A website for a nonprofit or a government organization is a given by now. You simply do not exist if you are not findable online. Although we all still keep around those bulky telephone books and sometimes let our fingers do the walking, it doesn't happen that much. People (of all ages) search for what they want online because they want to "see" as well as read about whatever they are looking for.
However, some nonprofits think that if they just put up a static site, that will be enough. But, in truth, those may be worse than not having one. A website should be living, dynamic and energetic. It should reflect your organization's personality and mission through great photos, copy, and design.
There are three reasons so many websites lack any spark, and they don't have anything to do with bells and whistles such as flash, videos, or twitter feeds:
Photo by Robin Jareaux/Getty Images
Comments
Web sites have definitely become the first face of any organization, whether it is a corporation or a nonprofit. A well-done and properly maintained Web site is an especially important PR vehicle for nonprofits because of the relatively low cost. And if your publics can’t find you online, it is true that you virtually “do not exist.” When I hear about a store, restaurant, or nonprofit that interests me, the first thing I do is look up its Web site online. I want to learn as much as I can about an organization before I take the next step, and I like to see visuals. If a Web site is well-designed, I have a much better first impression. Lately, I have been searching for elementary schools for my son, who is four years old. I am looking at traditional public schools, charter schools, and even a few private schools, and my preliminary research has been entirely online. I like it when I can easily find demographics, test scores, academic subjects, and extracurricular activities on a school’s Web site. I do not like it when a private school fails to list its tuition fees online. After all, I don’t want to waste my time with schools that are completely out of my budget. Some schools, however, don’t even have Web sites. While I might still go and visit them, I already have a less favorable opinion of them than those schools that do maintain Web sites. In my view, an outdated Web site actually is better than nothing, at least in this case.
I do agree, however, that outdated information is the number one mistake a nonprofit, or any type of organization, can make on its Web site. I find it extremely frustrating when I can’t find current information on a nonprofit, and it makes me wonder if the organization is even still active. An outdated Web site is unprofessional, reflects poorly on the organization, and is simply bad for business.
In my opinion, however, cluttered and poorly organized Web sites come in as a close second as far as nonprofit Web site mistakes go. I once had to write a comparison of the NRA and Brady Campaign Web sites for a political science class, and although the NRA Web site is more frenetic, they both drove me crazy as I tried to navigate through and find specific information. It felt a little bit like having ADD. While these types of Web sites might work for someone who is just idly browsing around, they are a nightmare for someone who is trying to find a piece of information quickly. Along the same lines, I find it annoying when Web sites have flash intros or music that comes on automatically. This is just another distraction and a waste of time. In short, I like my Web sites like I like my print material: simple, crystal-clear, and to the point. If I can’t easily find what I’m looking for on the Web site, I may not bother with the organization at all.