There are so many reasons to have good content on your nonprofit website, but perhaps one of the most important is that it draws the attention of the search engines. Good content that changes regularly will also keep your visitors interested and coming back.
Here are some content ideas. You don't need to pursue all of them, but you should pursue those that make sense for your nonprofit website:
- Articles
Your nonprofit is an expert on something...an issue, a disease, a social problem, some sort of research. Take advantage of your expertise and provide articles that draw on it. Such content will be indexed by the search engines so readers will be able to find you when they search on the keywords in your content. Acterra, an environmental group in California exemplifies this approach. See the pull down menu in the box labeled "Find Answers" to see a list of topics on which the organization has numerous articles. Similarly, the Living Beyond Breast Cancer website is full of useful information, including this extensive list of frequently asked questions by women facing this devastating and frightening disease.
- Images
Great images make your website a draw. Provide images of your clients, the people you serve, and your volunteers. Revolving images are great for keeping your website fresh and interesting. Take a look at the engaging and changing images at Rise, a Minnesota nonprofit that works with the disabled. The Atlanta Habitat for Humanity features a revolving photo gallery at the top of its page, plus a scrolling list of "news" items right next to it to give the site a wonderful dynamic look.
- Video
It is very easy to incorporate video on any website now with the use of YouTube. If you are appealing to a young audience, video is really required to entice your young audience to tune in and stay tuned in. See how Action for Healthy Kids uses a video contest to get videos that then are accessed through its site. CURE, which supports research into epilepsy, incoporates a video on its website that brings home the heartbreaking reality of epilepsy victims and their families.
- Blog
A blog is a great way to make sure that your website has continually renewing content. Besides, search engines love blogs and will visit your site frequently to pick up your latest content. Blogs can be easily incorporated into a website design and work well for organizations that are very active. Don't try this if you can't update the blog frequently. There is nothing sadder than a blog that hasn't been refreshed recently. One of my favorite nonprofit blogs is the Washington D.C. Goodwill Fashion blog.
The African Wildlife Foundation uses several blogs, written by various staff, to keep up with research on leopards, lions, mountain gorillas and zebras in Africa. These blogs are addictive for anyone whose passion is African wildlife conservation.
- News Room
A news or press room on your website can be a source of renewing content and an absolute blessing to visiting journalists. Post news releases and links to articles that have been published about your organization. See the American Hiking Society for an example of a vibrant news room. BeadforLife, an anti-poverty organization working in Uganda, has an outstanding "media" room on its lovely site. Even a start-up nonprofit like Strong Women, Strong Girls successfully uses a list of press coverage about itself on its home page to provide up-to-date content.
- User Generated Content
Get your readers and supporters to provide content for your site. If you can get a steady stream of content flowing from your readers, it will add a wonderful dynamism to your site. Encourage readers to leave comments on your blog and relate their own stories in a special location on your website. A good example of story sharing can be seen at the Ronald McDonald House Charities where families, children and volunteers relate their RMHC experiences. The March of Dimes does a wonderful job of inviting parents to tell their baby stories, complete with video and photos...there is even a map of where the stories come from.
If your subject area lends itself to a discussion forum, this is another way to create content from your supporters. A discussion forum can be a great draw to keep people coming back and can be a real help to many. The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance is a perfect fit for discussion forums and a good model for similar groups.
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