Is Your Website Scary?
Halloween can be a scary time of the year – but your website shouldn’t be scary! Here are two of the scariest things we see on United Way websites:
JARGON
United Ways have a language all their own with obscure and scary terms like: partner agencies, funded agencies, investments, loaned executives, campaign coordinators, community impact, investment team, allocation panel, affinity group – the list is seemingly endless.
To make your website less scary, remove all of the jargon from your website and replace it with more attractive words like local, your issue, and convening your community.
People should think of your United Way as local. Our research with United Way donors has found that one of the top reasons donors support United Way is because United Way addresses local issues and concerns.
People should associate your United Way with the issue you address. If your United Way has adopted an issue focus, and you have selected a specific issue to address like poverty, school readiness, homelessness, or hunger, then your United Way should be known for that issue.
People should also recognize that your United Way convenes your community. Your United Ways convenes volunteers, donors, and partner agencies to collectively address the needs of your community.
WE AND OUR
Who is the target audience for your United Way’s website? If the target audience for your website is donors and potential donors then it is important to write for them. When you use words like “we” and “our” on your website, you are typically referring to your United Way. For example, in phrases like “We fund 47 partner agencies and 56 programs” or “We help 137,678 people every year” the word “we” is referring to United Way – not the donor.
When you use words like “you” and “your,” you are including the donor or potential donor in your work. Here are two examples of using “your” instead of “we”: “Your contribution provides essential funding to 47 partner agencies and 56 programs” or “Your donation helps 137,678 people every year.” All too often, United Way websites are all about United Way – using words like “we” and “our” in every other sentence.
On your website, use YOU and YOUR, not WE and OUR. In other words, focus your marketing on the impact your donors have instead of framing impact as the result of United Way’s work. When communicating with donors, use phrases like: “Your contribution will help 100 families become financially stable this year” or “When you volunteer for Read to Succeed, you are helping a child be able to read at grade level.” Phrases that focus on the power of a donor to make a difference are far less scary than messages focused on United Way.
A SCARY SECRET!
Jargon and using “we” and “our” are not unique to your website – you may also find them in your campaign materials and social media. Make your United Way less scary everywhere and review all of your communication materials today!