People put a lot of time and resources into building a website that’s beautiful, but a website that values vanity over function hardly serves it’s purpose. Is your website more that just a pretty face?
Smart websites stand out from the crowd because they:
- are responsive (look good on desktop, mobile & iPad)
- provide clarity (About, Contact Info, etc)
- make engagement easy (clear calls to action, multiple levels of engagement, incentivize participation)
- feel personal (social sign in, personalized supporter hub)
To give you an idea of what’s possible, I’ve rounded up five websites created with NationBuilder that serve up both beauty and brains.
EASILY JOIN AN EVENT NEAR YOU
Hashtag Lunchbag is a nonprofit that gives people the tools to “create and benefit from organized acts of Love.” It began with brown-bag lunches for a few folks on Skid Row and has flourished into a movement across 100 cities. Visitors are greeted by two short, clear calls to action on the homepage, making it super easy to get involved.
Find an event near you, learn how to host your own, or connect with an “original giver” in your city by clicking on “Join the Movement.” Event pages FTW!
MULTIPLE LEVELS OF ENGAGEMENT
Change the Course is crowd-sourcing strategies, online and in-person, to create the vision for a sustainable future. I’m a writer, so I notice the words on website first, and Change the Course emphasizes action from the very beginning. “Let’s get to work” coupled with three steps – imagine, contribute, collaborate – feels clear, concise, and compelling.
Select “Action” from the top nav and supporters see a variety of ways to participate, depending on how much they want to be involved. As people climb the ladder of engagement their information flows back up to the top, giving Change the Course a full picture of their supporters.
PERSONALIZATION
Inside District 9 is the online community hub of the Office of Council Member Rex Richardson, of Long Beach, California. The website focuses on personalization and action, aka: where the magic happens. Residents log in with their Facebook or Twitter account and see a personal feed called “My District 9,” which features an activity stream, local events, and their neighborhood blog. Full disclosure: I’m now seriously considering a move to Long Beach.
From the “Action” dropdown, one can easily volunteer to become a District Captain, report a neighborhood issue, or share a story. This is what it looks like to build community both online and IRL.
UNIQUE LEVELS OF PARTICIPATION
With over 150,000 members, Oaktree is Australia’s largest youth-run organization working to end poverty. There are three ways to get involved with varying levels of commitment, the most unique being Oaktree’s Community Leader Bootcamp.
Learn more about how Oaktree is turning thousands of one-time volunteers into committed leaders, with great success, in this case study.
CLEAR CALL TO ACTION
The 1 Million Women Reef Campaign is organizing to save the Great Barrier Reef. Their petition calls on the World Heritage Committee to declare the reef in danger and protect it for future generations to come. In a single click, a person can add her name to the petition – a great example of lowering the barrier of participation so you can ID your supporters and be in touch with them in the future.
