WordPress, which is available as free and open-source software, is one of the most widespread content management systems, accounting for 43.1% of the top 10 million websites in December 2023, which makes WordPress a top priority to build a website.
And you know that 60% of nonprofits worldwide use WordPress for managing their website content? Wix is used by 6%, and Squarespace by 5%.”
Your website is like an online gateway for donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries to connect with your vision and initiatives.
It aids fundraising, ensures transparency, and expands outreach globally. Tight budgets and limited staffing can make website creation daunting.
But fear not! I’m here to help you. Keep reading on to create the best WordPress website online for nonprofits.
Let’s get right into it.
Things to Remember While Creating a Website for Nonprofit
While there are many customizations that can be done on-site, these ones stand out the most, and these are widely used by nonprofits, so make sure you use them for the best work.
- Effortless Navigation: Make sure your website is easy to move around.
- Contact Forms: Add forms so people can easily get in touch with you.
- Social Media Links: Connect your site to social media for a broader audience.
- Newsletter Forms: Allow people to sign up for updates from your site.
- Call To Action (CTA) Button: Encourage users to take specific actions on your site.
- Clear Mission Statement: Clearly state your organization’s mission to educate visitors.
- Service Explanation: Explain the services you provide and their importance to the community.
- Member Bios and Pictures: Share brief bios and images of your team, members, and partners.
- Donation Forms: Include forms for accepting donations.
Additionally, ensure your site is fast and responsive for a better user experience.
Why Use WordPress for Nonprofits
There are many reasons why you should start using WordPress for your nonprofit organization, so here are some specific benefits of using WordPress for nonprofit organizations:
- Cost-Effective
WordPress is a free platform, and you’ll only need to invest in essentials like hosting and a domain name. Additional functionalities through plugins and design themes can also be added at no cost. Optionally, premium themes and plugins are available if you have a budget for enhanced features.
- Open Source Mode
WordPress follows an open-source development model, making its code accessible to everyone. This transparency allows users to download, copy, and modify the code without restrictions as long as it’s used legally. This ensures the longevity of your website, and you won’t be compelled to switch to another platform in the future.
- Robust Community Support
With a vast and dedicated community of developers and users worldwide, WordPress benefits from an extensive support network. Hundreds of thousands of developers contribute to its growth, and millions of users actively engage with the platform. The passionate community often includes experienced developers who voluntarily contribute to nonprofit websites, providing valuable support and assistance.
How to Create a Nonprofit WordPress Website (Step-by-Step Guide)
Let’s dive into the process of creating a nonprofit website using the widely used CMS platform WordPress. Follow the steps outlined below to get started.
Step 1: Pick a Domain Name and Secure Web Hosting
While WordPress itself is free, establishing a nonprofit website with it involves investing in a domain name and web hosting services.
If you’re unfamiliar with the term, a domain name is essentially your site’s name, serving as its recognizable identity. For instance, our site is identified as ‘nestify.io.’
When creating a nonprofit website, begin by brainstorming a unique domain name and registering it through domain registrars. Some reliable and budget-friendly options include:
Additionally, web hosting acts as the space where your site resides, storing all crucial files and data. This ensures that your website is available to users worldwide via the World Wide Web (WWW).
Consider the following reputable WordPress hosting services for your nonprofit website:
Nestify hosts optimized WordPress sites globally. Try our 7-day free trial at Signup for a speed boost. If satisfied, transition to a paid plan; if not, the cloned site is deleted at no cost.
Step 2: Install WordPress
After purchasing a domain name and hosting, installing WordPress is easy, and fortunately, most web hosting providers give WordPress an auto-install or one-click install feature.
Once you sign up for your hosting platform, you’ll see something like this: a one-click WordPress installation (I’m using Nestify for this example):
Just click on Create site, and you’re easy to go; the backend will handle all the hustle.
So, starting your WordPress site is easy with the right hosting solution. Once you install WordPress and log into your Dashboard, you can handle your site, adjust settings, and personalize it as you wish.
Step 3: Choose WordPress Theme
There are numerous themes created for nonprofits, with some being free and others requiring payment.
When picking a theme, focus less on functionality since you can enhance it with a plugin. Instead, consider the layout and customization options.
A theme that’s easy to customize allows you to incorporate your branding, logo, and more. Additionally, ensure the theme is fast, as performance is crucial!
Here’s a collection of some top WordPress themes designed for nonprofits.
- Easy to use, simple drag and drop.
- SEO friendly and Optimize
- Free and Paid
- Advanced features are mostly free
- Customize: background, colors, header, logo, and menu
- Templates: choose layout options
- Portfolio: showcase work
- Events: highlight upcoming
- Sliders: use dynamic visuals
- CTA Buttons: prompt action
- Customization Background, colors, header, logo, menu.
- E-commerce: Explore online transaction features.
- Templates Full-width, grid, sidebar options.
- Portfolio Showcase work.
- Testimonials Highlight feedback.
- Contact form and call to action buttons
If you wish to explore more themes, you can do so here: WordPress Themes
Step 4: Install WordPress Theme and Optimize Settings
To install a WordPress theme, go to Dashboard > Appearance > Theme > Add New Theme. There, you can upload a new theme or search for a new theme.
If you wish to upload a theme then go ahead, simply click on Upload theme and choose the theme you downloaded.
If you did not download the theme wish to search for a new one, then follow the steps:
Search for a “Nonprofit,” then select the theme you like, and click on Install and Activate.
After activating the theme, click on ‘Get Started’. This process will automatically install all the necessary plugins and data to run the theme smoothly.
Up next, click on ‘Import Demo’.
