It’s hard to believe the holiday season is just around the corner. And with the holidays comes Giving Tuesday!
Giving Tuesday is a global movement that encourages people to give to causes they care about through donations, volunteering, and raising awareness. For nonprofits and charity organizations, this is a perfect time during the year-end giving season to connect with current supporters and also acquire new donors.
According to the Giving Tuesday 2023 Impact Report, 34 million adults in the U.S. gave $3.1 billion on Giving Tuesday in 2023. And, as Giving Tuesday 2024 approaches on December 3rd, it is time to make sure your charity website is ready to welcome an influx of donors and supporters.
Whether you’re a large organization or a small nonprofit, your website plays a key role in converting visitors into supporters. Based on the typical annual giving cycle, it is not a surprise that, on average, 29-31% of all online giving happens in December.
But are you paying enough attention to how donors experience your mission and impact when giving to you online? How many people reach your website only to leave without making a gift?
Don’t worry, we have come up with steps and strategies you can take to prepare for a successful Giving Tuesday and year-end fundraising.
Why Web Accessibility Matters on Your Nonprofit and Charity Website
Given that the future of giving is online, many charity organizations fall short when it comes to digital strategies by failing to focus marketing and fundraising efforts on tapping into online donations:
- 66% of charities are worried they miss out on digital fundraising opportunities (NPSource).
- 47% of potential donors are turned off by usability problems relating to page and site design, including unintuitive information architecture, cluttered pages, and problems related to payments (Target Analytics).
- 51% of high-end donors prefer to give online instead (NP Source).
Free Accessibility Check of your Charity Website
Detecting accessibility issues has never been easier than it is now. At Recite Me we offer a free automated scan of your website homepage. This will identify and highlight any non-compliance on your website. Followed by recommendations on how to implement the necessary changes to improve your website’s accessibility score and standing.
The Best Strategies to Prepare for a Successful Giving Tuesday
Everyone deserves the joy of supporting a cause they care about! As you prepare for Giving Tuesday, consider these accessibility best practices to ensure your charity or nonprofit website is welcoming to all donors and supporters.
1. Improve Your Website Design
To ensure your website is ready for Giving Tuesday, it’s essential that your design is optimized for accessibility. Whether you have a developer or are managing your site yourself, there are several key features you should prioritize to create an inclusive experience for all users. These include:
- An accessibility-optimized content management system.
- Properly structured content.
- Alternative text to all images so that screen readers can interpret the visuals for visually impaired users.
- Descriptive link names
- Captions and transcripts for audio and video content.
- Sufficient color contrast
- Clear and consistent navigation – including keyboard-only navigation.
- Accessible forms and downloads.
2. Familiarize Yourself with Essential Compliance Criteria
Making your website accessible should be a top priority. Only 22% of nonprofits have their website designed for people with visual and hearing disabilities. Many of your potential donors may have disabilities, and ensuring they can easily navigate your site will not only broaden your reach but also demonstrate inclusivity.
It’s impossible to improve if you don’t know what you’re doing wrong. But there’s so much accessibility information out there, knowing where to begin can be tricky. Your primary sources of guidance are:
- The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) – WCAG is internationally recognized, with WCAG 2.1 Level AA typically being the benchmark criteria for ‘making a website accessible’.
- National and Regional legislation – It is illegal to treat people with disabilities less favorably, so ensuring your policies align with the Americans with Disabilities Act and any additional regional legislation is essential.
3. Optimize for Mobile Giving
Over 50% of web traffic comes from mobile devices, so it’s vital that your website is fully optimized for mobile giving. Test your donation page on multiple devices to ensure it loads quickly, looks good, and functions properly.
A mobile-friendly site improves user experience and prevents potential donors from abandoning their contributions due to poor design or slow loading times.
4. Streamline Your Online Giving Process
Online giving is likely to be the most significant donation method on Giving Tuesday. Make it as easy as possible for people to contribute by:
- Providing easy access to the forms – use multiple CTAs and make sure the “Donate” button stands out on every page and leads directly to a streamlined giving form.
- Make the form intuitive and easy to use – reduce the number of steps in the donation process by making your form simple to fill out. Only request necessary information from your donors.
- Offering multiple payment options to accommodate all website visitors, such as credit cards, PayPal, and digital wallets.
The simpler and faster the donation process, the more likely people are to complete it.
Get Your Nonprofit and Charity Website Ready for Giving Tuesday!
With Giving Tuesday just around the corner, now is the time to ensure your website is ready to welcome every potential donor. Don’t miss the chance to spread generosity through inclusivity—and increase both your donations and long-term supporter loyalty!
Need help getting your donors and supporters in the spirit of giving this season? Recite Me offers a suite of on-demand accessibility tools designed to make your online giving experience seamless for all visitors, regardless of ability.
Think of the Recite Me Assistive Toolbar as your Giving Tuesday toolkit, equipping your site with all the features needed to enhance the donor experience. The fully customizable toolbar offers features like text-to-speech, translation options, and font adjustments, making it easier for all all supporters to navigate and donate with confidence on your site.
Think of the Recite Me Accessibility Checker as your Giving Tuesday assistant. It does all the heavy lifting to make sure your website meets accessibility standards. Our software runs 396 separate WCAG-based scans to identify non-compliance issues, then generates a prioritized fix queue for effective resolution.
Contact our team today to learn how Recite Me can help you create more inclusive online giving experiences. Together, we can ensure that your website is not just a donation platform, but a welcoming space for all supporters this Giving Tuesday!
