As a nonprofit, you’re on a mission. But in order to fulfill your mission, you need the proper technology. The fact is, your website is your nonprofit’s number one marketing tool. And when it comes to your online presence, you need more than a mission statement. You need a nonprofit website that is both beautiful and functional. Your website should share your story, engage your community and drive visitors to support your cause. If you want to take your nonprofit to new heights, make sure you have these essential tools nonprofit websites need to succeed.
1. Event Registration
According to research, the number one thing that users want from nonprofits is the ability to register online for events. Online event registration is no longer a perk or a pleasant surprise for people—it’s an expectation. But forms need to be short and sweet. One of the biggest reasons for abandoned online registrations is a lengthy and confusing form. When you have a quick and easy registration process that’s fully electronic and hassle-free, you’ll see better event turnouts and lose the headache of dealing with snail mail, paper forms and misplaced checks.
2. Online Donation Processing
For most donors these days, online donation processing is a no-brainer. Writing a check, addressing an envelope and dropping it in the mail—or driving to your office—requires way more effort than most people are accustomed to. By giving your donors a fast, simple and integrated option for online donations, you’re making it easier for them to support you. Plus, an integrated donation system typically means lower attrition rates. According to npENGAGE, 50–75% of donors abandon a donation form when redirected to a third-party site to complete the transaction.
3. Content Management System
Your website is your organization’s central nervous system, and everything you do should point back to or be reflected on your site. This is why a good content management system is one of the essential tools nonprofit websites need to succeed. To be clear, a content management system, or CMS, is the administrative system for your nonprofit’s website that allows you to add, update and manage content quickly and efficiently. And content refers to everything that you add to your website, from photos and videos to call-to-action buttons and blog posts. A good CMS makes it easy for you to keep your website fresh and relevant. At Firespring, our websites come with a user-friendly CMS called the Springboard. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how our expert engineers developed the Springboard and why.
4. Donor Management System
According to Bloomerang, around 60% of donors only give once to a cause, which means that many organizations are spinning their wheels. So how do you build a donor retention plan that helps you stay in touch with your supporters and build relationships that foster loyalty? One place to start is with a great donor management tool that integrates with your website. Ideally, a donor management tool should have cloud-based technology, integrated email communication and a dashboard with built-in intelligence that provides insight into how constituents are engaging with your organization.
5. Fundraising Pages
An organization’s fundraising page can be its own greatest enemy in securing donations if it isn’t designed well. That’s why it’s crucial to have fundraising campaign pages, also referred to as landing pages, which are branded properly and easy to navigate. Optimally, you should have a fundraising page for every fundraising initiative within your organization. Custom branded fundraising pages on your website can raise up to six times more money than generic ones, according to Nonprofit Tech for Good. No wonder why fundraising pages are one of the tools nonprofit websites need to succeed.
6. Email Marketing
Email marketing has been around for a while and for good reason: It works. With 91% of all U.S. consumers checking email daily, email marketing should be a major player in your nonprofit’s outreach efforts. If you’re one of the few still holding out wondering if email marketing is for you, then consider this: Email marketing allows you to grow your constituent base, maintain donor relationships and measure results. Additionally, it’s lightning fast and boasts a high return on investment. According to the American Marketing Association, email marketing has the highest ROI among all marketing tools used by nonprofits nationwide.
With these tools, you’ll be able to increase efficiency within your nonprofit, so you can spend more time focusing on your mission. On the Firespring platform, all the essentials are built right in, so you can manage your nonprofit from one place.
