Your donation page influences user behaviour and requires a prominent position on your website, so prioritising its optimisation for donations is crucial.

Your donation page often marks the final point before visitors enter the donation funnel, presenting them with choices on how and how much they wish to contribute.

Backed by numerous tests on charity websites, we’ve compiled a list of six essential elements that your donation page must incorporate to ensure it meets the fundamental requirements for donor engagement.

 

The six elements every donation page should include:

1. Charity Proposition 

   A charity proposition tells your visitor why they should donate to your organisation and not another one. It is a short statement that clearly outlines the problem and explains how you intend to solve it. Your charity proposition should be: specific, concrete, realistic, unique, and meaningful. 

2. Charity Premium

   Your charity premium is the proportion of a donor’s contribution that doesn’t go directly towards impact. Potential donors look for charities with a small charity premium and avoid those that spend a lot of money on fundraising or governance. Leading organisations aim to keep their charity premium below 30%.  

3. Proof of impact

   The fact that your work makes a real difference is a key part of your charity proposition. Demonstrating efficiency also helps address concerns about the charity premium and highlights concrete examples to motivate potential donors. 

4. Social signals

   Social influence is a powerful tool for inspiring generosity. Potential donors will be reluctant to take action unless they can see evidence that other people believe in your work. Testimonials, case studies, and evidence of recent supporter activity can all encourage visitors to get involved. 

5. Non-verbal cues 

   Website visitors rely on context to show them what they are expected to do. Good design guides a user through the donation page, highlighting important information and steering them through complex choices. 

6. Motivation 

   Understanding what motivates your supporters is key to making your donation page persuasive. However, psychological levers like empathy, urgency, and narrative are critical mechanisms for turning approval into action. 

Ensure your donation page aligns with the six key points outlined in this guide to maximise your chances of increasing donations.

 

 If you’re working through the ‘How to boost your donation page so more people hit ‘donate’ steps, please move onto STEP 2

 

Here are some other learning resources you may useful:

• Five things you can do today to maximise your donation funnel
• Read our whitepaper on ‘Why people give’