Using Your Website to Boost Volunteerism

Using Your Website to Boost Volunteerism 1@davharts

David Hartstein

Using Your Website to Boost Volunteerism


WIRED IMPACT

We Make Websites for Nonprofits

David HartsteinContent, Measurement


WHAT WE’LL COVER

Your website’s role in volunteer efforts

Improving volunteer satisfaction

Driving potential volunteers

Measuring your website’s impact


YOUR WEBSITE’S ROLE IN VOLUNTEER EFFORTS


THREE WAYS A WEBSITE CAN HELP

1. Getting visitors interested in volunteering

2. Signing visitors up to volunteer

3. Maintaining relationships with past volunteers


1. GETTING VISITORS INTERESTED

Goal: Visitors become interested in volunteering

Website Content to Include:• The impact volunteers have had in the past

• Stories from past volunteers

• Stories from those that benefit from your volunteers

• Photos and videos


2. SIGNING VISITORS UP TO VOLUNTEER

Goal: Visitors signing up to volunteer

Website Content to Include:

• Upcoming events with logistical info(date/time, location, activities, attire, things to bring, rain plan)

• Impact of the volunteer opportunity

• Photos or videos from past occurrences

• A person who can answer questions

• An easy way to sign up


3. MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS

Goal: Volunteers stay involved as active supporters

Website Content to Include:• Ongoing appreciation of volunteer efforts

• Demonstration of volunteer impact

• Info likely to appeal to volunteers


IMPROVING VOLUNTEER SATISFACTION


FOUR TIPS TO INCREASE SATISFACTION

1. Eliminate points of frustration

2. Make volunteering seem important

3. Be honest

4. Show appreciation


1. ELIMINATE POINTS OF FRUSTRATION

In finding info:• Make all logistical info easy to locate• Set expectations clearly using understandable

language• Clear navigation


1. ELIMINATE POINTS OF FRUSTRATION

In signing up to volunteer:• Ask for only essential info• Test your signup form in all major browsers


2. MAKE VOLUNTEERING SEEM IMPORTANT

• Showcase the impact of past volunteers• Make your appeal emotional• Showcase the need you’re addressing• Inspire hope


3. BE HONEST

• Set visitor expectations

• Keep your word

Avoid…

What Organization Says

“Help us boost the aesthetic appeal of our facility”

“Spend quality time withadorable children”

What Volunteer Does

Pulling weeds and scrubbing floors

Sorting children’s clothing and disinfecting toys while the kids take a nap


4. SHOW APPRECIATION

• Thank volunteers privately (email, handwritten note)

• Thank volunteers publicly (social media, website)

• Showcase volunteer impact• Ask volunteers to share about their

experiences


DRIVING POTENTIAL VOLUNTEERS


WAYS TO DRIVE POTENTIAL VOLUNTEERS

• Search

• Social media

• Email

• From within your own website


SEARCH

• Use phrases potential volunteers would type into a search engine

• Tailor web content to disasters when they occur

“Volunteer” + Disaster + Location

“Volunteer to Help Joplin, MO Tornado Victims”


SOCIAL MEDIA/EMAIL

• Posting volunteer opportunities

• Discussing the impact your volunteers have

• Sharing positive sentiments from volunteers

• Email: creating sublists based on visitor interests

Don’t always ask for things from your supporters.


ALWAYS BE BUILDING YOUR BASE

• Cultivate relationships with potential volunteers even when you don’t need them for a specific project

• Make it easy for potential volunteers to stay informed

• Keep potential volunteers involved

Cultivate relationships when you don’t need anything.


WITHIN YOUR OWN WEBSITE

Link visitors strategically throughout your site

Example:

Emotional Story:

Family impacted by tornado

Take Action: Volunteer signup form

Donate, volunteer, send suppliesHow to Help:


MEASURING YOUR WEBSITE’S IMPACT


FOCUSING ON METRICS THAT MATTER

Focus on most important website metrics for your organization

Volunteerism:• # of volunteers registered through the

website• # of new volunteers registered through the

website

Your primary focus should be on metrics that truly matter.


FIND RELATIONSHIPS IN YOUR DATA

Use data to find visitor behavior that supports your key metrics

We Notice

Visitors that look at the Our Impact page are 8x more likely to sign up to volunteer

Visitors that sign up to receive notifications to help after a disaster are 35x more likely to actually volunteer

We Focus On

Driving more visitors to look at the Our Impact page

Pushing as many visitors as possible to sign up for these notifications


SOME METRICS WORTH WATCHING

• Number of repeat visitors landing on your volunteer pages

• Landing pages that result in the most volunteer signups

• Page viewed just before volunteer signup

• Number of visitors that begin the process of signing up to volunteer but don’t complete it

• Traffic sources that drive the most volunteer signups


WE’RE DONE! WHO HAS QUESTIONS?

If you have questions don’t hesitate to reach out.

[email protected] @davharts


ATTRIBUTION

http://www.flickr.com/photos/calamity_photography/4778766879/http://worldwildlife.org/threats/illegal-wildlife-tradehttp://paulirish.com/lovesyou/new-browser-logos/http://www.savethechildren.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=8rKLIXMGIpI4E&b=6221359&ct=

11657685http://www.charitywater.org/blog/fifth-bday/http

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/heavyweightgeek/2334939683

http://paulirish.com/lovesyou/new-browser-logos/







http://www.savethechildren.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=8rKLIXMGIpI4E&b=6221359&ct=11657685



http://www.charitywater.org/blog/fifth-bday/

http://www.charitywater.org/blog/fifth-bday/

http://stayalien.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/logo-Google-Analytics_vectorized.png









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Using Your Website to Boost Volunteerism