Using Your Website to Boost Volunteerism

Your website can be a huge asset when it comes to your nonprofit's volunteer efforts. Here are a variety of considerations for how you can leverage your website to connect with volunteers, promote ongoing relationships with volunteers, and measure the impact your website is having on your volunteerism.

1. David Hartstein Using Your Website to Boost Volunteerism

2. Wired impact We Make Websites for Nonprofits David Hartstein Content, Measurement

3. What we’ll cover Your website’s role in volunteer efforts Improving volunteer satisfaction Driving potential volunteers Measuring your website’s impact

4. Your website’s role in volunteer efforts

5. Three ways a website can help 1. Getting visitors interested in volunteering 2. Signing visitors up to volunteer 3. Maintaining relationships with past volunteers

6. 1. Getting visitors interested Goal: Visitors become interested in volunteering Website Content to Include: The impact volunteers have had in the past Stories from past volunteers Stories from those that benefit from your volunteers Photos and videos

7. 2. Signing visitors up to volunteer Goal: Visitors signing up to volunteer Website Content to Include: Upcoming events with logistical info (date/time, location, activities, attire, things to bring, rain plan) I mpact of the volunteer opportunity Photos or videos from past occurrences A person who can answer questions An easy way to sign up

8. 3 . Maintaining relationships Goal: Volunteers stay involved as active supporters Website Content to Include: Ongoing appreciation of volunteer efforts Demonstration of volunteer impact Info likely to appeal to volunteers

9. Improving volunteer satisfaction

10. Four tips to increase satisfaction 1. Eliminate points of frustration 2. Make volunteering seem important 3. Be honest 4. Show appreciation

11. 1. Eliminate points of frustration In finding info: Make all logistical info easy to locate Set expectations clearly using understandable language Clear navigation

12. 1. Eliminate points of frustration In signing up to volunteer: Ask for only essential info Test your signup form in all major browsers

13. 2. Make volunteering seem important Showcase the impact of past volunteers Make your appeal emotional Showcase the need you’re addressing Inspire hope

14. 3 . Be honest Set visitor expectations Keep your word Avoid… What Organization Says “Help us boost the aesthetic appeal of our facility” “Spend quality time with adorable children” What Volunteer Does Pulling weeds and scrubbing floors Sorting children’s clothing and disinfecting toys while the kids take a nap

15. 4. Show appreciation Thank volunteers privately (email, handwritten note) Thank volunteers publicly (social media, website) Showcase volunteer impact Ask volunteers to share about their experiences

16. Driving potential volunteers

17. Ways to drive potential volunteers Search Social media Email From within your own website

18. search Use phrases potential volunteers would type into a search engine Tailor web content to disasters when they occur “Volunteer” + Disaster + Location “Volunteer to Help Joplin, MO Tornado Victims”

19. Social Media/email Posting volunteer opportunities Discussing the impact your volunteers have Sharing positive sentiments from volunteers Email: creating sublists based on visitor interests Don’t always ask for things from your supporters.

20. Always be building your base Cultivate relationships with potential volunteers even when you don’t need them for a specific project Make it easy for potential volunteers to stay informed Keep potential volunteers involved Cultivate relationships when you don’t need anything.

21. Within Your own website Link visitors strategically throughout your site Example: Emotional Story: Family impacted by tornado Take Action: Volunteer signup form Donate, volunteer, send supplies How to Help:

22. Measuring Your website’s impact

23. Focusing on metrics that matter Focus on most important website metrics for your organization Volunteerism: # of volunteers registered through the website # of new volunteers registered through the website Your primary focus should be on metrics that truly matter.

24. Find relationships in your data Use data to find visitor behavior that supports your key metrics We Notice Visitors that look at the Our Impact page are 8x more likely to sign up to volunteer Visitors that sign up to receive notifications to help after a disaster are 35x more likely to actually volunteer We Focus On Driving more visitors to look at the Our Impact page Pushing as many visitors as possible to sign up for these notifications

25. Some metrics worth watching Number of repeat visitors landing on your volunteer pages Landing pages that result in the most volunteer signups Page viewed just before volunteer signup Number of visitors that begin the process of signing up to volunteer but don’t complete it Traffic sources that drive the most volunteer signups

26. We’re Done! Who Has Questions? If you have questions don’t hesitate to reach out. wiredimpact.com [email protected] @ davharts

27. attribution http://www.flickr.com/photos/calamity_photography/4778766879/ http ://worldwildlife.org/threats/illegal-wildlife-trade http ://paulirish.com/lovesyou/new-browser-logos / http://www.savethechildren.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=8rKLIXMGIpI4E&b=6221359&ct= 11657685 http://www.charitywater.org/blog/fifth-bday / http ://stayalien.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/logo-Google- Analytics_vectorized.png http:// www.flickr.com /photos/ heavyweightgeek /2334939683