Fixing Outdated Web Messaging for Nonprofits

The other day I saw a post from Israa Alrawi that called out one of nonprofit marketing's most tired phrases: "for less than a cup of coffee." And she's right. It's lazy. But here's what I think the real problem is: It's not just outdated — it's disconnected. When we use generic comparisons, we're asking donors to do the mental math themselves. We're making THEM figure out why their $5 matters. That's our job. Instead of vague comparisons, try this: → Get specific: "$5 provides 3 days of clean water for a family of four" → Make it tangible: "Your $10 puts a brand new book in the hands of a child who's never owned one" → Create urgency without guilt: "Right now, $25 means a warm meal AND a safe place to sleep tonight" The shift? Stop comparing donations to what donors are "giving up." Start showing them exactly what they're making possible. Specificity builds trust. Impact language builds connection.

The biggest complaint I hear from nonprofit organizations about their website is almost always the same: "Our visitors find our website confusing. Our content is out of date. Nothing's organized." All of which is (obviously) a major problem. If your visitors can't make heads or tails of your org when they visit, then your site isn't accomplishing the goals it was created for. It's a signal that something needs to change. So what makes a website confusing? A lot of things, as it turns out! Too many for a single post, which is why I've broken this up into two posts. In this portion, we'll cover the most common content-based issues that make a site hard to understand. Here's the top 5 list: ❌ Unintuitive navigation menu labels ("What does this menu item even mean?") ❌ Navigation menu with too many options ("There are dozens of pages here. This is way too much work to sift through everything.") ❌ Unclear copy and vague or jargon-filled messaging ("I can't figure out what this nonprofit does at all.") ❌ Too much text content ("I don't have time to read a novel.") ❌ No outlined plan for action ("I have no clue how this works or the steps involved.") Each individual item on its own is a problem. Couple 2 (or more) of these issues together and your engagement is likely taking a big dive. But with a little finessing, even the most confusing nonprofit website can turn itself around. Here’s how to fix your visitors' confusion: ✅ Label your navigation menu items with clear and obvious words. Make sure your visitor can guess what type of content will be on the page without having to click that menu option. ✅ Make sure your top-level navigation menu only contains seven items or fewer. Any more and you may overwhelm visitors. ✅ Use simple, direct language. No jargon. Instead of flowery words or boardroom talk, write in a straightforward way that a high school student can easily understand. ✅ Write just enough text and then ask yourself, “Is this helpful and necessary?”. Remove anything that isn't integral to helping your visitor understand what your org does. ✅ Clearly spell out in three or four steps your org's plan for tackling your cause. The simpler, the better. Some of these items you could knock out in 15 minutes ("improve your nav menu labels"). Others are more involved ("rewrite your overall copy and messaging"), but are just as important for helping your visitors connect the dots regarding your nonprofit. For most orgs, this is the starting point. I'll go over the next 5 common issues in my next post. All of these items significantly contribute to your visitor's website experience. And the better their experience on your site, the more likely visitors are to keep reading. Which of these items does your org struggle with? #nonprofit #nonprofits #webdesign #branding #storytelling 👾

There’s a point in every business where the website stops feeling like a reflection and starts feeling like a leftover. Most people notice it only when the site has already fallen behind their actual work. When this happens, the problem usually isn’t design or code. The problem is that your website hasn’t kept up with the direction your business has taken. The goal is not a redesign. The goal is alignment. Here’s the process I use when a website feels out of sync. 1. Identify where the story broke Go through your homepage and note where the message no longer matches your current offer. Don’t focus on visuals yet. Focus on what the page is saying. Ask simple questions: - Does the hero explain what I do today? - Does the offer reflect my real service? - Does the audience match the clients I work with now? Most outdated design is really outdated messaging. 2. Remove visual choices you’ve outgrown Your taste changes over time. What once felt good may now feel heavy. Before adding anything new, remove the elements you wouldn’t choose today. Look at: - Fonts that no longer fit your style - Images that feel old or off-brand - Sections that need more breathing room The site already feels clearer once the old choices are gone. 3. Modernise the layout with simple spacing Spacing is the easiest way to freshen a site. Older pages often feel dense and tight. Increasing the space around elements gives the whole page a more modern, calm feel. You don’t need new templates. You need more room. 4. Strengthen the main action Many websites feel outdated because they don’t guide the visitor. The call to action is hidden or unclear. Choose one next step and make it obvious. A clear path always feels modern. 5. Simplify the navigation Over time, websites collect pages that no longer matter. A simple menu makes the site feel intentional and up to date. If a page doesn’t serve today’s visitor, remove it. 6. Rewrite the core message last Once spacing and structure feel clear, update the copy. It’s easier to write from a clean foundation than from an old layout. A website feels new when the message and structure finally match. Most people assume they need a redesign. In reality, they need clarity and a few deliberate updates. With simple adjustments, you can bring your website back in line with who you are today… without touching a single line of code.

I was on a call recently with someone who doesn’t usually work in the non-profit space. Smart guy. Asked good questions. At one point, he said what he found hardest was not defaulting to jargon. Then he gave examples of the words he was trying to avoid. “Impact.” "Empower." “Strategic opportunity.” I laughed. Because… Welcome to the world of nonprofit communications. So I shared a small cheat I use all the time (one anyone can use, not just comms people). If you’re about to say something like: “We’re here to make impact for children” Stop. And replace the jargon word with what you actually do. So instead of “impact”, you say: “We help children eat three meals a day.” That’s it. Take the abstract word out. Put the real action in. Plain language isn’t dumbing things down. It’s respecting your audience enough to be clear. And clarity is what helps people understand, remember and act. I’ve added a small carousel with examples you can steal, showing how to replace common non-profit jargon with plain, human language. Save it. Screenshot it. Use it in your next proposal or website rewrite.