Go ahead and click on ‘Continue & Import’.
Here is a sites after the result:
Step 5: Add Pages And Posts on Your Nonprofit Website
Now, let’s add content to your nonprofit site using pages and posts.
Pages:
Pages contain static content that doesn’t require frequent updates. Examples include the About Us, Services, and Contact Us pages.
To create pages, navigate to Pages >> Add New on your dashboard.
The WordPress Page Editor will open, allowing you to input the page title and content.
Once done, click the Publish button to make it live. You can likewise preview the page before publishing. Important pages to include are:
- Homepage: Describe your nonprofit organization, your target audience, and why visitors should stay on your site.
- About Us: Share your foundation’s story, establishment date, team members, partners, projects, and achievements.
- Services: Inform visitors about the services your organization provides and how they impact people.
- Donation: Explain donation utilization, showcase donors, and provide a donation form.
- Volunteer: Detail volunteer work, how users can volunteer, and encourage involvement.
- Contact Us: Provide contact information, including address, email, phone, and a contact form.
Posts:
Posts are dynamic content updated regularly, often in reverse chronological order. These are ideal for blog articles.
Create posts by going to Posts >> Add New.
Similar to pages, input the title and content, and then click Publish. A good example of WordPress posts is blog articles.
Step 6: Make Your Website Public
To make your site public simply means you are telling the search engine to index your site, and to do that, go to Settings > Reading > Search engine visibility and untick the option, then click on Save Changes.
Extra Tips: SEO Optimization
- Content Quality and Relevance
Your website’s content is crucial for attracting and engaging your target audience. To rank higher on search engines, provide informative, relevant, and riveting content that adds value to your readers. This includes written content, images, videos, and audio elements.
SEO Content is crafted with search engines in mind, making it easy for them to understand and rank it higher in search results. The goal is to create material that Google deems worthy of being featured on the search engine results page’s (SERP) first page.
- Title Tags and Meta Descriptions
Title Tags and Meta Descriptions, located in the HTML code header of a web page, play a critical part in helping search engines understand the content. Well-crafted title tags and meta descriptions communicate the essence of a webpage to search engines and enhance visibility in search results.
Why are Title Tags and Meta Descriptions Essential?
- Communication to Search Engines: Conveys the essence of a webpage to search engines.
- Visibility in Search Results: Influences a page’s visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs).
- Keywords in Title and Meta: Including relevant keywords for better performance.
- Best Practices for Writing Title and Meta: Ensure relevance, use keywords, avoid duplication, and create compelling snippets.
- Header Tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.)
Header tags, denoted in HTML as <h1> to <h6>, guide browsers on styling text on a webpage. They mirror the structure of headings in traditional print content, enhancing both user experience and search engine understanding.
Why are Header Tags Important?
- Structure and Hierarchy: Provides a clear overview of content structure.
- SEO Significance: Aids Google in comprehending content and improves readability.
- URL Structure
A Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is crucial for both user experience and page ranking. A clear, concise, and logical URL structure conveys meaning, improves intuition, and enhances user experience. Utilizing HTTPS, excluding “www” for a cleaner appearance, and customizing relevant page URLs contribute to SEO success.
Why Does URL Structure Matter for SEO?
- User Experience and Page Ranking: Affects user recall and understanding, impacting page ranking.
- SEO Best Practices: Ensure an optimal structure, use HTTPS, and maintain relevant page URLs.
Wrapping Up
Building a WordPress website for nonprofits is a powerful endeavor that can significantly amplify your organization’s reach and impact. By harnessing the versatility and user-friendly features of WordPress, you have the tools to create a dynamic and engaging online presence.
We’ve covered a lot of ground in this article, from choosing a domain name and web hosting provider to creating interesting content and search engine optimization. Recall that the effectiveness of your nonprofit website depends not only on its technical features but also on its capacity to engage users and successfully communicate your message.
Continually prioritize user experience, ensuring that your website is accessible, navigable, and compelling. Leverage the diverse range of plugins and themes available on WordPress to tailor your site to your organization’s unique needs.
Building and maintaining a WordPress website for your nonprofit is not a one-time task; it’s an ongoing commitment to keeping your content relevant, your design appealing, and your online presence aligned with your mission. With dedication and a strategic approach, your WordPress website can become a powerful tool in advancing your nonprofit’s goals and fostering a community of supporters.
FAQs on Nonprofits
How much does it cost to build a WordPress website for a nonprofit?
The cost of building a WordPress website for nonprofits can vary based on factors like domain registration, web hosting, and potential premium themes or plugins. Generally, WordPress itself is free, but additional expenses may include domain registration fees and hosting costs.
Do I need coding skills to build a WordPress website for my nonprofit?
No, coding skills are not essential to build a WordPress website. WordPress is designed to be user-friendly, and there are numerous pre-built themes and plugins that allow you to customize your site without coding. However, some coding knowledge can be beneficial for advanced customization.
How can I optimize my nonprofit website for search engines?
To optimize your nonprofit website for search engines, focus on keyword research, create high-quality and relevant content, use clarifying title tags and meta descriptions, incorporate header tags, and ensure a clean and concise URL structure. Regularly update and monitor your site’s performance using tools like Google Analytics.
Can I accept online donations through my WordPress website?
Yes, you can set up online donation forms on your WordPress website. There are various plugins, such as GiveWP and Charitable, specifically designed for nonprofits to facilitate secure and easy online donations.
Is it necessary to have a blog on my nonprofit website?
While not mandatory, having a blog can enhance your nonprofit website. A blog allows you to share updates, success stories, and relevant content, keeping your audience engaged and informed. It can also bestow improved search engine visibility.
