Putting your website to work for you

Putting Your Website to Work for Your Direct Response Program

Debbie YoungSean Powell

Introductions

Goals:1) Building web traffic2) Converting online registrations and

activists to donors3) Integrating web, communications,

and direct response dept.’s to build stronger donor programs

CONTENTBetter content -> ↑ web traffic ->↑conversions

CONVERSIONSBetter strategies -> ↑ conversions

Your organization’s website

- who are your web visitors?- who is your site built for?- who do you want to attract?- is it a good reflection of the org and its mission?- do you know your site’s web traffic?- are you receiving any web analytics?- do you know why people visit your site?- do you know the most visited pages?

Web visitor -> DonorEmail subscriber -> Donor

Types of online conversions

Web visitor -> Repeat Web visitorWeb visitor -> Email Subscriber

Web visitor -> Online Advocate/Action TakerOnline Advocate/Action Taker -> Online Donor

Online Donor -> Email SubscriberWeb visitor -> Offline Donor

Non-web Visitor -> Web Visitor

Donor -> Email Subscriber

Best practice: Opt-in as a benefitExample: USHMM Privacy Policy

“Donors who have contacted the USHMM via email and/or provided the USHMM with an email address will receive the USHMM general news e-newsletter. If you wish to decline this benefit, please follow the opt-out options noted below.”

Best practice: Thank you email- “contributors receive our e-newsletter”- “please add us to your address book”- learn more, connect, take action, etc.- unsubscribe/change email address

Web visitor -> Email subscriber

Best practices: - Connect to most visited actions on the site

By providing your e-mail address, you will also receive the Museum's e-newsletter, e-Community News, which brings you regular e-mail updates from the Museum. If you wish to unsubscribe, you can do so at any time.

- Include in global navigation

- Thank you/Welcome message that connects to the way they signed up.

Web Visitor -> Advocate/Action taker

Best practice- Offer actions at varying levels of commitment- Follow-up with action takers about the action they took. Thank them, tell what happened, share feedback.

Examples: WWF Photo Caption Contest CBF Action Campaign

Web visitor -> Shop Purchaser

Best practices:- Drive internal traffic - Drive external traffic- Offer purchaser incentives to move up in commitment- Offer email opt-in at time of purchase- Include purchasers in next acquisition

Online Web visitor -> Offline Donor

Best practices:- Make it easy- Have a printer-friendly option- Include mailing address specific for accepting donations- Include phone number to call

Email Subscriber -> DonorAdvocate/Action Taker -> Donor

Web visitor -> Donor

Email subscriber -> Donor

Best practices:- Give the web visitor what they want.

- Include a variety of “offerings” along with it.

- Steer individuals into more targeted messaging.

- Create a routine and expectations.

- Stewardship prior to the ask.

Example: USHMM E-News

Integration

When web traffic goes up, so do all conversions.

Integrating with the program, marketing, web units to become involved with content.

What does the website offer that you can give to donors as a “benefit”? (online recognition?, “insider” view?)

What does the direct response unit have offline that you can create an online version of? (Calendar? Annual report?)

Content

Think in terms of small bites.(fact of the month, tip of the month, this day/week/month in history)Example: White House’s Health Care Reform – Number Campaign

Think of what may have a viral component.Plan for the unplanned.Tie it to the news.Focus on storytelling.

Converting to donors

1. Make your cause and goal clear and obvious.2. Make donating simple and easy.3. Maintain contact by email after the original

donation.

What content is most important?

1. Your organization’s mission, goals, and objectives. (#1 is 4X more important than #2)

2. The organization’s presence in the constituent’s own “community”.

3. How your organization uses donations.

Do an audit of your site. Ask web visitors how easily they find content 1-3.

Jakob Nielsen, March 30, 2009

Examples of websites

ushmm.orgdoctorswithoutborders-usa.org

enoughmoment.org & enoughproject.org

Converting to donors

1. Site visitors should be easily prompted to make a donation.

2. Test placement of donation.3. Include donation option in global navigation.

Discussion

Examples of collaboration on web content?

Examples of an upcoming appeal that could be a good fit for having a web component?

Examples of an idea you have for offline that you could test online?

Website

DesignF-patternPrinter-friendlyAbove/below the scroll

ContentPie chartsCharity seals“donate” vs. “become a member”Buttonized links

Donation page

Test:Minimize navigation and extra linksLanguageCharity sealsSecurity sealsAsk strings- horizontal vs vertical- ascending vs descending- giving handles - customized vs standard

Summary

Build web trafficIntegrate web, communications, and direct response to build stronger donor programs

Value of contentSpectrum of conversions

Thank you

engageyourcause.com