Your Donate Button and Giving Page. How to maximize each page view.

Converting individuals from simply visiting your website to donating is critical for the success of your organization We've compiled a list of best practices (and self-evaluating questions!) to help you pave the pathway for digital donations.

CONSIDERATION #1: Button Placement

Self Evaluation: Do you have a donate button in the top navigation bar of every webpage? 

Best Practice: Donors should be able to reach your giving page from anywhere on the website in one click. We recommend placing it in a top navigation bar that is always visible on any page of your website so that visitors can support your organization whenever they feel inspired.

CONSIDERATION #2: Ways to Give

Self Evaluation: Do donors know they can give in various ways to your organization?

Best Practice: Although the majority of digital giving is still in the form of debit or credit, offering donors multiple ways to give allows them to select the asset that makes the most sense for their tax and financial situation and preference. 

CONSIDERATION #3: Quick Context

Self Evaluation: How much do donors have to read to understand which giving option to choose?

Best Practice: Our attention spans are shorter than they've ever been in history! (If you've made it this far in the article, 👏 to you!) Help your donors understand each way to give in a short and sweet sentence.

1. For cash givers, this might mean highlighting that Overflow offers low-fee credit/debit/ACH giving.
2. For stock and crypto donations, make sure to emphasize the tax benefits of giving appreciated assets. (Here are some blurbs to get you started)

If you have more information to share than fits in a nice, clean design, consider creating a separate landing page for that information or link out to FAQs. 

CONSIDERATION #4: Design

Self Evaluation: How do donors feel when they reach your giving page?

Best Practice: Because you are stewarding donor relationships by offering multiple ways to give to your organization, you have a lot of things to display on your giving page! But that doesn't mean the page needs to feel overwhelming. Keep the page design simple by avoiding complicated graphics, fonts, and color schemes. Make each call to action clear, compelling and short. Get inspired with these 🔥 giving page examples.

You can evaluate how well you've implemented the above suggestions by tracking your Overflow URL views in your Dashboard. Learn more.

👉 These best practices extend beyond your website! Consider how your current donate buttons display on other mediums as well:

📥  Email: Keep the important content ‘above the fold’ so that your supporters see it instantly upon opening the email. Most users check emails on their mobile or handheld devices and are likely to miss a donate button if it’s further down.

📱 Social Media: Place a "Donate" or "Learn More" button at the top of your profiles. We recommend using Linktree which allows you to link to multiple pages, including your Giving Page, from one URL. Learn more about this useful tool here: https://linktr.ee/