Ensuring an exceptional member experience is the lifeblood of sustaining and growing a nonprofit. The good news is that an organization’s website can serve as a hub for interaction between the nonprofit and its members, establishing a convenient and efficient way for members to make donations, manage their membership account, volunteer, register for events, and more.

The key to maximizing the role that a website can play in strengthening and growing a nonprofit is ensuring that the nonprofit website’s content is appealing, accessible, and comprehensive. 

A website with compelling content is an essential part of a nonprofit’s marketing strategy. It will draw members deeper, encouraging them to linger longer, access additional content, explore event and education opportunities, and learn more about the work the nonprofit does. Here are five ways you can leverage content on nonprofit websites to keep members engaged.

1. Share impact stories.

Many people get involved with nonprofits because they want to give back to their community or have an impact on a cause they care about. The most successful nonprofit membership programs emphasize the impact that member support has on the lives of the people the nonprofit serves.

Storytelling can inspire website visitors to action by making an emotional connection. To incorporate impact stories into your website, follow these best practices:

  • Identify people who may be willing to share their stories.
  • Position members as the hero of the story.
  • Use detailed language that evokes empathy.
  • Add calls to action to secure more support.

Be sure to first obtain permission before sharing names, pictures, or stories of people your nonprofit has helped. Some of these individuals may be happy to provide their stories but prefer to be anonymous.

2. Highlight member contributions.

Another way to keep members engaged is to demonstrate how much they mean to your nonprofit. Highlighting member contributions is an excellent way to show appreciation and leverage social proof to inspire others to get involved.

Collect quotes and stories from members about their connection to your cause, latest volunteer experience with your nonprofit, and more. These stories should illustrate what getting involved with your nonprofit means to each member, in addition to how their contributions have impacted the lives of others. If there are photos or videos from a recent volunteer event, that may be a great place to start. 

With permission, stories of member contributions make great social media and email newsletter content as well. Include a call to action and links back to your website to widen your reach.

3. Incorporate multimedia elements.

People vary in their preferences for receiving content. Some are highly visual and prefer to receive content via video, photos, or infographics. Others prefer audio or text. Adding multimedia elements to your website content increases the chances of appealing to as many members as possible.

For example, consider including:

  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Infographics
  • Virtual tours
  • Podcasts
  • Slideshows

The key to making successful use of any multimedia element is to ensure that it remains consistent with your nonprofit’s brand and messaging.

4. Add interactive content.

Your nonprofit’s website is an educational resource, but it can be so much more than that. Interactive content, such as surveys, polls, and quizzes are popular ways to engage members. You can create weekly polls, for example, to drive website traffic and encourage interaction from members.

Consider using member polls and surveys to collect more information about:

  • Popular event types to plan
  • Webinar or podcast topics
  • Communication preferences
  • Quality of event or volunteer experiences

Use your membership software to store these preferences and feedback for later reference. This information can be useful for improving the member experience when planning events and other content in the future.

5. Create a members-only section.

When someone joins your nonprofit membership program, they gain access to a host of benefits, from discounted event tickets to exclusive content. Leverage a website builder that allows you to create an engaging members-only section on your website. In this section, you’ll include resources such as a member event calendar, a directory, and online forums where members can connect.

Additionally, a members-only section can encourage other site visitors to join your nonprofit’s membership program, so they can access the content behind the secure member log-in. Therefore, it’s important that, in addition to the usual member account management tools, your members-only section offers premium content not otherwise accessible on your website. 

You can use this area of your website to provide access to data and reports not available to the public or available only to non-members for a fee.

Maintaining a robust and loyal membership base is essential to generating the steady revenue necessary to support your nonprofit’s mission and operations.

A high-quality nonprofit website can play a pivotal role in keeping members engaged and increase the likelihood that members will interact with your content regularly. By using multimedia elements, interactive features, and impact stories, you can paint a full picture of your mission and the important role members play within it.