thought provoking insights. This immediate user inclusion connects with people on an immensely emotional level and cultivate donor trust and loyalty.
Charity Websites Takeaway Tip:
Communicate with your users and endeavour to establish an personal bond. If users feel an emotional tie to your charity, they will be motivated to donate and refer others to support your cause.
Water Aid
The UK section of this global charity’s website demonstrates the benefits of a clear and concise informative design. Water Aid lists recent tweets, as well as offering short yet poignant facts and quotes related to their charitable endeavours. As a result, the site as a whole presents a clear and direct objective with which users can identify and support.
Charity Websites Takeaway Tip:
Clearly display the ideals and objectives of your charity, so that new users can easily identify who you are, what you do, and how they can help support your cause.
Macmillan Cancer
Macmillan Cancer are a large yet amiable charity; a mantra which is accentuated throughout all facets of their website. Their site offers information and support for a range of users; such as people living with cancer, their families, campaigners, fundraisers, donors and medical professionals. To help direct users to sections which are most relevant to them, Macmillan offers eminently useful navigation aids on their homepage; such as the ‘How can we help you today?’ section. Only 2% of people think that charities engage with them properly so by emphasising their sincere intentions, Macmillan solidify their position as a caring charity which is dedicated to helping people. As such, their users cultivate loyalty with their charity as well as a sincere desire to help them.
Charity Websites Takeaway Tip:
Always put your users first. Create sections which will specifically help and inform them about your charity and its services. By doing so, you can identify with your users in a caring manner, thereby consolidating your charity’s amiable nature. Think about what you can do for your users as opposed to what you want to tell them!
Oxfam
The Oxfam site demonstrates the effectiveness of simple web design. Sections such as their ‘We Can’t Do It With Out You’ clearly and concisely display site navigation options, and their online donation page blends seamlessly with the rest of their site. Users are able to donate quickly and easily without complications. Seeing as 21% of the YouGov sample stated that convenience is a strong factor in driving online donations, this simplicity is key. What’s more, next to each donation option is a description of how the donated money will help people in need. For example; £5 can pay for a goat for two families, £20 can provide 12 toilets, and £42 can help provide water to 3 villages. By showing users where their money is going, they can see the real life impact of seemingly small donations and will therefore be enticed to contribute towards a worthwhile cause.
Charity Websites Takeaway Tip:
Make your online donation process simple and clear. Moreover, if you can demonstrate to your users what the real life impact of their donations will be, they will be more inclined to visit your site again in future and continue to donate.
WWF
The World Wide Fund For Nature website offers users a blend of current news events, celebrity endorsements and donation information. This wealth of information grants the site a professional and well versed reputation. However, one of the most effective aspects of this website is its subscription process. In the centre of the homepage is a quick and easy way to sign up with WWF, and in the top right hand corner of the page is the ability for users to either, join, donate or adopt an animal. This multiplicity of donation choice blends into the rest of the site’s visually appealing and intellectually informative design, making the site incredibly appealing for users.
Charity Websites Takeaway Tip:
Create continuous communication channels with your users. If you can encourage them to sign up to your charity’s email newsletters or social network feeds, you can continue to notify them about your events and fundraising campaigns. If you can accumulate this loyal donor base, you can generate more online awareness towards your website and its charitable objectives.
Just Giving
Just Giving has significantly changed the online fundraising process as it provides users with a easy way to donate to charities and monitor their fundraising progress. Their website offers easy to access information which has been categorised according to company fundraising organisations, individual endeavours, as well as information about Just Giving themselves. The design of their site encourages users to join in and contribute to their own personal cause or support others through the use of various multimedia content, Their combination of pictures, videos, graphics and other stimulating content actively encourages user engagement; for example a thermometer to track your fundraising progress. Moreover, the site features the ability to be viewed in a variety of different formats depending upon the device which users are utilising to frequent the site; from iPads and tablets to various different smart phones. This freedom to explore and interact with their site encourages users to participate and donate via Just Giving.
Charity Websites Takeaway Tip:
Capitalise upon pictures, video, audio and other multimedia content to demonstrate your charitable aims in a captivating manner. Also, it is important that your site is device appropriate in order to facilitate user accessibility. By permitting your site to be viewed in multiple formats according to the various devices which users are utilising to frequent your site, users will be encouraged to interact with, and contribute towards, your charitable cause.
The Qlic website team have designed and built hundreds of websites for charities, so we’re fully versed in providing great calls to action for your visitors wanting to donate and get involved. If you would like some no obligation advice for your organisation don’t hesitate to get in touch by calling 0208 296 6878 today or visit www.qlicnfp.com/charity/web-design-marketing/
