Homepages consistently miss donor opportunities, study finds

IT | 1 Mar 2009

The homepages of UK charities are failing to capitalise on opportunities to build loyal online visitor bases despite boasting top marks for engaging design and content, a new study suggests.

Hitting the Heart www.dotmailer.com/hittingtheheart, by digital marketing agency dotMailer, found that charities have generally failed to put their website at the centre of a wider digital marketing strategy. They have also neglected donor contact and up-selling opportunities.

The research, which evaluated the websites of 15 high-profile UK charities, saw Cancer Research UK come out top with 81 per cent, followed by Save the Children at 80 per cent and Action for Blind People in third place at 79.5 per cent.

But only one in three charities managed to score over 70 per cent. Crime Concern lay at the bottom with 47.5 per cent.

Dave Ivy, creative director at dotMailer, said: “Our study identified several key areas in which charities should focus on making changes, such as providing up-to-date content that engages visitors, working harder to capture permission-based email signups, and using more intelligent web content and email follow-up to engage and upgrade prospects to donors and turn existing donors into repeat givers.”

Other charities in the study included ActionAid, Barnardos, Shelter and Oxfam.

Directory: ActionAid | Barnardo's | Oxfam | Shelter

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