5 Non Profit Website Essentials
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Posted On :
Sep-16-2010
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Article Word Count :
572
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Everyday more and more nonprofits turn to the internet as a way to generate awareness for their cause. They spend hours online, researching various techniques that could help them better connect with their target constituents; so it's no surprise that sooner than later, they realize a website is not an accessory, but a necessity for them to be effective online.
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Everyday more and more nonprofits turn to the internet as a way to generate awareness for their cause. They spend hours online, researching various techniques that could help them better connect with their target constituents; so it's no surprise that sooner than later, they realize a website is not an accessory, but a necessity for them to be effective online.
When it comes to nonprofit websites, the options are ever-expanding. Several tools and providers supply attractive websites, but how do you determine what features will make your site most effective?
Here are some quick pointers for you.
1. Use a good domain name. This may sound redundant, but the importance of a good domain name cannot be over-emphasized. If possible, your domain should immediately tell everyone about your cause. Be sure to pick keyword-rich domains. In other words, domains that have some of your target keywords in them. So for example, for a nonprofit that helps feed hungry children in Houston, kidsmealshouston.org is a better fit than kidsmeals.org - and anyone looking to support a local nonprofit in Houston is more likely to find you easily.
2. Give your mission statement prominent placement. It only takes 4 seconds for a visitor to decide whether or not to remain on your website, and as a nonprofit, your mission/cause is the most sought-after piece of information. You want to make sure it is visible from every page, possibly in your site's header or sidebar. If you have a rather long mission statement, you can provide an excerpt in either of these positions, and provide a link to the full text.
3. Make it easy for your visitors to take action. Your donation or support button should also be located prominently on every page. You do not necessarily have to place a donation link at every possible position on your site - because that may seem rather pushy to your visitors - but you do want them to know the button is there as soon as they are ready to support your cause. The header is also a great place for this. Most website providers use site-wide headers, so place one link and you're done.
4. Provide proof of your work. Brand new nonprofits may not have this, but after a couple of projects, you should be able to add testimonials (and maybe photos) to your nonprofit website. Since most donors/volunteers identify with projects for which they have some level of interest, proof that you're actually making a difference in the community is usually a great motivator for them to support you.
5. Finally, credibility is very important. Be sure to include enough identifying information on your site, so visitors can quickly discover who is behind the entity. Most nonprofits include information about their staff, as well as their board of directors. Include photos if possible.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_5 Non Profit Website Essentials_33339.aspx
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Author Resource :
SEOnonprofit.com is a non profit web design firm located in Atlanta, GA. We have been providing website and online marketing services to nonprofits since 2007. Our mission is to provide the most attractive and effective non-profit websites in the industry, at affordable rates.
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Keywords :
non profit web design, non profit websites, web design tips,
Category :
Internet Business
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Web Design
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