How to Create the Best Online Giving Experience
Foundations are the backbone of universities, and online giving has simplified the path to donating, making it easier to contribute anytime and anywhere. The past decade has been a roller coaster in the world of online giving. Thankfully, it is increasing again, with a recent emphasis on examining the donor experience as closely as fundraising objectives. This post will explore how to create the best online giving experience.
Compelling Messaging:
It’s important to understand that simply having a donation page on your website doesn’t guarantee that people will donate. You need to communicate what their donation will achieve and how it will benefit your university and its students. Essentially, it would be best to highlight donations’ impact with specific examples or stories to emotionally connect with donors and motivate them to contribute.
Simplify and Streamline:
Once on your donation page, you have seven seconds to capture the attention of potential donors. Donation forms should be optimized by presenting essential information only, avoiding cluttered ads or links, and being sensitive to limiting the requested information. Allow donors to give without creating an account, but offer the option to create one for those who wish to. Most importantly, avoid suggested gift amounts. You might be limiting the donation amount, the option for recurring donations, or receiving a donation at all.
User Experience:
The user experience is the complete picture. It is worth mentioning that your platform should be seamless across all devices. Other questions to ask yourself are: Is your website easy to find and navigate? Is the “donate button” in clear view? Are you accepting multiple payment methods? Lastly, have you built trust with your donors by displaying your security badges and clearly stating that your privacy policy and SSL encryption are in use?
Personalization:
Send immediate, personalized thank-you messages or receipts after a donation, acknowledging their contribution and showing appreciation. Personalized thank-you notes are not only the right thing to do, but they also significantly impact donor retention. Research shows that 56% of donors would be repeat givers if they received personalized messages. This underscores the importance of showing gratitude, as it can lead to an irreplaceable lifetime of support. SOURCE.
If you are considering improving your online giving experience or switching to another online giving platform, weare here to help! YCS Group offers a versatile software platform that can be white-labeled to suit your needs. We will take your online giving experience to the next level.
Visit ycsgroupllc.com to get started
