When constituents visit your site, what do they see? It probably depends. Are they looking at your site on a desktop computer? A laptop? Tablet? Smartphone?
Back in January, we talked about the importance of a responsive website design for the new year. If you didn’t have time to make your site more responsive then, it’s not too late. And even if you did listen, we’ve got some more tips and tricks for you to try. Because a responsive nonprofit website design makes for happy donors and constituents. And we can ensure you that these tips won’t break the bank.
A Buzzword Worth Noting
Not convinced that you necessarily need a responsive design? First, let’s talk about why you need one. It all comes back to probably the buzzword of the year for nonprofits. We just can’t stop talking about this group of people that could have a huge impact on our organizations: millennials.
If you want to attract future potential donors, the time to build relationships is now. To bring them in, have your organization go where they are. And where are these millennials? In a recent study, 76 percent of millennials said they owned a smartphone. This study included countries from six continents. And check out the rest of those numbers! If you want to reach this group of people, just go where they are. Make it easy for them.
Think Beyond Mobile
But not so fast. We’re too far into the 21st century to believe that mobile is the only way your future donors or volunteers will be accessing your site. And if your design can’t adapt, your potential donors and volunteers will flee.
First there was the smartphone, then we had tablets and who knows what will be vying for our attention next. But whatever it is, your organization needs to be ready to take it on. The following tips can help you adapt today, and for any future device (trust us, it’s probably coming).
What You Can Do Now
- Use text that won’t get lost in translation. Something that’s easy to read and adjustable is preferred. Remember that all types of people (old & young) will be reading your message from different devices. That’s right, grandma has a tablet now.
- When posting images to your content and site, consider not just how it will look on a computer monitor, but also on much smaller devices. It’s as simple as thinking it through.
- Always consider the smallest device you’ll be using. Could you easily click all of the buttons that you click on a normal screen? Don’t make your desktop version of your site the ultimatum. If you couldn’t use the site on mobile, how can you make it easier to use?
- Know the potential sizes that your copy could be read on. 99 designs has some great resources, such as the photo below. Know your pixels!
- If you’re just beginning to build a website, don’t necessarily settle on a fixed design because it looks good on your desktop. Make sure to take other factors into consideration. We know, change is hard. But sometimes it’s necessary.
Remember, every organization has different needs. That means that not every responsive website will look the same. However, you can make these small changes and consider these different sizes to stay ahead of the curve. How has your organization adapted to the overwhelming use of different devices to access your website?
