Why Your Website Matters More Than Ever. Bonus Material The AI Advantage to Do More Good

with David Pisarek

Transcript

1. Why Your Website Matters More Than Ever Turn your non-profit website into a donor and volunteer engine. Live Webinar
2. TODAY WHAT YOU’LL WALK AWAY WITH Problems. Promises. Looks dated or generic What to fix first Donors hit friction and don’t contribute How to earn trust that drives giving Goes stale because no one on the team can easily keep it fresh Meaningful gains without a massive budget or a full rebuild
3. THE HARDER QUESTION How many donors, volunteers, and funders have landed on your site, felt underwhelmed, and moved on, without you ever knowing?
4. THE REAL PRICE TAG The cost of underperformance Every week your website underperforms is a week your organization leaves money, momentum, and mission impact on the table.
5. PICTURE THIS What if your website worked the way it should? $ ♥ ✓ More donations Volunteers find you Funders say yes
6. BONUSES FOR BEING HERE 1. Website Audit 2. Live Q&A 3. New Book 4. $3800 Prize Giveaway
7. Hi, I’m David Pisarek CEO & Founder Coach & Mentor
8. MISSION POSSIBLE Empower 5,000 orgs to positively impact 100,000,000 lives through innovative digital solutions.
10. WHY THIS MATTERS RIGHT NOW The internet is changing. Donors are finding nonprofits differently. Search is changing. The stakes are higher. The fix is simpler than you think.
11. PULSE CHECK On a 1-10 scale How confident are you that your website is bringing in new donors?
12. SECTION 01 · THE SEARCH LANDSCAPE IS CHANGING Google Search just changed. THE MOMENT The biggest change to search in 25 years → A traditional list of links becomes AI-powered answers. → Instead of clicking through, people get answers directly from AI. → Information agents monitor topics 24/7. → Interactive tools are generated on the fly.
13. WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE NOW The new search experience. Users ask in natural language, not keywords. Google's AI synthesizes answers from across the web. Information agents monitor topics in the background. Interactive tools and dashboards are generated on the fly. Most importantly: users often get their answer without ever visiting your website.
14. THE SILENT CRISIS A growing share of searches now end without a single click to an external website. WHAT IT MEANS Donor discovery through search is declining. Your nonprofit needs a different strategy to stay visible.
15. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR NON-PROFITS "Build a good site and hope Google sends people" doesn't work anymore. Being ranked isn't enough if no one clicks through. To stay visible, your nonprofit needs to be: ✓ Citable and trustworthy ✓ Original content ✓ Creating experiences with standalone value ✓ Showing up in AI as an authority
16. REFRAME This isn't a crisis. It's a wake-up call. Get clear about your digital presence now to dominate your space. The non-profits stuck with mediocre websites will fall further behind. Because everything points back to one thing: does your website build trust?
17. PULSE CHECK On a 1-10 scale How confident are you that your website builds trust with donors on first visit?
18. SECTION 02 · WHAT DONORS & FUNDERS EXPECT 5s They have less than 5 seconds to decide: is this organization credible?
19. THE 5-SECOND TEST Does your site immediately communicate… What you do Who you serve Buried in jargon → Clarity Vague “communities” → Specific people The impact you create How to get involved Promises → Proof Hidden links → Obvious CTAs
20. DESIGN IS CREDIBILITY 94% of users say poor design leads to distrust. Source: CLIQUE FOR NON-PROFITS A dated website signals outdated impact. A professional one says: we respect your support, we're organized, we know what we're doing.
21. MOBILE IS WHERE THEY MEET YOU 96.5% of your donors reach your site on mobile. Source: DATA REPORTAL IF IT BREAKS ON MOBILE You're invisible to the majority of people looking for you. Funders expect a flawless experience. They won't wait for slow pages or confusing navigation.
22. THE INFORMATION HIERARCHY PROBLEM What donors actually see. Too much information Unclear hierarchy No path to action Overwhelming. Where do I look? What matters most here? Where do I go next? So they leave, and donate to another non-profit instead.
23. THE CTA PROBLEM 70% of small org sites lack a clear call-to-action. Source: SMALL BUSINESS TRENDS FOR NON-PROFITS Funders want to give. Volunteers want to help. If your site doesn't make it obvious how, they go elsewhere. One clear CTA changes everything.
24. TRUST SIGNALS MATTER Donors and funders want to see... Clear organization credentials who's behind this? Up-to-date information when was this last updated? Accurate sourcing and data where does your impact data come from? Professional design does this look legitimate? Easy ways to contact you are you reachable?
25. THE REAL ASK They aren't asking for a perfect website. They're asking for one that... ✓ Feels professional and trustworthy ✓ Works on their phone ✓ Makes it obvious what you do and why they should care ✓ Makes donating, volunteering, and funding easy ✓ Shows you're organized and credible
26. SECTION 03 · WHERE YOU’RE SILENTLY LOSING DONORS The silent loss. A prospect visits your site. Feels underwhelmed. Leaves without donating. You never know it happened. Now multiply that by hundreds of times per year.
