Web Design MUST Haves for Non-Profit Research Organization Websites

March 19, 2014

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Categorized Research

Categorized ResearchWhat’s a non-profit research organization website without current research records? When visiting these websites, visitors expect to be able to find information about current and past research related to the organization. Integrating the research into the website in an interesting and understandable way is the tricky part. Most research organizations have maneuvered around that hurdle by categorizing the research into manageable sections and topics of community interest. Take for example the layout SRI International chose to link to the in-depth research and development information.

Learning Centers

Learning CentersSometimes scientific research can sound like a bunch of mumbo jumbo that the average person can’t even begin to comprehend. Many research organizations incorporate learning centers into their websites in addition to the categorized research they make available. These learning centers are a great place to have a more personable conversation about the research with the visitor in terms that are easy to understand. If you’re an organization primarily devoted to researching cures for diseases or other health related issues, your website can act as a great go-to resource by providing background information and educational materials.

Calls to Action: Donate & Discover

Call To ActionAs their names imply, non-profit research organizations run off of the donations that others support them with. Without the funding and donations they receive both on an individual and group level the organizations wouldn’t be able to carry out the research intended to solve a specific problem facing many people, such as cancer or diabetes, or discover solutions for improving aspects of our everyday lives. By including Call-to-Action buttons on the website encouraging visitors to either donate, learn more or get involved, the organization has a better chance of gathering the support it needs in order to continue research efforts.

Professional Photography

Professional PhotographyA non-profit research organization website is not complete without the addition of professional photography. Incorporating professional images into your website not only strengthens the aesthetics of your website, it may offer visitors a reason to trust the mission of your research organization. It’s like dressing up to deliver a speech: the nicer you dress, the more credible you look and, in turn, the more trust people place in what you have to say. Dressing up your website with professional photographs may incline visitors to donate to your cause.

Spread Your Success

Social Media Icons1. Stay Connected with Social Media

New discoveries are made every day by organizations focused on researching a specific issue. Sharing these discoveries and updates with the world is one way the organizations are able to maintain credibility and show the supporters that their donations are actually making a difference. Social media platforms can help keep others connected to your organization and also act as a great medium for widespread dissemination of your success stories.

Newsletter Sign Ups

2. Newsletter Sign Ups

Any chance your organization is offered to expand its support system is one to take advantage of. Newsletters are a common way for non-profit research organizations to keep information flowing out of the research centers and labs and into the minds of community members. Newsletters can serve as great weekly or monthly reminders to subscribers that their donations are helping to generate results and solutions. Dedicating a section of the website to newsletter sign ups will get visitors interacting with the organization and ultimately build your support system.

Blog About It

3. Blog About It

Blogging is an easy way for your organization to increase its online content while keeping people interested in the cause. Statistics show that companies that blog 15 times or more per month get 5 times more traffic than companies that don’t blog. Driving people to your non-profit organization’s website is vital to receiving donations. Non-profit research organizations can benefit from blogging because it’s another way for them to inform people of their new discoveries and update them on their latest activities.

4. News Updates and Events

Keeping an updated online newsroom may encourage people to stay on your site and revisit again in the future. News updates serve as yet another medium for distribution of your organization’s success stories, whether they’re related to new treatments, the latest discoveries or new-found opportunities. If your research organization often hosts events as a way to get more people involved in the cause and offer their support, a calendar of events may be something to consider including on your website for easy access by visitors.

Large Homepage Sliders

Large Homepage SlidersAmong all of the non-profit research organization websites we took a look at, an overwhelming majority of them place large sliders on the homepage, rotating through as few as 3 or as many as 11 different tidbits of information. Flashing through interesting topics on the homepage allows you to maximize the available space on the page for sharing information. The movement the sliders add to the site is an initial attention grabber for visitors and the sliders also serve as a great place to show off those professional photos.

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Who Manifested This Madness?

Monica Maye Pitts

This fabulous human, that's who.

Monica Maye Pitts

Monica is the creative force and founder of MayeCreate. She has a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with an emphasis in Economics, Education and Plant Science from the University of Missouri. Monica possesses a rare combination of design savvy and technological know-how. Her clients know this quite well. Her passion for making friends and helping businesses grow gives her the skills she needs to make sure that each client, or friend, gets the attention and service he or she deserves.

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