5 Reasons to Consider a Website Redesign for Nonprofits

Remember when it was okay to have a website that was “good enough?” 

Well, those days are over. Today, your website is one of your most vital assets as a nonprofit organization. It’s the hub of all your engagement and development activities and it can make your digital marketing initiatives easier and more effective. 

Unfortunately, there are still so many nonprofit organizations who are limping along with an outdated website that wasn’t even serving them well in 2013, let alone now. 

So, how do you know, (and how can you convince your board), that’s it’s time for a new website? 

Look for these five signs.

Your website isn’t accessible

Imagine going to a website and never being able to read important content, hear a video, or complete a form. 

Unfortunately, that’s what people living with a disability encounter every day they use the internet because the vast majority of websites are still not accessible. 

According to WebAim, one in four adult Americans have a disability. This doesn’t even take people who are have a temporary disability such as a broken arm or an eye infection into account. 

Accessible websites are no longer optional, they’re a requirement. If your website is not accessible to all, it’s time for a redesign. An accessible website is inclusive because it creates a better Internet for everyone. Read our blog post to learn more about accessibility. 

Addressing accessibility at the beginning of your redesign project ensure that your won’t need to go back and re-do work.

Interested in learning more about web accessibility, join us for our next webinar. 

Your website no longer serves you

Band and orchestra nerds, remember when you first started playing an instrument? You probably had a “student model”. Student models are basic instruments that are inexpensive and lack bells and whistles. These basic instruments are fine while you’re getting the hang of learning, but If you practice, you’ll eventually outgrow your instrument and need a step-up or professional model.

Similarly, websites can range from very simple brochure sites to highly sophisticated sites with very advanced functionality and a sophisticated martech stack. Martech for nonprofits can be complex. 

For your nonprofit, an advanced website may mean that your website can seamlessly accept donations, integrate with your CRM, collaboration software, and more. So choose the best website builder for Nonprofits.

If your website is a “student model” and you need more, it’s time for a redesign. 

Making updates takes a village

While the proverb, “it takes a village” is beautiful when it comes to raising a child or being part of a community, it’s not great when you’re talking about updating a website. 

One of our recent clients, couldn’t update their existing website. They had experienced some staff turnover and no one knew how to update the website. Even a tiny update required several phone calls, emails, and long wait times. For them, this issue became the driving factor in their quest for a redesign. 

If you can’t easily update your website, it’s most likely out of date, and let’s face it, if it’s out of date it’s probably not useful for your constituents. 

If it takes a developer to make a simple update to your website, you need a redesign. 

Your website is broken

Your website is the first impression a person may have of your organization. If your website is riddled with 404 errors, it’s not going to serve you well. 

Technical issues like broken links and slow load times can also affect your SEO. Google prefers snappy, speedy sites. 

We all know how fast technology moves. It’s unrealistic to expect that you launch a website, never update it, and then expect it to work flawlessly forever. At some point, there will be an issue and you’ll need to fix it. (Ask us about our support packages). 

If you let issues stack up, however, it may get to a point where resolving the long list of issues is no longer worth it. 

If your website has some serious issues, you need a redesign. 

It’s ugly

Let’s face it. If your website is ugly that’s a legit reason for a redesign too. 

While “beauty” is of course subjective, websites that aren’t “beautiful” underperform better looking sites. A good design can bolster credibility and give your users confidence about interacting with your site. 

Also, did you know that you have only 50 milliseconds to make a good impression? It’s crucial that your design is professional, compelling, and fits your nonprofit’s sensibilities. 

Furthermore, there is also strong correlation between aesthetic appeal and perceived ease of use. The aesthetic-usability effect is defined as when a user is more tolerant of usability issues on a website they find visually appealing. 

There are lots of reasons nonprofit organizations may have for needing a website redesign. If you think it’s time for a website redesign for your nonprofit, contact us.