The way you tell your story has the power to draw people in to your organization’s mission. One important vehicle for showing your impact is your website, and, more specifically, through good storytelling all throughout your website. Here are some ways to do that:
Put the mobile experience first
Recently, there’s been a trend toward websites with large photos – called hero images – as the centerpiece of the homepage, and we LOVE to see this. Why? Over 60% of website visitors are viewing websites on their mobile devices. What this means for you: your site HAS to be made with mobile in mind first.
Photos are very compelling, and a great hero image immediately catches your attention. Plus, websites with this kind of design are also easily optimized for mobile, saving you from the hassle of redesigning your site specifically for mobile users.
In addition to visual components, you want to ensure that all of your informational pages, forms and registrations are compatible with the mobile version of your site too.
Keep highest priority content above the fold
Content that’s “above the fold” refers to anything on your website that’s visible without having to scroll down. And while a hero image might take up this whole space, you can further utilize it by adding buttons to other pages, your tagline, etc.
By clearly communicating what you do right off the bat, you’ll capture your audience sooner – and show them why they should stick around.
The goal should always be to keep your messaging welcoming and straightforward, so provide an easy way to learn about volunteering, apply for your services, or make a donation. Don’t make your viewers to go on a scavenger hunt for information!
Maintain consistent branding
As simple as it sounds, ask yourself: “Does our website feel like [your organization]?” If not, it’s time to rework.
Simply put, your website should reflect who you are. And although it might feel like a “design” concern rather than a “user experience” concern, when branding, aesthetic and voice are inconsistent with an organization’s overall mission and vision, it creates a disconnect in the minds of potential supporters. This becomes distracting and ultimately leads to confusion and frustration when trying to interact with your website.
To avoid this, ensure your website’s colors, fonts, photos and messaging match up with your printed materials, social media presence and in-person engagement. Don’t introduce different fonts or colors, use alternate logos or choose stock images that don’t align with your mission and vision.
Display stories on your homepage
Because of the pandemic, people have become more anxious and overloaded with info. Not to mention, nearly everyone – especially those working in nonprofits – have to multitask all the time. Even for the best of us, this can be overwhelming.
But Nick Morgan Ph.D makes an important point when considering how to reach people in today’s age: “What still grabs and holds people is powerful stories on ancient themes like identity, change, and revenge. Our brains still work. They’re just stressed out.”
Instead of contributing to this stressful culture, be compassionate and pay attention to storytelling. And one of our favorite places to tell long-form stories is something you probably already have. A blog.
It’s estimated that organizations that publish blogs get 55 percent more traffic and have a whopping 434 percent more pages indexed by search engines. That’s a big deal! This stat proves that even in our shorter-than-ever-attention-span world, well-written stories make a difference. So provide easy access to blog posts with links on right on your homepage.
Share high-quality content
Finally, the quality of your content matters. High-quality content is the type that answers people’s questions, shows impact, and captivates interest. It’s what makes you stand out above the noise and makes other people want to share on behalf of your organization.
And if you’re looking to transform your supporters into brand evangelists (and who isn’t?), get them involved and generating content for you. This is called user-generated content (UGC) and can include any type of content that’s been created by people not directly involved or employed by the organization.
Think of this form of free and effective promotion as the digital age’s version of word-of-mouth.
One of the easiest ways to get feedback is to ask for it: either through Google or Facebook reviews, or even a simple prompt for comments on social media. By getting information straight from the “horse’s mouth”, you can effectively share the heart behind your nonprofit.
Ready to get started with your organization’s marketing? Let us help! Email us today at stories@magnolimedia.group.