As a fundraising and marketing professional, you are expected to track an untold number of performance metrics. However, one often-overlooked metric in KPI (key performance indicator) reports could unlock a wealth of insight into how your campaigns perform.
What metric is it? Page conversion rate.
While metrics such as return-on-investment (ROI) and cost-per-donor (CPD) receive most of the attention in reporting, you want a clear picture of your donation pages’ conversion rates. This can then quickly help you identify opportunities for improvement in your fundraising campaigns and pinpoint potential issues in performance.
Insights From Your Page Conversion Rate
To calculate the conversion rate of a landing page, take the number of visitors to that page who take the desired action (donate, complete form, etc.), and divide that by the total number of visitors to the page. This simple metric, at its core, reveals the efficiency and appeal of your donation page.
While only one metric among many, the conversion rate of your landing page offers a wealth of insight that will guide improvements and strategy adjustments for your campaign. A lower-than-expected page conversion rate signals a need for campaign optimization.
What might be the problem? Let us take a deeper look.
Poor User Experience: Your landing page may suffer from technical issues such as a clunky or problematic donation form or even slow page speeds. Test your donation forms through the eyes of a visitor and see what roadblocks may be preventing conversions. You also need to ensure your landing page is mobile-friendly. While the majority of online donations still occur on desktop devices, mobile giving continues to increase each year.
Disconnect in Campaign Messaging: One common issue often leads to poor page conversion: a disconnect in messaging between the source of the page traffic (such as a campaign email or Facebook ad) and the copy and images present on the landing page. It is vital that the messaging on the landing page reinforces the messaging that drove the traffic to the page.
Weak Call to Action: When users arrive at your landing page, can they easily determine what you want them to do? Ensure that your call to action is crystal clear—whether to make a donation or sign a pledge or petition. Leadership expert John Maxwell says, “Great communicators leave their audiences with great clarity.” This same principle applies to great fundraisers!
Distraction Overload: A landing page that experiences a low conversion rate may suffer from too many distractions and exit points. Look for opportunities to streamline your landing pages: remove items such as navigation links on your page header and footer, as well as additional site links within your content. Remember, the goal of your landing page is to drive users toward a laser-focused action: make a donation or complete a form.
When they understand and measure page conversion rates, fundraising pros can unlock new levels of effectiveness in their campaigns, ensuring that every visitor to their donation page has the highest chance of becoming a donor.
Do you need help developing a data-driven fundraising strategy for your organization? We would love to help you maximize your impact! CLICK HERE or call us today at 724-733-1200.
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