Nonprofit Website Redesign: Bringing It All Together

In previous blog posts, we’ve talked about Breaking the “Brochureware” Mindset and the Identity+Brain connection. Bringing all of it together will get us to a successful website design.

Steve Jobs once said, “Design is not just what it looks like & feels like. Design is how it works.” When talking about websites, my version sounds like this: Design is the art of bringing together personality, style, and function, beautifully, to fully engage and serve your visitors and constituents.

For nonprofits on a mission, I elevate two design principles above all others: clarity and usefulness. Without these, it’s difficult to connect with your potential donor or member on an emotional and intellectual level, and this connection is absolutely key for persuading people to give you their time and/or money.

CLARITY

Donald Miller points out that “the human brain is drawn towards clarity and away from clutter.” We are all bombarded with complexity and confusion throughout our day. We seek clarity.

When your website is clear, you make it easy for visitors to understand your mission and decide to act.

USEFULNESS

People are generally impatient when looking for something online. They are moving fast and want to find what they need fast. In order to meet your visitors’ needs quickly, it’s important to understand what it is they’re trying to do when they visit your site! What kind of information are they seeking? What do they need to accomplish? For most nonprofits, common constituent needs include:

• Sign up to volunteer
• Make a donation
• Find an event and register

You can see how design is most effective when it draws on both your nonprofit’s Identity+Brain. Working through these steps to establish a strong brand and quality data will put you in a position to develop a clear, useful, and effective CUI (Constituent User Interface or Website), moving beyond brochureware. Your interactive website will become a true “Mission Delivery Platform” that helps further your goals and have a greater impact.

Discover more resources for making your land trust website a powerful marketing & fundraising tool on our Powerful Land Trusts page.