27. SILENT LOSS · 01 01 First Impression THE COST Your site doesn't instantly communicate your mission or impact. Lost donations from people who were ready to give Donors aren't sure what you do or why it matters, so they bounce to a non-profit that's clearer.
28. SILENT LOSS · 02 02 Friction THE COST Donating takes too many clicks or too much info upfront. People who wanted to help decide it’s not worth the effort. Volunteer opportunities are buried 3 levels deep. Grant details are scattered.
29. SILENT LOSS · 03 03 Mobile Failure Your site doesn't work well on phones. Donors try to give on mobile and hit dead ends. Volunteers can't easily find how to get involved. THE COST A full cohort of mobile-first supporters just bouncing away.
30. SILENT LOSS · 04 04 No Social Proof THE COST Donors don't see testimonials or stories from other donors and beneficiaries. Donors who need reassurance give to established orgs instead. No proof your impact is real. No sense of community or belonging.
31. SILENT LOSS · 05 05 Outdated Content THE COST Events from two years ago. Your credibility and donor confidence. Blog posts from last spring. Team bios for people who've left. It quietly says: we're not organized, we're not active.
32. SILENT LOSS · 06 06 Contact Friction THE COST No clear way to ask a question. Lost relationships and lost donations. Contact form buried in the footer. No phone number visible. Donors and volunteers give up trying.
33. THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT Each one isn’t a huge problem alone. But together they add up to a website that costs you money every single day. These are all fixable.
34. SECTION 04 · THE FIX Three shifts that fix it. 01 02 03 Look right, build trust Systems your team can manage Content to drive donors & volunteers
35. SHIFT 1 DESIGN & TRUST Make your site look right and build trust instantly. What you do Who you serve The impact How to help
36. SPEED IS OF THE ESSENCE 0.05s That's how long it takes for users to form an opinion about your website. Source: SWEOR
39. THE MOBILE PROBLEM What breaks on a small screen. 01 Poor mobile layout makes signup & membership painful 02 Member benefits and resources are hard to reach 03 Contact info is buried or missing entirely
40. WHEN MOBILE WORKS The numbers move fast when the experience is right. 83% 62% of mobile users expect a flawless experience. of orgs increased member actions with responsive design USER EXPECTATIONS Source: TECHJURY, SAG ipl ORGANIZATIONAL LIFT
41. WHEN A CTA WORKS Simple fixes. Outsized lift. 121% 45% + + ENGAGEMENT LIFT ACTION RATE LIFT Increase in engagement with anchor-text CTAs When CTAs look clickable, not decorative. Source: HUBSPOT, COPY BLOGGER
42. THE CTA FIX Complete this sentence… I want to ________________
43. REFLECTION Think about your visitors. How many leave your site without taking action? How many don't contact or donate because the experience felt clunky? How many people don't even know they can help?
44. SOLUTION · PART 01 Tell your story. Imagery, color, typography that reflect your organizational personality. Make your brand feel alive and present. Real photography Distinct colour A voice with edges GENERIC ALIVE Built for you. A community of supporters for the people moving our sector forward. Join us →
45. SOLUTION · PART 02 Engage your visitors. 01 02 03 Clear hierarchy Inviting CTAs Confident design People find what they need in seconds, not minutes of hunting. Calls to action that feel warm, not corporate. A site that signals: this organization knows what it’s doing.
46. SHIFT ONE · WHAT THIS INCLUDES The BIG 5 that earn trust. ✓ Design that reflects your nonprofit's personality ✓ Mobile-first design, 96.5% of your audience is on phones ✓ Clear information hierarchy = the biggest things first ✓ Strong calls to action = Donate, Volunteer, Learn More ✓ Accessibility built in = contrast, navigation, readability
49. SHIFT 2 SYSTEMS & MANAGEMENT Build systems your team can actually manage. Make updates easy Automate communications Give you insights
50. SHIFT TWO · WHAT THIS INCLUDES ✓ A platform your team can use, no developer needed ✓ Email automation = confirmations, thank yous, onboarding ✓ Analytics that show what’s working, not vanity metrics ✓ Backup and security = data protection ✓ Mobile-first content management = update from phones
51. SOLUTION It doesn’t have to be hard. Modern platforms let you manage content, events and communications without a developer. Minutes, not hours, on website updates.
52. STOP GUESSING, START KNOWING Insights at your fingertips. 01 02 03 Know who’s visiting See what they’re reading Track who’s donating Real visitor data, not vanity metrics Spot the content that pulls traffic in Know your financial story in real time
53. GET YOUR TIME BACK Automation reduces your workload. Event registration → Confirmation email Donation renewals → Reminder sequence Newsletter signup → Welcome series Login reset → Instant notification
54. SHIFT TWO · THE PAYOFF When the system works for you. Less time on website busywork → More time on mission Donors get instant confirmations → better experience You see patterns in who’s visiting and what they care about. Your site stays fresh → updates don’t require IT
55. THE BOTTOM LINE Say goodby to the content management headache. No IT tickets. Add events, publish updates, send emails in minutes. When the system is this good, your team actually uses it.
