In today’s digital age, it’s crucial for all businesses, including nonprofit organizations, to maintain an up-to-date website. Despite a central focus on philanthropy, nonprofits should utilize digital tools to create a compelling online presence that effectively communicates their mission. These digital tools not only allow them to share their message online, but also to attract more volunteers and donations that will create a positive impact in their communities.
Even though there’s no shortage of website-building platforms available, it can be an overwhelming task to select the right one. We’re here to simplify your search by introducing you to a platform that outshines the competition in terms of versatility, user-friendliness, and robust features – WordPress.
Join us as we explore the six key reasons WordPress stands out as the ultimate choice for nonprofit organizations seeking to build a top performing website.
1. Accessibility and Ease of Use for Nonprofit Websites
One of the main reasons WordPress is loved by so many web developers and people alike is that its interface is incredibly user-friendly. While many Content Management Systems (CMS) need extensive training in web development, you don’t need to be a tech genius to create and manage a WordPress website. It has a straightforward dashboard that doesn’t require technical knowledge to make changes and updates to the website. From adding images and new pages to updating content and designs, WordPress makes it easy for anyone to use. This accessibility gives nonprofits the time and space to focus on their mission without getting distracted by website management tasks.
If you want to see how simple it is to use WordPress, even for beginners, check out the YouTube video below!
2. Cost-Effectiveness
Budget constraints can often pose a significant challenge for nonprofit organizations. However, with WordPress, the cost factor won’t be a worry of yours since it’s an open-source software. An open source CMS means you can use it for free (there is no software license fee to use WordPress) and customize it to meet your web design requirements. Whether you’re looking for free themes or affordable plugins and themes, WordPress offers the flexibility to upgrade your website’s appearance and enhance its functionality at a minimal cost. With WordPress, you can design professional-looking websites without putting a major dent in your budget.
It’s no wonder that WordPress continues to prove why it is not only one of the most cost-effective CMSs on the market but the most popular CMS worldwide.
3. Flexible Customization
Each nonprofit will have different goals and requirements for their web design needs. That is why it is crucial to select a CMS that offers customizable options in both the front end and the back end. While most beginners will stick to customizing the front-end design, it is equally important for a CMS to offer a customizable back-end for those with more web development experience. WordPress is one of the top CMSs that delivers fully customizable and flexible options for all skill levels. Whether your nonprofit is looking to integrate donation forms, special event calendars, photo galleries, or a FAQ page, WordPress plugins can add these features without needing coding knowledge.
This flexibility is especially vital for nonprofits who may need to add pages for events at a moment’s notice. Learn more about how to customize your WordPress themes in the YouTube video below.
4. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) on Google
After investing time and, potentially, a portion of your budget in crafting a beautiful website, it can be frustrating if nobody can find it online. However, WordPress stands out from other CMSs by placing a strong emphasis on offering SEO-friendly services. With the help of various plugins and built-in features, nonprofits can optimize their websites to rank higher in search engine results. This search engine optimization not only draws in more visitors, but also enhances their online visibility, ultimately allowing them to raise more awareness about their nonprofit. Additionally, this increased visibility can attract more donors and volunteers eager to support your organization’s mission.
SEO work on Google for a non-profit is important because Google is the platform / glue that connects donors, volunteers, employees, and the general community to a non-profit. Google accounts for 91.54% of global online website traffic. SEO work aims to grow traffic from Google organic search. Unlike Google Ads, SEO is a sustainable marketing strategy because you are not paying an advertising fee for each click into your website. Two important compnents of SEO are Website Maintenance and Blog Posts.
- Website Maintenance – Google does not include websites in search results that are hacked or pose a security risk to Google users. Ongoing website maintenance keeps your website healthy, fast, and secure. 47% of all website users won’t wait longer than 2 seconds for a website to load. So the health and speed of your website plays an important role in connecting online with the audience of a non-profit.
- Blog Posts – Adding new content and articles to a website allows the website to grow in terms of web pages and reach a wider audience. Each page on a website is a potential door for someone to enter a non-profit website.
To get the most out of your SEO experience, check out this YouTube tutorial WordPress has created on how to improve SEO rankings using WordPress.
5. Community Support and Security
Since WordPress is the most popular CMS globally, powering over 43.1% of websites worldwide, it has gained a large community of developers, designers, and users. This extensive community offers dedicated support teams, forums, and online resources to help solve problems and answer your inquiries quickly. The WordPress team and community consistently provide updates incorportating the latest trends, technologies, and security enhancements. If your nonprofit encounters security or development issues, then you can rely on the WordPress support team for assistance. Alternatively, you can seek help from other users by searching the WordPress forum for answers.
WordPress undergoes regular updates to safeguard against security vulnerabilities and potential cyber threats. This commitment to security is what makes WordPress a dependable platform for nonprofits and other businesses alike.
6. Mobile Responsiveness
With over 56.2% of all website traffic coming in from mobile devices, the importance of having a mobile-responsive website cannot be overstated. Failing to provide a mobile-friendly website means excluding more than half of potential users from accessing your site. Recognizing this crucial need, WordPress places a strong emphasis on delivering mobile-responsive websites, ensuring that all WordPress themes are designed with mobile-friendliness in mind.
This commitment allows your nonprofit website to be accessible and engaging across various devices. Not only does this improve the overall user experience, but it also enhances your search engine rankings – so it’s a win-win situation!
Conclusion for Nonprofits with Big Website Dreams
WordPress embodies the full amenities package for taking your nonprofit website to the next level. With a versatile, cost-effective, and user-friendly platform, WordPress ensures your website is exactly what you need without any additional research or experience. Its accessibility, customization options, SEO-friendliness, community support, security features, and mobile responsiveness make it the go-to choice for nonprofits aiming to make a difference.
By utilizing WordPress’s features and CMS platform, your nonprofit can share your mission with more people, connect with a larger audience, and drive a positive change in the world!
Empowering Nonprofit Websites | Websults
Websults has been designing and developing sophisticated web applications for over two decades. At Websults, we work with clients in Tampa, Florida, and across North America on website and digital marketing consulting projects. We specialize in WordPress website development, SEO (Google), and fast website hosting services. We have designed several nonprofit websites on WordPress including:
- Bridging Freedom: https://www.bridgingfreedom.org/
- Hope for Haiti’s Children: https://hopeforhaitischildren.org/
- Tennessee Alliance for Children and Families: https://tnchildren.org/
- New York Junior Tennis & Learning: https://www.nyjtl.org/
- Junior Tennis Champions Center: https://www.jtcc.org/
We work closely with clients across a variety of industries to provide customized web solutions that meet their unique needs. When you partner with Websults, you can expect us to listen carefully to your requirements, ask questions to help identify any other needs or future needs, and work diligently to generate results for your website. Contact us today for a FREE consultation and see how we can help you achieve your web development goals.
