The internet is a big place. Accordingly, you don’t want people playing “Where’s Waldo?” with your website. Here are 11 ways to help your website stand out from the crowd.
- Give people something extra. In exchange for their email signup, give them a downloadable how-to, some free research, or a coupon code.
- Update frequently. And show them where the updates are, with a news scroll, or blog preview, or even a popup.
- Focus your visitors’ eyes on one thing. Remember, you can’t focus on multiple things – that’s the opposite of “focus.” So point people to the key thing you want them to do, and make sure it also benefits them.
- Make it fun. Graphically, and with words.
- Make it searchable. Because we’re busy, and we expect everything now. If you’ve got a lot of content, no one is going to hunt around in your site, so help them find it.
- Add a blog. Certainly you know things. Share them. Become a recognized expert.
- Update it at least 11 times a month. (And triple your traffic.)
- Make sure it’s mobile friendly! More than 70% of all visits to the internet are via mobile. Run this; if you failed the test, you’d better address this quickly, because it’s already dampening your traffic.
- Use video! Research shows that video will keep people on a web page an average of 50% longer – and the longer they stay there, the more likely they are to get involved.
- Think “headlines and graphics.” Because that’s what people will see, that’s what you should spotlight. Supporting text is just there for support. (And for SEO.)
- Be you. Whether “you” is just you, or an entire team at your nonprofit, no one else can be you, so you should be good at it. Make the site sound like you, look like you, and make sure it reflects your values. Because just as there’s someone for everyone, there are people searching for a nonprofit like yours. Make sure it’s you they find.