I participated in an event last night with many nonprofit communications staff, web developers, and SEO experts. I found it fascinating that I heard the same thing over and over – “Our nonprofit website is too wordy. We need to fix that!”
These days, usability is everything. Your web site must be functional across many platforms – desktop, laptop, tablets and smartphones.
Aside from the navigational functionality, ask yourself the following questions-
- Does your home page look too cluttered? People make decisions in a few seconds whether to stay or move on!
- Is your “Donate Now” button prominent, and in the same location on every page?
- After making a donation online, what kind of response do donors receive?
- Is your site search engine optimized for Google? How do people find your services?
- Is the description of your services easy to understand?
I found this great article written by Raheel Gauba on the NPengage web site entitled, “If Google Were A Nonprofit, What Would Its Website Look Like?” This really opened my eyes, I think it will open yours too!
The author clearly illustrates “the importance of connecting the purpose of your nonprofit to your website’s user experience to better serve your supporters.” It really isn’t about you or your nonprofit, it’s about the USER!
Do you need another pair of eyes to do a “Usability Web Site Audit” for you? I’ve done many, it works wonders!
Wishing you greater nonprofit abundance and success!
Ayda
