| At this point in time, almost every nonprofit organization | | | | broad range of Museum audiences, from the museum |
| counts heavily on its website to generate donations, | | | | go-er to an elementary school teachers planning a field |
| program participation and volunteers, among other | | | | trip and a scholar investigating research opportunities. |
| goals. What's ironic is that, now that we're more | | | | Put graphic design to work.Give your priority content |
| experienced and comfortable with the Web, many | | | | greater 'visual weight' with a large space on the home |
| nonprofits have diverted their focus from making sure | | | | page, including a sizable headline, longer summary and |
| their sites are maximized to engage users.Here's an | | | | or photo. Weighting multiple elements equally or almost |
| example:I'll never forget when a local museum | | | | equally is the equivalent of talking about multiple topics |
| re-opened its exhibit space after a multi-year | | | | at the same time. It's impossible for your audience to |
| renovation. The museum got lots of press, including an | | | | know what to focus on.Use graphics and photos to |
| extensive feature in the New York Times. | | | | create interest and meaning.Use a consistent page |
| Unfortunately, when I went to their beautiful new | | | | layout for each section.A Strong Model:The Family |
| website to plan my visit, I couldn't find hours, admission | | | | Violence Prevention Fund Take a look at this complex |
| fees or directions anywhere.Talk about discouraging a | | | | site and you'll see that it covers many programs and |
| visit! Clearly the museum had worked hard to get | | | | campaigns, related news flashes and other topics. But, |
| press coverage, but didn't think through what questions | | | | like a traditional newspaper, the home page "real |
| that coverage would generate to make sure they | | | | estate" has been used most effectively to place like |
| were addressed by the site.Beware. This kind of error | | | | content elements together. Color and type choices |
| is common. It's all too frequent to be on a website | | | | reinforce these distinctions, making it easy for a site |
| where vital information such as phone numbers and | | | | visitor (whether current or prospective donor, |
| addresses are not included.Website ease of use (or | | | | advocate, member of the press or abuse victim) to |
| "usability" to use the common lexicon) is an absolute | | | | easily find what s/he needs.In addition, the use of color |
| must. It's far too easy for a site visitor to move to | | | | and photos of people throughout the site ensure that |
| another site to give or volunteer. And very easy for | | | | visitors stay focused and engaged. Consistent page |
| visitors to leave the Web altogether. So do your best | | | | layouts (there are actually two layouts used throughout |
| to keep your visitors engaged with your nonprofit's | | | | the site, depending on the content on each page) |
| site.Here are my top four "to-dos" to ensure your | | | | reinforce focus and confirm, subliminally, that the visitor |
| website generates the actions you need:1. Use intuitive/ | | | | is still on the same site. Make your website interactive, |
| logical navigation and structure.Be sure your site:Makes | | | | where and when it makes sense.Of course utilizing |
| content easy to find: Organize it by priority, time, | | | | online donation and registration forms, as well as links |
| alphanumeric order, or some other logical method. | | | | and contact emails is a no brainer. But how can you |
| Uses "breadcrumbs" to help users determine where | | | | use interactive tools, beyond those straightforward |
| they are in the site, where they've been and how to | | | | applications, to add value for your Web |
| get where they want to be. Approaches include | | | | audiences?Ideas for online community building |
| featuring drop-down menus from your site's main | | | | include:Create a mechanism to solicit donor and |
| menu bar (which features the various sections). Once | | | | volunteer questions, concerns and comments. Poll |
| a user is within a certain section, h/she sees another | | | | readers on their response to an article or news flash |
| menu listing all the sub-sections within that section, | | | | featured on the site. Share survey results or other |
| enabling ease of moving around the site. Another | | | | audience feedback on a page within the site. Build an |
| approach is to include the text equivalent on every | | | | online community where participants (think board |
| page (i.e. Home>Get Involved>Volunteer>Sign-Up | | | | members or volunteers) can share knowledge, work in |
| Form). Has top and side navigation bars that work | | | | progress and experiences. In some cases, you'll want |
| together. Has no "dead links" that lead users to a dead | | | | to make these communities private.Great |
| end with no exit. Includes a technical contact in the | | | | Examples:Speaking Freely, the ACLU of |
| event that a user experiences difficulties.A Strong | | | | Pennsylvania's blog, is covering the suit brought by |
| Model:Elderhostel's website incorporates all of these | | | | parents in the Dover, PA school district who are |
| elements, which are particularly important for its target | | | | fighting to keep the teaching of "intelligent design" out |
| audience of seniors. Take a look at: Keep content | | | | of the classroom.Blog readers can comment on blog |
| short and current.In order to reach your users, follow | | | | entries. The many comments speak to readers' |
| these guidelines.People don't read on screen, they skim. | | | | passionate reactions to this issue. Special Libraries |
| "Chunk" content so it's easy for users to digest the | | | | Association reports results of its recent salary survey |
| key points.Web copy should be refreshed frequently. | | | | back to its membership. Because of the relative ease |
| Your nonprofit's home page will seem stale if users | | | | and inexpensiveness of the online survey format, the |
| see the same headlines that were posted two months | | | | SLA was able to survey 100% of its membership for |
| ago. Give them a reason to return frequently.Write for | | | | the first time in its history. Housing Association of |
| your audience: Maintain the perspective of each target | | | | Nonprofit Developers provides an online message |
| audience and write to them. Keep their point of view in | | | | board for its members to ask questions and share |
| mind when writing copy. If your target audiences are | | | | expertise. use these guidelines as a checklist for |
| too divergent to do so, create distinct points of entry | | | | reviewing your nonprofit or foundation website. I think |
| or home pages for each group, so that you can | | | | you'll find areas in which your site excels and others |
| communicate in the most effective way.Provide links | | | | that can be strengthened for even greater impact, with |
| to additional detail for the user who really wants to | | | | a fairly modest investment of effort and budget.Nancy |
| know more.A Strong Model:Formed around a family | | | | E. Schwartz helps nonprofits succeed through |
| collection of rare books and manuscripts, Philadelphia's | | | | effective marketing and communications.Subscribe to |
| Rosenbach Museum and Libraries has a lot to say on | | | | her free e-newsletter "Getting Attention," at and read |
| its site. But the team keeps content pithy and | | | | her blog at for more insights, ideas and great tips on |
| organizes it well. As a result, the site is useful for the | | | | attracting the attention your organization deserves. |