As a church communicator, I’m sure the last thing on your mind right now is updating your church’s giving page. While juggling the constant design requests and anticipating the inevitable last-minute sermon series and event changes, there is always something else to do.
But the giving page is one of the essential pages on your website, and it deserves your attention.
For many churches, online giving has become the primary way to give during the pandemic. So it is crucial that the giving experience at your church is both convenient and easy to navigate. The better the giving experience your congregation or guests have, the more likely they will give again in the future. I’m sure you’ve experienced a terrible giving page that left you wondering if the organization even wants your money. Let’s avoid that.
A lot of giving pages are tied to a church management system or giving software, limiting what changes you can make. Still, I hope these tips get you thinking about things from someone in your congregation.
Here are five ways you can optimize the giving page on your church’s website.
Don’t be afraid of text
Adding text to your giving page reinforces why someone should make a gift to your church. Instead of assuming they already know, help them understand how their money will support your church to serve your congregation and community better. Including text right above the giving form can give someone confidence that their gift will have an impact and is also an opportunity to reiterate your mission, values, and beliefs as a church.
Get rid of distractions
Remove anything that might distract someone from completing their gift. Images, videos, and even the navigation bar can all distract someone from following through with their contribution. If the navigation bar is visible from your giving page, the user might find themselves checking out upcoming events or the latest blog entry and forget to donate. Get rid of as many distractions as you can. Then invite them to keep exploring the other features of your great site.
Reduce the number of clicks
From your website’s home page, count the number of clicks it takes to get to the giving form. The fewer clicks, the less friction there is for someone who wants to donate. Of course, your church might be using each click to give valuable information but see if you can consolidate any of the content and help someone get to the form faster.
Make sure there’s a recurring giving option
Most giving pages have this built-in, but check to make sure it’s there. Recurring giving is convenient for your church and for the person who wants to schedule their gifts every month. I’ve seen some churches pre-check this option, but I would probably avoid doing that. Instead, maybe highlight this in your Sunday announcements or whenever you promote online giving.
Test your page
Do you know what the online giving experience is like for someone making a gift to your church? Test the process from start to finish. Or better yet, ask someone who has never been on your website to try making a gift. It’s also worth checking what page a donor sees right after making a gift and if they get an email confirming their donation. Use the receipt email as an opportunity to say thank you and reinforce how the church will use the money. You could even link another church fundraising project after their first gift, giving them another opportunity to give right away.
After you’ve optimized the giving page, don’t forget about it! Update and test it regularly by adding copy (content) that is appropriate for each season. People want to give to your church, and you want to remove as many barriers as you can!
