don’t forget about your website
Your website is more than just a collection of pages and a repository of content—it’s the home base of your marketing efforts. It is the first impression for prospective members + families, donors, other constituents, and those that happen upon your site from Google, Bing (seriously), and even still Yahoo. While investing in a comprehensive marketing program is critical to moving your objectives forward, some organizations neglect the very thing that these tactics are directed towards…the website.
A well-maintained, user-friendly website ensures that visitors can easily find the information they need (and information they didn’t know they needed!) and take action. If your website is poorly organized or you force users to dig deep for information, you risk losing eyeballs.
Your Website Is Your Home Base
While social media, digital ads, and community ambassadors help drive interest, your website is where visitors go for deeper engagement.
This being said, your website should:
Showcase who you are, what you do, and why people should care.
Provide clear pathways for inquiries, applications, event registrations, donations, and other relevant actions.
Serve as a news aggregator, update visitors on your latest events, and share blogs/other unique content.
The Homepage Hook: Make a Strong First Impression
Visitors typically decide in just three seconds whether they want to stay on your website. That means your homepage needs to hook them instantly with engaging, high-impact content.
Consider incorporating:
Dynamic media like videos and professional photos that capture the energy and personality of your organization.
Testimonials from constituents that establish trust.
Quick facts and statistics that highlight your unique impact.
A clear value proposition—who you are, what you offer, and why it matters.
Prioritize the User Experience
See above stat. Even if you capture a user with your homepage hook, you can lose them if your navigation is clunky and/or there is no obvious user journey.
This includes:
Clear calls to action.
Mobile first design if your constituency base demands it.
Reducing dead ends—every page should lead visitors toward further engagement. Make no assumptions.
Keep Content Fresh and Dynamic
Static, outdated websites give the impression that your organization is inactive. And Google doesn’t like it.
Homepage hero banners that reflect timely events, programs, and/or campaigns.
A news or social media feed to showcase what’s happening in real time.
Infographics and videos that illustrate impact and key takeaways.
Hack: If you have pages that have looooong paragraphs of content, break them up. No one is reading them. Use AI to turn them into bulleted lists and/or ask what visuals you can use to support a shorter blurb.
Check Your Website’s Performance
How well is your website actually working? Make data-driven decisions by reviewing analytics, such as:
Where are visitors coming from?
Which pages are they spending the most time on?
Where are they dropping off?
Are there pages that you want seen more/longer?
By understanding these insights, you can optimize your site to better meet the needs of your audience.
Not Sure Where to Start?
Take a few minutes to browse your own site as if you were a first-time visitor. Ask yourself:
Is the most important information easy to find?
Does my website reflect our brand, mission, and personality?
Are my calls to action clear and effective?
What ‘quick fixes’ can I make now that don’t involve a significant development lift?
By ensuring that your website is engaging, user-friendly, and regularly updated, you can create a powerful tool that drives enrollment, registrations, donations, and long-term relationships. Consider it the trusty center of your marketing strategy, rather than a digital brochure.
