Donation Pages That Convert: 7 Must-Do’s

We all know that converting website viewers to donors is one of the primary goals of a nonprofit organization. But how do you achieve those conversions? The only sure-fire way to capitalize on your website views is to create a successful donation page.

Donation pages are an essential component of every organization’s fundraising effort. In today’s world, these pages are responsible for the vast majority of donations that an organization will receive. A good donation page, like these five high performing pages, can bring in larger gift amounts and more donations. A poorly constructed page, on the other hand, may discourage donors from giving at all.

We have put together this list of seven necessary steps for optimizing your donation page. These tips will help you build a successful page with your donors’ experience front and center!

Free Download: The Complete Guide to Building Your Donation Page

1. Make Sure Your Donation Page Is Visible!

Donation pages allow your supporters to make their gifts through your website. Set yourself up for success by ensuring that your donation page is visible as soon as your supporters land on your homepage.

When designing your donation page, it is imperative to keep your donors’ experience in the forefront of your mind. Is the page easy to navigate? How long does it take to complete a donation? Are the steps clear with as few barriers to giving as possible? The sweet spot is a donation page that provides a compelling call to action coupled with clear, easy and, seamless ways for supporters to respond!

Making your donation page easy for your donors includes making a donate button easy to see. This means keeping it “above the fold”, or at the top of the page so that it is immediately visible. Remember to make it pop! We have found a 30% increase in donations when the button color changes from gray to something brighter like yellow or blue.

A clear call to action will provide even more encouragement for your donors. Place this CTA right above or beside your donation page so that your donors can take action right away.

2. Be Branded

Branding is key, not just in your communication and outreach, but also in your donation pages. In fact, 76% of surveyed donors said they are more likely to contribute if the donation page carries the organization’s branding and has a professional appearance. 

Staying on brand will offer your donors a consistent experience of your organization. The colors, the tone of your messaging, and the value proposition you include with your donation page should match other materials and collateral you distribute to donors. 

Make your brand memorable for donors. We are all more likely to trust someone or something we recognize, and trust is paramount for nonprofits. With CauseVox’s site editor, you can easily create a beautiful, branded donation page and campaign pages that convert donors.

Volo Kids used CauseVox’s site editor to brand their donation page.

3. Tell Your Story Powerfully

At the heart of engaging more donors on your donation page is telling your nonprofit’s story effectively. This includes having a clear, concise, and compelling narrative on your donation page that informs and inspires individuals to give.

Donors love to see how their gift will be used to impact your work, so be loud and proud about sharing how gifts are allocated and who they impact. Transparency, connection and engagement are paramount to donors. So be sure to share regular project updates, personalized thank you’s and stories about how their gift is creating meaningful change. 

Raz Refuge sharing a testimony on their donation page.

When sharing beneficiary testimonies, highlight how the support received from donors has impacted others. This is an incredible way to speak to the heart of supporters. Donors want to feel like they are involved in making a difference in the world, and story is one of the best ways we can do that! 

4. Use Descriptive Tiers

Descriptive tiers make donating easier and more compelling for your donors. Instead of having to determine how much of a contribution they think will make an impact, they can select from a list of predetermined tiers that are tied to specific and tangible impacts. 68% of donors agree that knowing how their donation makes an impact is important to their gift.

Keep your descriptive tiers tangible and mission-focused. Ask yourself how a gift of a certain amount will help you deliver your program. Include this information directly on the donation page for even greater visibility for your donors.

Descriptive tiers will add to the trust that your donors have in your organization. They will be compelled to give by the idea that their gift will have a tangible impact for the beneficiaries of your organization.

Offering descriptive tiers will make it easier and more compelling for donors to give. You may even see an increase in average gift size when your donors see the giving levels that you ask for on your donation page.

5. Offer A Recurring Gift Option On Your Donation Page

Recurring giving is a major source of revenue for many nonprofits. CauseVox has a free guide to help you set up a winning recurring gift campaign. If you are not yet taking advantage of this opportunity, you can start by adding recurring giving directly to your standard donation page.

The benefits of recurring giving are manifold. Recurring givers donate on average 42% more than one-time givers. The retention rate for this group is almost twice that of one-time givers. Recurring givers are on “auto-pilot,” making it easier for them to support your mission while you watch your revenue increase with little extra effort.

6. Add Pledge Donations To Increase Gift Size

CauseVox lets you offer your donors the chance to make pledges. This feature allows supporters to commit to a large gift and pay in smaller, easily manageable installments. Although pledge donations and recurring gifts both feature scheduled payments, pledge payments are considered a payment method for one large gift, rather than a monthly gift of a smaller amount. 

With CauseVox, you can add pledge donations directly to your donation page. Let donors increase their gift size with pledge donations!

Pledge donations with a CauseVox donation page.

BONUS TIP: Add Tribute Dedications To Increase Overall Giving

Tribute dedications are an easy and meaningful way for donors to give, and give more, in honor of someone. Donors who give tribute dedications often share online with others which in turn raises awareness about your cause! 

Adding a tribute dedication option to your giving page creates a purposeful way for people to make a significant impact, share about that impact and feel connected with a larger story.

7. Enable Mobile Wallets

A frictionless donation page is essential to making sure that you do not lose potential supporters with a tedious giving process. In today’s world, it is crucial that your donation page is mobile-optimized. Donors are more likely to visit your website on their phones and tablets than their desktops. You can make their mobile experience even more convenient by allowing them to pay via mobile wallet. 

With 42% of consumers preferring to use a mobile wallet to donate, this feature is a must-have. And this option will only become more important in the future as it is Gen Z’s preferred way to give. 

Offering your donors the opportunity to pay with mobile wallets will ensure that your donation page is mobile friendly. You can increase your conversions with this simple step!

Optimize Your Donation Page Today!

Donation pages are one of the primary ways that donors interact with your organization so it’s important to make sure that you are prioritizing the donor experience. This means creating donation pages that are easy to use and compel your audience to give. 

We’ve put together a complete guide with more tips and a how-to in our Complete Guide To Building Your Donation Page. Get your free copy below! 

Download The Complete Guide to Building Your Donation Page

This post was edited in January 2024 for freshness and accuracy.