Donors give for all sorts of reasons. Some have a personal connection to the cause, others respond to a friend’s ask, while others give because a story or moment moved them to act. However, when it comes to online giving, there are also subtler factors that we aren’t always aware of.
Your donation page’s design and content can impact how much donors give, whether they choose to become a recurring donor, or whether they complete their gift at all. When planning your nonprofit’s donation page layout, consider these psychological factors and how they can influence giving.
Suggested giving amounts impact gift size
Many supporters, especially first-time donors, may not be sure how much to give. This means that suggested giving amounts can serve as a point of reference, pushing donation amounts up.
Before designing your donation page, calculate your average donation amount. Then, use it to set your suggested giving amounts.
If you set the suggested amount…
- Higher than your typical gift: You’ll likely start to see higher gift amounts but fewer donors. Despite a lower overall donor count, each supporter likely has a higher giving capacity.
- Lower than your typical gift: Nonprofits rarely choose this approach, as it can decrease overall giving. However, if you are aiming to acquire more donors, a lower-than-average suggested giving amount may help you reach your goal.
- The same as your typical gift: This approach will help you maintain your current giving levels.
No matter which approach you choose, always give donors the option to enter a custom giving amount. This provides them the flexibility to give less to fit their budget or more if they want to go above and beyond.
Additionally, suggested giving amounts can shape how often donors give. Place your lower suggested monthly giving amounts next to your higher one-time amounts. This will make the monthly options feel small and manageable by comparison. For example, $25 a month looks easy beside a $250 one-time option.
Examples make donations feel meaningful
When donors can see exactly what their gift will support, donating feels concrete and meaningful. Rather than making a broad request to support your nonprofit, connect donation amounts to tangible outcomes by:
- Labeling each suggested amount with a real outcome: Tie each giving tier to an actual program outcome. A food bank might show how a $25 donation provides healthy, fresh produce for families in need and a $100 gift stocks a family’s pantry for a week during the summer, when school meals stop. While you may not use every gift for the exact purpose stated on your donation form, be as accurate and honest as possible.
- Focusing on one person: People respond more strongly to stories that feature a single identifiable person than to large groups. If you choose to feature a short story on your donation page, make it about one individual’s journey or need, rather than trying to encompass your entire mission.
- Pairing the story with a real photo: Images help supporters visualize their potential impact. Add a striking photo of someone helped by your nonprofit, your volunteers at work, or another visual that represents your cause to help get donors to make their gifts.
Before you publish, ask your program staff to review your examples to verify their accuracy. You may need to update certain figures as costs shift over time or if your mission changes focus.
Donors want to give to causes that already have donors
Giving to a nonprofit with no donors may seem like a risky investment or even a potential scam. When visitors see that others have given, potential supporters can give more confidently. This is known as social proof, and it can lower supporters’ hesitation to give, especially for first-time donors.
You can build social proof into your page in a few ways:
- Show real donor activity, such as a donor count, a recent gifts feed, or the number of supporters behind a campaign. Connect your donation page and fundraising software to ensure you’re displaying accurate, real-time data.
- Feature short donor testimonials from past supporters about why they give or what giving means to them. These can be a sentence or two and will feel even more impactful if they’re accompanied by a photo.
- Use trust signals such as certification from trusted nonprofit verification organizations and watchdog groups. Additionally, consistent branding tells visitors at a glance that the page belongs to your nonprofit, building up brand recognition and confirming they’re giving to a trusted organization.
If you’re starting a new nonprofit and lack a solid donor base, try leveraging other forms of social proof, such as quotes from your staff or pictures of volunteers at work. You may even acknowledge your newness and position it as a reason to give. For example, you might send appreciation messages thanking donors for being one of your first supporters.
Fewer decisions, more gifts
Every extra field, option, or distraction gives a donor one more reason to pause. Having to fill in unnecessary information fields may make supporters suspicious about what you’re using their information for.
Instead, ask only for what you need to process the gift, and save extra questions for the confirmation page or later outreach.
Additionally, limit choices to prevent donor paralysis. Stick to just a few suggested giving amounts — most nonprofits usually use around five — and one clear submission button. This will also make your donation form easier to complete on mobile devices.
You can test your website’s user experience by adjusting just one element at a time and comparing metrics like conversion rate and average gift amount before and after the change. If the page needs more than small fixes, consider partnering with a website consultant who regularly works with nonprofits.
Putting the psychology behind donation pages into practice
Ultimately, most strategies for influencing donors’ psychology help them donate a bit more than usual or complete their gift faster. Implement these practices, but ensure the rest of your website, fundraising software, and donor outreach strategies are working to bring donors to your donation page in the first place.
