Introduction

Non-profits have a lot of competition for attention. The web is full of sites that look like they’re trying to sell you something and make money off your time and donations. So how do you stand out from the crowd? You need a website that’s focused on serving the needs of your members and donors, not just making a profit.

Luckily, there are plenty of ways to build an effective non-profit website without spending a fortune on design services or software solutions. This post will explore some essential elements for building an effective non-profit website.

Choosing a domain name

Choosing a domain name is an essential step in the process of building your non-profit website. It’s also one of the most challenging parts because it can be very tricky to figure out what you want and how much it will cost.

A good rule of thumb is that “easy-to-remember” and “easy-to-spell” domains make for better choices than those that are hard to remember or spell (i.e., .gov). You don’t want either end of this spectrum—you want something memorable but not overly complicated. Hence, people remember what they see on your site without having trouble remembering how exactly it’s spelled or pronounced!

Setting up hosting

Once you’ve settled on a domain name and confirmed its availability, it’s time to get a hosting provider. When deciding on a web host, it’s crucial to consider what your non-profit needs and how much money you want to spend. Here are some things to consider:

• How long do I need my website up? Free hosting may be okay if the site is only up for one night. But if there’s any reason that someone might want access 24/7 (for example, there’s an emergency), then having unlimited access is worth paying for.
• How many people will use this website? The more traffic your site gets, the more resources (bandwidth) it takes up on its server providers’ end—and these costs can add up quickly over time! So if someone wants their dedicated server but doesn’t mind how much they’ll cost per month/yearly total amount paid out each year, then go ahead because those services generally come with lower prices than shared ones do since they aren’t shared between multiple users.

Build Your Website Structure

A website structure is a way you organize your content on a website. Your website’s user interface largely depends on your choice of a Content Management System. If you settle on a CMS such as WordPress, choosing a theme that works for you is a simple case.

The first step in deciding how to build your non-profit’s website is understanding the pages your site should have. A basic non-profit page should have the following:

• Home Page
• About Us
• Services
• Support Us
• Contact Page

Implement a Membership Management Software

The next step in setting up your non-profit website is integrating membership management software.

The benefits of using membership management software include:

• Easy signup process for new members.
• Automatic updates on the status of your memberships (new member, renewal, etc.).
• Tracking all communications from donors.                                     
• Offline payment processing with credit card/debit card support.

A sound membership management system is easy to use for both the donors and your staff.

Create Content for the website

The most important part of your website is content. Without it, you have nothing to show visitors and potential donors. Content makes your non-profit unique and defines who you are as an organization. It drives traffic to the site and ensures that people are reading about the causes that matter most to them. Content may be in the form of blogs or a well-described gallery of photos.

Content is also crucial because it can be used as a foundation for building other aspects of a non-profit’s online presence:

• It helps people understand why they should donate money or time
• It gives them an inside look at how the organization operates (or doesn’t)
• It encourages them to take action by clicking on links related to their interests

Implement SEO practices for website

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a process by which a website, or web page in general, is optimized for online search engine queries.

The goal of SEO is to make your content more visible through search engines so that it can be found when someone does an internet search for what you have to offer. Implementing good SEO practices can help you get more visitors and improve your rankings on Google and other major search engines.

Implementing good SEO practices in your blogs will raise your site’s search engine ranking making it more visible to potential donors.

Building a non-profit website is a great way to fundraise and promote your organization. If you’d like a professional touch on your non-profit website, get in touch with us and we’ll set up your site in no time!