The document provides 10 tips for improving websites, emphasizing the importance of audience-focused design and content organization for charities. It covers practical advice on usability, SEO strategies, and the significance of keeping website information up-to-date. Additionally, it promotes resources available through mycharityconnects, including upcoming webinars and a conference for non-profit organizations.

1. 10 Tips for Improving your Website
May 25, 2011
The 2011 MyCharityConnects
Webinar Series is generously
supported by Direct Energy.

2. Today’s Presenter
Amy Huynh
Marketing & Communications Coordinator

3. reminders
 You can hear us, but we can’t hear you
 Presentation slides will be available on
www.mycharityconnects.org/pastwebinars
 For the best webinar experience, close all other applications
 Turn up your computer’s volume
 Have questions? Type questions in the Questions Log

4. What is CanadaHelps?
A public charitable foundation that provides accessible and
affordable online technology to both donors and charities.
For Charities
A cost-effective means of raising funds online.
For Donors
A one-stop-shop for giving.
CanadaHelps is a charity helping charities.
CanadaHelps is giving made simple.

5. Your website is one of your most
important communications tools

6. How much thoughtful attention is your website
getting on a regular basis?

7. OnlineGrowth Statistics Giving
Giving in Online
72 % of Canadians plan to donate
online this year

8. Website Users
They don’t read
They poke at information
They’re busy, and in a hurry
They’re impatient
They will leave as quickly as they came
They’re easily frustrated

9. #1 PUT YOUR AUDIENCE FIRST

10. Define Your Target
Audiences

11. Solve Problems
• What you do
• How you do it
• How you spend your money
• How to get in touch

13. #2 GET
ORGANIZED

14. Plan a clear,
easy-to-
Site Structure & Navigation
understand
menu &
content
structure

15. Menu Choices
Culinary Delights Cuisine Options Food Menu Menu
Career Services Employment Opportunities Job Openings Jobs
Organization Information More Information About Us About Us
How to Volunteer With Us Volunteer Opportunities Volunteer
How to Make a Gift to Your How to Make a Donation Donate
Community
• Don’t use ambiguous headings
• Give your visitors clear choices

17. Don’t hide your stories

18. #3 DESIGN WITH YOUR
AUDIENCE IN MIND

20. Make Text Easy to Read
Can you read this?
How about this one?
cAn yOu rEaD tHiS??
This is more like it.
• Use a standard font and proper size
• Use proper contrast
• Best readability is dark on light (like black on
white)

21. White Space
• Empty space
• Too many things may look intimidating

22. Website Conventions Are Your Friends
Banner
Navigation
Navigation
Content Body
Contact & Misc Information
• There are patterns that have become
conventions

23. Follow Website Conventions
Banner
Navigation
Navigation
Content Body
Contact and Misc. Information

24. Calls to Action
• Make use of prime real
estate
• Put calls to action “above
the fold”

25. Use graphics thoughtfully

27. #4 GOOD
WEBSITE
CONTENT

28. Concise text

29. Scannable layout

30. Avoid
jargon

31. #5 MAKE IT EASY TO CONTACT
& CONNECT

34. #6 KEEP UP TO DATE
• Avoid having out of date information on your
site

36. #7 DRIVE TRAFFIC TO YOUR SITE

37. Good search engine rank results from:
• Good content
• Clear site structure
• External links

38. SEO 201
• Create a list of desired keywords
• Use a keyword search tool to verify
– Number of monthly searches
– Competition
• Add keywords to your html files
• Create better content to correspond to those
keywords
WARNING: You can’t fake it!

39. Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

40. #8 TRACK YOUR STATS

41. Traffic Sources
• Direct traffic: typed your address in a
browser
• Referring sites:
– Know your top referring sites
– Are your ads working?
• Search Engines
– Keywords

42. Why Are Web Stats Important?
• Understand your users
• Know what people do on your site
• Tangible feedback about your site
• Leaves the guessing out of what works

43. Visitors
Gain insights about the visitors of your website
• Unique visitors
• First time vs. repeat visitors
• Browsers & devices
• Geographic profile & language

44. Content
• Top content
• Top landing pages
• Top exit pages

45. #9 USABILITY TESTING
http://www.cadfanatic.com/2009/08/solidworks-usability-testing/

46. Testing Questions
1. Is it obvious what this site is about?
2. Is it easy to find what I need?
3. Are the most important things visible
when I arrive?

47. DIY Usability Testing
Step 1: Find Testers
• Find 3-5 people who have some time to have a look at
your website
• Testers should not already be familiar with your site

48. Step 2: Using your site
• Ask testers to comment as they navigate your site
(to give you insight about their choices)
• Ask testers to accomplish your main calls of
action
 Sign up for your newsletter
 Click your Donate Now! Button
 Find and apply for volunteer opportunities
 Other ways they can get involved (buy
tickets, buy products, join a group etc…)
 Find general information about your
organization’s mission and mandate
 Contact your organization

49. Step 3: Observe
• Take note of:
• How long each step takes to complete
• Tester confusion at any point
• Frustration
• Ease of use

50. #10 DON’T WAIT FOR A
REDESIGN

51. BONUS TIP: INTEGRATE

52. ABOUT MYCHARITYCONNECTS

53. www.mycharityconnects.org
free online resources
 Information about technology
 Video demonstrations
 More webinars
 Past webinar recordings & slides
 Learning opportunities
 Events across the country

54. MyCharityConnects Conference 2011
JUNE 6 – 7 | MaRS Centre, Toronto
• Join us for thought-provoking keynotes,
practical how-to workshops and plenty of
chances to learn from other non-profits
about what works online… and what
doesn’t!
• A partner in Net Change Week
www.mycharityconnects.org/2011Conference

55. Upcoming Webinars
www.mycharityconnects.org/webinars
• June 15 – Getting the Most From your MyCharity
Account & Reports
• June 29 – Know Your Website: An Intro to Google
Analytics
• July 20 – YouTube’s NonProfit Program & The
Fundamentals of Video Storytelling
• August 17 – Orientation for Newly Registered
Charities with CanadaHelps

56. Keep in touch!
info@canadahelps.org
www.twitter.com/canadahelps
www.slideshare.net/MyCharityConnects
www.facebook.com/canadahelps
www.youtube.com/canadahelps