HomeOnline Giving5 Must-Have Elements For Every Giving Page

5 Must-Have Elements For Every Giving Page

-

Top 21 Giving Platforms
Download Our 2023 Top GIVING PLATFORMS Comparison Chart

Claim Your Free Copy Of Our 24+ Page PDF Report

Get this free resource and join 10,000+ subscribers who get exclusive content not available on CTT, directly to their inbox.
Invalid email address

A church’s giving page can help or hinder the user experience. Learn best practices below. 

There are many elements that go into a good church website. 

A solid home page serves as the “front door” of your digital ministry. An inviting “Plan Your Visit” section equips potential guests with the information that they need to attend a service or event. A quality live-stream setup has become a must at this point.

One area that consistently causes trouble, though, is the giving page. ?utm_source=ctt&utm_campaign=promo-ctt 

The Challenge of Online Giving Pages

With so many people operating with plastic or digital money, it’s become essential that a church offer a way to give online.

The problem comes from balancing the need for a church online giving option with the desire to avoid plastering requests for donations all over your site. After all, one of the quickest ways to scare away potential visitors to your church is by asking for money they second the find your ministry.

FROM HOME PAGE TO GIVING PAGE

The best way to handle this is by creating a page for giving that is entirely separate from your home page. You can still link to this from your home page — in fact, it’s recommended. But even then, place it on the far right of your menu.

Why? Because people read from left to right. 

Visitors should be able to find resources targeted toward themselves first thing on your menu. By putting the giving option on the opposite side, you avoid the tacky look of putting money before ministry. Sure, your congregants will have to look a little harder to find the giving tab, but you can trust them to put in a little extra effort.

Okay, so you’ve got a giving button set up on the far right of your menu. What next? 

That’s where the giving page comes into play. Every giving page is a little different, and you want your page to reflect the look and feel of your ministry. 

Even so, as with most website pages, there are certain essentials that you should address. Here are five must-have elements that you want to have on your church’s giving page.

Join the movement: 3 Good #GivingTuesday Ideas Your Church Should Be Using

5 Must-Have Elements For Every Giving Page

1. A Clear Donate Button 

First and foremost, you want to provide a donate button. That may sound obvious, but the place that this is positioned makes a big difference.

Your donate button should be front and center, above the fold, and absolutely, unequivocally obvious.

Remember, you’re talking about a financial transaction here. You don’t want to make people uncomfortable as they hunt around looking for a way to give you money.

Regardless of the giving portal you’re using, make sure you position it in a clear and obvious place on your giving page. That way, when the page loads, any visitor will instantly be aware of the next step that they have to take.

Your online donation page should have - wait for it - a donate button. We know it sounds obvious, but many churches overlook it. When the page loads, it should be front and center, above the fold, and obvious. Click To Tweet

2. A Recurring Giving Option 

We already talked about how the giving tab should be placed in an inconspicuous location on the far right of your menu. This avoids setting a money-first tone for website visitors. However, it also means you’re asking your financial supporters to put in a little extra effort as they search for the giving section of your site.

Once they’ve found your giving page, the last thing that you want to do is ask them to jump through more hoops to make a donation. That’s why, in addition to an accessible donate button, you also want to set up a recurring giving option.

Along with helping individuals make a one-time donation, set up a way for them to give automatically. Much like bill pay with a bank, this will allow them to go through the hassle of inputting their information once. After that, they can set it and forget it.

Great ideas: 10 Useful End-of-Year Giving Campaign Tips

3. Different Giving Amount Presets 

Everyone donates differently, even in church. Tithing is the classic form of giving. Even then, though, you have differences

One person might round their tithe up to the nearest dollar or even ten dollars. The next guy might send you a tithe for precisely $99.34. In either case, you want to have a way for tithers to give exact amounts. But you don’t want to stop there.

Donations and non-tithe financial support are also common. When people are logging on to send a financial donation of this nature, they may not have a figure in their head right down to the penny. 

When that’s the case, you want to have clear, defined giving amounts preloaded for them. Do they want to donate $20? $50? $250? Having preset options can streamline the process and help make it as pain-free as possible.

4. Story Emphasis

If a giving page is just a funnel to accept money, it can feel a bit, well, practical. This works for a business, but not so much for a church.

After all, you’re running a non-profit organization that ministers to people. Even in their giving, you want to bless individuals and help them feel like they’re part of a larger movement.

You can do this by including a story element on your giving page. This can outline what donations go toward — and we’re not just talking about keeping the lights on. 

What does your ministry accomplish with your funding? What other organizations do you support? Talk these elements up on your giving page.

Incorporate heart into your online giving page by including stories. Articulate what a donor's gift will contribute to, and we're not just talking about keeping the lights on. Click To Tweet

5. Testimonials and Feedback

Along with story content, you should also add testimonials to your giving page. These can come from several different areas.

For example, you can include feedback from those who have benefited from your church’s generosity. Tastefully sharing information about how your donors’ funding has impacted others can be very encouraging.

You can also post testimonials from volunteers and others within your organization. These can provide an “insider perspective” on how your ministry is impacting the lives of others — partly thanks to the donations that you receive.

How to set up Faithlife Giving for your church

Giving pages can include feedback from those who have benefited from your church’s generosity. Tastefully sharing information about the donors' impact can be very encouraging. Click To Tweet

Assembling a Top-Notch Giving Page

As is the case with any sermon, message, or announcement regarding tithes and offerings, a good giving page can feel challenging to pull together. However, if you focus on the five elements above, you can create a five-star resource that gets the job done.

From offering easy, obvious giving options to providing stories and testimonials, consider what elements your giving page is currently lacking. Then make plans to add them in, so that your giving page can become a healthy, functioning part of one of your church’s greatest resources: its website.

Drive traffic to your giving page when you implement these 8 Effective Digital Giving Practices For Your Church.

Kenny Jahng
Kenny Jahnghttps://www.kennyjahng.com
Kenny Jahng is Editor-In-Chief at ChurchTechToday.com. He's also the founder of AiForChurchLeaders.com. Kenny is a Certified StoryBrand Copywriter Guide and founder of Big Click Syndicate, a strategic marketing advisory firm helping Christian leaders build marketing engines that work. You can connect with Kenny on LinkedIn, TikTok, or Instagram.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Featured Posts

LATEST POSTS