7 A/B Tests to Try on Your Nonprofit's Donation Page

Your donation page acts as the bread and butter of your nonprofit organization. Getting a firm grip on what works (and what doesn’t) will be vital part of your marketing success. A/B testing on your donation page offers insider information to reduce bounce rates and increase donor conversions.

The concept of A/B testing might feel a bit intimidating at first. But really it’s just a series where half of the audience gets the “normal” (control) page and half gets an updated version of the page. Then you see which performs better--A or B. Patience is critical when it comes to A/B testing, so be sure to test only one variable at a time.

Consider these insights as you set up testing for your own nonprofit inbound marketing donation page:

1. Page Layout

Testing to make sure your donation page looks and feels attractive to potential donors requires some eye for detail. Several factors are involved in the layout of your donation page including the way the words are arranged, the headline positioning, readability, and the attractiveness of the layout to the eye.

2. Headlines

Keep your headlines short and sweet in easily readable, attractive fonts. Be sure that they are relevant, building on the story of your mission.

3. Form Fields

• In your form fields, are you asking too many questions, too few questions? Too many fields may be prohibitive to donors, but too few may cause you to miss out on critical information related to your donor persona.
• Is it better to do forms in 1 step or 2 steps? Testing these factors will give you deep insight into what your donors want.

4. Imagery

What type of imagery are you using on your page, including photos and graphics? Make sure your images are compelling, drawing visitors into the story of your organization and inspiring them to want to be part of it.

5. Buttons

A minuscule detail that can make a huge difference is the color and message of your donation button. These factors can affect whether or not your donation button is seen, and if it draws visitors into making a donation. Test A/B varieties to see what button colors and messages drive visitors to convert more readily.  

Read More: 5 Ways to Make Your Nonprofit Website Donation Friendly

6. Content For Your Personas

• All of the content on your website and donation pages should be geared toward your personas. Consider segmenting and using smart content (from HubSpot) to appeal to your various target audiences.
• Do you need more copy or less copy in your content? Sometimes less is more and too much information can overwhelm visitors into clicking away. Giving people enough content to make an informed decision is important, but simplicity is also key.

7. Giving Amounts

Some questions to test related to your donor giving amounts:

• What are your set giving amounts? Are they working or could you adjust them to be a better fit for your leads? If you offer amounts that are too low, you may be cutting yourself short, but offering amounts that are out of reach could deter those who can’t give much. Check to see which scenario works best for your users’ situation.
• Can the visitor type in the amount or can they choose from a pre-set list? Which one seems to yield higher donation amounts for your organization?   
• Is the donor allowed to choose the specified direction of the gift? Would this motivate them to give more if they feel connected to a certain segment of your organization? If they don’t have a choice, then explain thoroughly to your donors where their money is going so they feel more comfortable.

Building your nonprofit website and donation page is not a one-time project, but requires a regular series of questions and answers in order to tweak your page to the place where it is most productive. Your nonprofit inbound marketing plan will draw in leads, and your website's donation page aims to draw them into conversion. AB testing works as a natural part of the process.

To talk with our marketing experts about your nonprofit inbound marketing plan, contact us.