I recently had a nonprofit request a quote for a custom website design package and during our discovery call (where I try to make sure I’m a good fit for the client and vice-versa), I asked the nonprofit’s Executive Director what he hoped the website would accomplish. In other words, why did he want a new website?

His response was disheartening but all too common: “We want people to know what we do.”

There was nothing wrong with his response, by the way. It’s the number one reason people want a website and yet, it misses such a critical point.

We must stop treating our websites like informational flyers, designed to simply tell people what we do, and start using our websites as online marketing tools that compel readers to take the desired action.

To use your website more effectively (and have something to measure success by), start using more effective calls to action through your website that drive visitors to DO something.

What is a call to action?

A call-to-action (CTA) is a button, link, or even page designed to get your website visitor to take another action.

CTA’s vary based on the purpose of your website and for nonprofit websites, they are most likely used to drive donations, volunteer sign-ups, event registrations, or email list growth.

But before we dive into writing an effective CTA, we need to make sure your CTA actually matches the goal of your website.

Like I mentioned above, we all want more people to know about us. But beyond that, what is your goal? Are you trying to increase donors? Recruit more volunteers? Promote your events? Build your email list? Find qualified leads for your business?

You can have more than one goal but decide your primary goal for your homepage and that will be the CTA you want to use first. (Need help with setting website goals? You can download my Website Goals Workbook over in my Nonprofit Resource Library).

Now that you have your goal, it’s time to start writing your CTA. There are a few practices to keep in mind:

Best practices for calls to action

Stick with one call to action on your homepage and repeat it often. You can vary the use of text links and buttons to break it up a bit.
Use action words on your CTA and be specific. Don’t tell people to “Click Here.” Instead, invite them to do something and then tell them why. Here are a few examples:
- Save your seat for our annual gala on February 14th
- Book your event (for those offering rental space)
- See the crazy video (spark their interest)
- Read the full story (great for snippets of your stories on the home page)
- Donate $10 today (don’t stop at donate — suggest an amount)
Pay attention to design and colors. Your buttons should coordinate with your branding and all be the same color so people know the “blue” buttons mean I need to do something. Avoid yellow and red buttons since those colors caution us to stop! Don’t be afraid to throw in an arrow (get free symbols you can copy and paste) or other visual cues.
Keep the text short and concise!
Include plenty of white space around the button so it stands out, or ensure your links are set to be a bold color that clearly indicates you want them to click.
Include at least one CTA at the top of your website before users have to scroll
Test, test, test! Track visitors’ actions using Google Analytics and see which buttons are working!

Pro Tip: Create free buttons over at DaButton Factory and be sure to set the colors and fonts to match your brand as best you can! Just include your text and then download the button as a.png file to insert your website. Then, set the button to link to your desired action!

Are you using this call-to-action strategy on your website? Are your buttons getting clicks? If not, start testing out some different text, colors, or placement and build those click rates! You’ll see that when your call to action matches your overall website goals, your website becomes a much more effective tool in helping your nonprofit grow its reach and impact!

Until next time,