7 Tips to Increase Your Online Fundraising Success

Online giving is not a single way of donating. It encompasses many methods of outreach and contribution: on your organization's website, virtual appeals, text-to-give initiatives, apps, and email, using computers, tablets, and smartphones, paying with credit or debit card, ACH, direct debit, or digital wallet. With such an array of options-and donor preferences-it's essential for your organization to employ diverse strategies to reach the widest audience with your online fundraising campaigns.

Here are seven tips for optimizing your donation page to boost your online fundraising success.

1. Emphasize Your Mission and Donate Button

Ensure your mission is prominently displayed on your website's homepage, in e-appeals, and on your app. Many visitors on your site may not be familiar with your goals and values, so a clear, concise, and easily understandable mission statement is crucial. This serves as a succinct elevator pitch summarizing your organization's purpose. It helps visitors connect with your cause immediately.

Just as you do not want to hide your mission from donors, you don't want to make them search for the donate button. It should be prominently visible on your website, e-appeals, app, and donation form.

Likewise, make it easy for donors to extend their commitment. Invest in an online giving platform that encourages one-time donors to convert to recurring donors. This will boost your annual donation rate.

2. Test Your Technology Before Hitting Send

Prior to launching any new campaign, test your donation links and buttons with staff members or key donors to ensure they are easy to navigate and function at high speed. You want to catch glitches in-house before you go live.

3. Communicate Donor Impact and Establish Giving Levels

Transparency about your organization's needs is crucial for engaging potential and current donors. Create a "wish list" to clearly outline your goals and objectives, helping secure essential items and funds. Donors appreciate knowing how their contributions will be used. Some may prefer to give unrestricted gifts, while others might choose to support specific programs or areas. Ensure donors are well-informed so they can make decisions that align with their interests and their connection to your organization.

By showcasing the significance of their contributions, you can foster stronger connections between donors and your cause. Engage them further by illustrating how their support directly advances your mission. Incorporating incremental giving levels into your online appeals provides donors with a clear understanding of the impact of their donations. Simplify these levels and their explanations, utilizing straightforward examples to highlight their importance.

4. Ensure Your Payment Processor Is Secure

Donors need to feel secure when donating. Your organization must use software that safeguards personal and financial information with encryption technology. Choose an end-to-end payment processing solution that complies with PCI DSS requirements to reassure donors about the security of their transactions. Concerns over security can deter donations, so this is crucial.

Additionally, offer multiple electronic giving options. Beyond credit cards and ACH or direct debit, incorporate options like PayPal, Venmo, and other digital wallets. Providing diverse payment methods accommodates different donor preferences, making it easier for everyone to contribute in the way they find most convenient.

5. Empower Donors to Make Full-Impact Gifts

Another method for increasing your online fundraising results is to offer the option of full-impact giving. When you offer this option, supporters who want every penny to go to your mission can pay processing fees. For example, Blackbaud offers Complete Cover™ and donor cover to allow the donor to pay transaction fees, or if they choose not to, Blackbaud will cover your processing fees. This ensures your organization receives the full donation amount. Providing fee cover options helps you achieve your online fundraising goals more quickly, sustaining your mission year after year.

6. Use Tailored Donation Forms

Match your donation form to the specific campaign you're running. Different campaigns have different needs, and your donation forms should reflect that. Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT offers a choice of donation forms designed to meet these needs. Standard donation forms are suitable for campaigns where you want to capture additional donor information, like capital campaigns. It also offers Optimized forms, designed for a streamlined donor experience with features to support high-velocity, low-friction giving, like you might want on Giving Tuesday. Aligning your donation forms with the style and goal(s) of your campaign can enhance their effectiveness.

7. Make Giving Fun

Giving should be an enjoyable experience. Develop creative ways for people to donate while engaging their networks of friends and family.

Virtual challenges on social media still work. Implement a virtual challenge using today's technology (but keep it simple). Avoid overcomplicating your online giving campaigns with intricate social media strategies. Some of the most successful virtual and nonprofit social media campaigns have been incredibly simple, like the legendary ALS Association's Ice Bucket Challenge. Online giving was at its core, driving individuals from social media to the organization's website, boosting awareness, and strengthening the ALS mission while adding an element of fun.

While the Ice Bucket Challenge was a one-off, other viral challenges have had staying power, raising awareness and money for their causes over decades:

• The Movember Foundation: focuses on advocacy and fundraising for men's health (and the renaissance of mustaches)
• Earth Hour: World Wildlife Fund's "lights off" hour across the globe shows donors' support for environmental causes

You know your mission. You know your donors. Create campaigns that connect the two with joy. Viral or not, the goal is for your online fundraising campaign to give donors a sense of both literal investment and emotional investment when they make a gift to your organization.

And if "viral" truly is your goal, consider the impact of collaborating with an influencer. Well-known advocates can turn a low-key online campaign into widespread awareness of your cause.

Online fundraising is a powerful tool, so choose software tailored to meet your specific objectives and engage your target audience. Your technology should help you share the story of your mission and easily tap into your donors' enthusiasm to give. Above all, as you enhance your online fundraising strategy to maximize effectiveness, make joy and the celebration of your mission the most important part of your plan.

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