So, Your Donation Page Sucks…
The day? Giving Tuesday. The problem? Our donation page wasn’t working, as in the credit card processor was not processing. How did we learn of the problem? Someone called us to let us know (and complain about how much time they spent trying to make a donation).
I like to think of this person as an angel sent from above. Yes, I had to apologize profusely for the annoyance and time spent trying to make a donation, and thank them sincerely for their support. Yes, they were less than kind in telling me how we should have a donation page that works and how we wasted their time.
But – can you imagine if no one called to complain? We would have just been frustrated that our thoughtful, strategic, well-written, well-researched fundraising campaign that encouraged people to give on this nationally recognized dedicated day without a clue of why we weren’t raising any money...if it weren’t for that angel’s feedback.
Feedback from donors is necessary and also should be taken with a grain of salt.
Feedback like, “I am unable to make a donation on your website,” is important and should be handled swiftly. Especially on Giving Tuesday.
Feedback like, “I can’t find your phone number,” should be considered and your website should be reviewed by another outsider to see how long it takes to find your phone number.
Feedback like, “You send too many emails,” should be considered while also reviewing open and click rates.
But back to donation pages, remember that these are one of the most frequented pages of a nonprofit’s website. A donation page should be a simple page. But simplicity is easier said than done. It requires careful consideration before constructing it.
Some questions to consider:
Does the system correctly process the person’s credit card?
I can’t say this enough – test, test, test – after each and every change made to your site.
Are you capturing all the relevant information?
What information is necessary to process the transaction and for you to thank, steward, and stay in touch for the future?
Are you asking for too much information that the person gets annoyed and leaves before completing the transaction?
Been there! While birthdays and employer and what tax bracket someone is in are all absolutely lovely pieces of information to have, do you need it? Does it make the process to donate much longer? Can you make these items optional? (And I wouldn’t suggest the tax bracket one!)
Can the person find your phone number in case there is an issue?
If something is too hard to do, someone will just give up. LUCKILY in my original story, the phone number was easy to find so someone could call to complain. That angel took the time to help us out. Not everyone will do that, but in case there is a question, make it easy for them.
Is your tax ID clearly displayed?
A small detail, but an important and helpful one. Maybe the person looking at your donation page is considering donating through their Donor Advised Fund and needs to verify the Tax ID Number. Maybe they were unaware you were a charitable organization and wants to confirm it with their accountant. Consider what other questions a person might have while looking at your donation page, and answer them before they can even ask.
Did I mention - does the system correctly process the credit card?
TEST TEST TEST!
What should not be on the donation page of your nonprofit’s website?
The case for giving. Or a place to invite someone to attend the next event. Or a way for the person to learn about the board of directors. This page has one purpose and one purpose: get the money quickly, accurately, and simply. Do not distract your donor!
Take a look at your donation page now. Test it for yourself. How hard is it? Can something be improved? How many potential donors go through this process and give up giving because it’s too burdensome?
Giving Tuesday is a couple of months away. What can you do now to prepare for that all-important dedicated day for giving? (I also talk about this concept of how to help your future self here) Do you have an appeal plan ready? Is your database prepared to track who gets what message? Have you considered a matching gift opportunity and have you spoken to a major donor about it? Is it easy to donate on your website?
Now is the time to get started. Need some help?
P.S. I’ve got some more thoughts on this subject. Sign up for my email list here to receive some further advice.