56. SHIFT 3 CONTENT & GROWTH Use your content to drive donors and volunteers. Attracts new donors Shows impact Keeps donors engaged Makes giving natural
57. SHIFT THREE · WHAT THIS INCLUDES ✓ Donor impact stories = real people, real results ✓ Regular updates = blog, news, impact data ✓ Multiple ways to engage = Donate, Volunteer, Advocate, Partner ✓ Testimonials and social proof = donors, volunteers, beneficiaries ✓ Clear grant and funding information
58. THE QUIET SLIDE 6 mo. Most websites see a traffic drop six months after launch. Source: CLIQUE WHY IT HAPPENS No new content Outdated events Stale messaging
59. ONE ASSET, THREE JOBS Content works triple duty. 01 · ATTRACT 02 · RETAIN 03 · REINFORCE Pulls in prospects Brings donors back Proves the value SEO and social sharing bring in visitors who didn’t know you existed Donors have a reason to return again and again Every visit reminds them why belonging matters.
60. THE COMPOUNDING The power of content. Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
61. SHIFT THREE · THE PAYOFF When content earns its keep. ✓ New donors find you through search, social, and AI ✓ Existing donors see ongoing impact = reason to stay connected ✓ Renewal and re-engagement happen naturally ✓ You’re visible in AI search results as an authority
62. SECTION 06 · PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION Where to start. Don’t try to fix everything at once. Begin with a website audit: What’s working? What’s broken? What’s missing? What’s outdated? Pages with high traffic and engagement Pages where people bounce Content donors are looking for Content that should be archived
63. QUICK WINS · THIS MONTH Six things you can do right now. 01 02 03 Add a clear CTA above the fold Add one impact story with numbers Rewrite your homepage headline to be clear about what you do 04 05 06 Make contact info visible Audit your site on mobile Set up automatic thank you email for donations
64. PULSE CHECK Yes/No Is there a name that comes to mind instantly who can handle this today for you?
65. MEDIUM TERM · NEXT 3 MONTHS Build momentum. 01 02 03 A full design refresh if needed, at minimum, the homepage Set up a simple blog/news section, 2 to 3 posts/month Mobile optimization, if you haven’t yet done it 04 05 06 Create an email welcome sequence for new donors Add a donor testimonial section Make sure your analytics are set up, know who’s visiting
66. LONG-TERM STRATEGY · NEXT 6-12 MONTHS Make it durable. 01 02 03 A content calendar for ongoing updates - blog, stories, impact Email nurture sequences, keep donors engaged Donor journey mapping, understand your stages 04 05 06 Analytics review, what’s working, what’s not Giving-page optimization, A/B testing Plan for the next refresh to keep it current
67. BUDGET REALITY It costs less than you think. QUICK WINS MEDIUM IMPROVEMENTS FULL TRANSFORMATION Design refresh, content updates Redsign, systems setup Complete rebuild with strategy $0-6k $7-14K $15-25K+
68. THE TOOLS YOU NEED A simple, proven stack. CONTENT EMAIL CMS - WordPress, MightyNPO, Webflow, Wix, SquareSpace Mailchimp, Constant Contact, ConvertKit DONATIONS DESIGN GiveCloud, Keela, Raisely, Zeffy, Donorbox, PayPal Canva - for staff to make graphics ANALYTICS GA, GSC, built-in dashboards Start with what you have. Add as you grow.
69. THE REAL STAKES Your mission is too important to be held back by a website. Donors want to help. Volunteers want to join. Funders want to support you. But only if your website makes it easy, and builds trust.
70. WHY THIS MOMENT MATTERS Three forces, all pointing the same way. Search is changing Expectations are rising Competition is increasing AI is reshaping how people find non-profits Donors see professional sites everywhere, and expect yours to match More non-profits, same donor pool
71. THE GOAL Your website becomes your non-profit’s most powerful tool. You’re not begging for donations. People see the value, and act.
73. BONUS · FOR ATTENDEES NORMALLY Free Website Audit. We'll analyze your site, show you exactly where you're losing donors, and hand you a prioritized list of what to fix first. wowdigital.com/audit → $500 Yours, free. Real audit, real findings. Not a sales call disguised as a review.
74. BONUS · TODAY ONLY I wrote the book on AI for non-profits $37 Use code $11 70% OFF AUCTRIA Today only. wowdigital.com/aibook →
75. GRAND PRIZE DRAW Win a $3,800 strategy session. Full website strategy session + redesign mockup. We map your donor journey and show you what your site could be. Type "spin" to enter →
76. THE BEST PART Questions?
78. KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING Let’s talk. Book your free consult. Bring your situation. We'll give you direct answers, no pitch. wowdigital.com/consult →
79. WOW DIGITAL INC. Thank you. David Pisarek THREE THINGS TO DO NEXT CEO & Founder 01 02 Reserve your free website audit 03 Let's build something great for your organization Coach & Mentor Visit wowdigital.com/nonprofit for resources & podcast wowdigital.com david@wowdigital.com 1.888.238.9679