Six common mistakes charities make when designing their websites (and how to avoid them)

In today’s digital age, a well-designed website is crucial for any charity organisation. It's the face of your cause, the place where potential donors learn about your mission, and where volunteers find opportunities to get involved. However, many charities fall into common traps when designing or redesigning their websites. To help you avoid these pitfalls, we’ve compiled a list of the six most common mistakes charities make when building their websites, along with tips on how to avoid them.

1. Overlooking the importance of mobile optimisation
When designing a website for your charity, it's easy to focus on how it looks on a desktop. However, with over half of all web traffic coming from mobile devices, ensuring your website is mobile-friendly is non-negotiable. A mobile-optimised website improves user experience and boosts your site’s visibility in search engines. If you're using a charity website builder or exploring charity website templates, make sure they include responsive design options that adapt to different screen sizes.

Tip: Test your website on various devices and screen sizes to ensure content is accessible and visually appealing on all platforms.

2. Neglecting user experience (UX)
A charity website should be more than just visually attractive; it must also be user-friendly. If visitors can’t easily navigate your site, they’ll likely leave without taking any action, such as donating or signing up for your newsletter. Clear menus, intuitive navigation, and easy access to important information are key to keeping users engaged.

Tip: Map out your website’s structure before you start designing. If you’re hiring a web designer, ensure they understand the importance of UX and how to implement it effectively.

3. Not showcasing your impact
Potential donors and supporters want to see the impact of their contributions. Unfortunately, many charity websites fail to display success stories, testimonials, or impact statistics prominently. This oversight can result in missed opportunities to connect emotionally with your audience and inspire them to contribute.

Tip: Use your homepage and key landing pages to showcase your charity’s impact. Whether through videos, infographics, or compelling stories, make sure visitors immediately see the difference your organisation is making.

4. Using an outdated or complicated charity website template
While charity website templates can be a quick and cost-effective solution if you want to have a go at designing it yourself, using an outdated or overly complicated template can do more harm than good. An outdated template may not be compatible with the latest web technologies, leading to security vulnerabilities or a poor user experience. On the other hand, a template that's too complex can make it difficult for visitors to find what they're looking for.

Tip: Choose a clean, modern template that aligns with your charity’s branding. If you’re unsure, consider hiring a web designer who specialises in websites for charities to ensure your site is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

5. Complicated donation processes
The donation process is a significant issue for many nonprofits, with 30% of websites requiring too many steps to complete a donation. According to the latest charity website design statistics, nonprofits lose up to 50% of potential donors due to complex or time-consuming donation processes. When donors face unnecessary hurdles, they are more likely to abandon the transaction altogether, leading to lost revenue and decreasing the chances of those visitors returning in the future.

To avoid this, nonprofits should streamline their donation process by minimising the number of clicks required to complete a donation. Ensuring that the donation button is prominently displayed and easily accessible from any page on the site is crucial. Additionally, offering multiple payment options can significantly improve the user experience, making it easier for donors to support the cause.

Tip: Research third-party sites that offer donation widgets or similar. Think about adding recurring monthly/yearly donation options, too.

6. Ignoring SEO best practices
A beautiful website is useless if no one can find it. Many charities overlook the importance of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) when designing their websites. By optimising your site for search engines, you increase the likelihood of appearing in search results when potential donors or volunteers are looking for causes to support.

Tip: Incorporate relevant keyword search terms. Also, ensure your website’s loading speed, mobile-friendliness, and content quality all meet SEO best practices.

Designing or redesigning a charity website is a significant undertaking, but avoiding these common mistakes can save you time, money, and frustration. Whether you opt for a charity website template, a charity website builder, or hire a professional web designer, keeping these tips in mind will help ensure your website is an effective tool for furthering your mission.

Remember, your website is often the first impression people have of your organisation – make it count!



Toni is an experienced web developer on a mission to help charities amplify their impact! She can support you with strategic web designs, graphic designs, advertising, videography and digital marketing strategies. Arrange a chat with Toni.