Every day, potential donors visit nonprofit websites intending to give. But when donation pages are poorly designed or have disjointed messaging, those contributions never materialize.
An effective donation page doesn’t just ask for money. Instead, it builds trust, creates emotional connections, and assures donors that their contributions will make a meaningful difference.
Beat declining fundraising trends by applying best practices that transform your page into a powerful tool that positions your nonprofit as a trustworthy cause. Let’s dive into key donation page tips to optimize and drive traffic to your page.
Brand your donation page.
Your donation page should use the same visual elements as your website and other marketing materials. This reassures donors they are in the right place and will be contributing to your nonprofit.
To make your donation page visually cohesive and trustworthy, add these branded elements:
- Logo: Feature your nonprofit’s logo to reinforce trust. This symbol of your organization helps donors feel confident they’re supporting a legitimate cause they’re familiar with.
- Color scheme: Choose a consistent color palette aligned with your nonprofit’s brand identity. Choose colors that are easy to read and visually appealing. Note, white copy on a dark background are NOT typically that easy to read.
- Typography: Use readable fonts that match your nonprofit’s style. Consistency creates a professional look.
- Messaging: The copywriting on your donation page should inspire trust, convey your cause’s urgency, and inspire an emotional connection.
- Imagery: Show those served by your nonprofit by featuring a compelling image at the top of your donation page. Whether it’s a picture of a rescue dog or a child receiving fresh drinking water, visual storytelling is a powerful tool for demonstrating impact and invoking emotion.
By thoughtfully incorporating these branded elements, you’ll create a visually cohesive page that instills confidence, making supporters more likely to contribute. Also, if your donation page is focused on a specific campaign, make sure the messaging and images match the campaign information used elsewhere. For example, if your email talks about a child receiving clean fresh drinking water, but your image shows older adults around a fire, there’s an immediate disconnect.
Leverage social proof with testimonials.
Social proof goes a long way toward demonstrating contributions’ real-world effects. When potential donors see that others—whether they’re past donors or respected organizations—support your cause, they are more likely to feel confident about giving.
For example, on your donation page, you might share:
- Donor testimonials: Feature quotes and stories from donors who can speak to the impact of their gifts. Personal endorsements from satisfied donors add authenticity and help build trust with new visitors.
- Beneficiary stories: Share heartfelt quotes and stories from individuals who have directly benefited from your nonprofit’s work. These stories humanize your cause and allow potential donors to envision the impact of their gifts.
- Partnership logos: Display logos from reputable organizations that support your nonprofit. This visual endorsement provides credibility, positioning your organization as a trusted entity.
By including social proof, you’ll show donors that your nonprofit is trusted by others, increasing the chances they will trust you as well.
Make giving rewarding with recurring donations.
Encourage donors to contribute regularly by making recurring monthly, quarterly, or annual donations. Flexible timing allows donors to support your cause at a level that suits their budget while providing your organization with predictable revenue.
Highlight the power of recurring donations by emphasizing how ongoing support sustains your programs and creates long-term impact. Donors are more likely to commit to making a recurring gift when they understand their contributions add up to make a big impact.
Make opting into recurring giving simple with a checkbox or clear toggle button on your donation form. To further encourage sign-ups, promise exclusive updates, thank-you notes, or donor recognition opportunities for those who sign up.
Communicate tangible impact with impact statements and statistics.
67% of donors want clear details about how a nonprofit will use their money to ensure their giving is meaningful. To meet this expectation, communicate how donations impact your cause on your donation page.
When possible, use specific, concrete examples that help donors visualize how their support makes a difference. Qgiv’s donation page guide shares an example of this strategy from the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR):
To encourage gifts, HSPPR shares these impact statements for each donation level:
- $40 – You can give one day of care and shelter to one animal.
- $75 – You can provide blood work and testing for one senior pet.
- $142 – You can give one day of treatment to a puppy sick with parvovirus.
- $205 – You can help clean, repair, and bandage the wound of an injured pet.
These statements speak directly to donors’ motivations and provide context for their support.
You can also provide statistics related to your nonprofit’s impact. For instance, a statistic like “We provided 150,000 meals to hungry children and adults last year” demonstrates the scale of your impact. Linking to case studies or impact reports that showcase how donations to your cause have changed lives can provide detailed insight into your nonprofit’s work.
Emphasize that you protect donor data.
When handling sensitive donor data like payment information, prioritize privacy and security. Supporters who don’t feel confident their data is protected may hesitate to donate.
Nonprofits must adhere to 501(c)(3) website requirements and digital security laws to protect donor data. For example, the California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA) requires any website collecting financial data from California residents to display a clear, accessible privacy policy.
To reassure donors that their data is safe, implement the following practices:
- Use PCI-compliant donation tools. Safeguard credit card data by using donation platforms that follow the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) protocol.
- Obtain an SSL/TLS certificate. Transport Layer Security (TLS) is the successor to Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption. It encrypts data sent between a user’s browser and a website to prevent information from being intercepted by hackers. Obtain a free certificate or purchase one from a trusted Certificate Authority (CA) like GoDaddy.
- Add trust signals. Display trust badges, security certificates, and clear privacy policies to build donor confidence. For instance, websites with an SSL certificate automatically say HTTPS:// rather than HTTP:// in their URLs.
By showcasing your commitment to security, you foster trust and increase the likelihood of successful donations.
Increase donation page visibility with Google Ads.
Drive traffic to your donation page with strategic promotion. Google Ads is one of the most powerful marketing tools for donor outreach, and thanks to the Google Ad Grant, you can use this platform for free. Eligible organizations receive up to $10,000 in monthly ad credits for targeted ads in Google Search results.
Getting Attention’s Google Ad Grants guide highlights how nonprofits often promote donation pages, service pages, and educational content with the grant. The guide also dives into tips for leveraging the grant, such as:
- Create compelling ad copy. Craft clear, concise, and action-oriented ad copy that speaks to donors’ interests and highlights your nonprofit’s impact. Use strong CTAs like “Donate to Make a Difference” or “Give Today to Change Lives.” With Google’s responsive search ads, you can create multiple headlines and descriptions and test various combinations to find the most effective pairings.
- Choose relevant keywords. Focus on mission-related terms like “donate to animal shelter” or “help feed the hungry.” Research keywords to pick ones that receive traffic from prospective donors.
- Provide additional information with ad assets. For example, use the site link asset to feature extra links or the callout asset to highlight key benefits (e.g., “Tax-Deductible Donations”). These details add context to your web pages, increasing the likelihood that potential donors will click your ad.
For a strong example of Google Ads in action, check out this Google Ad for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF):
The ad features donor-centric copy that highlights the urgency and impact of donations. The link leads to a donation page with a powerful image of an elephant and its calf. Using the site link asset, WWF added their polar bear adoption program page and primary donation page as additional engagement options.
Your donation page empowers your nonprofit to raise funds online that can fuel your mission. Donors should feel confident in their decision to give, and that’s where a well-designed donation page comes in. Optimize your page and feature it in your outreach to earn more support for your cause.
