This document discusses improving web donation forms and landing pages to increase conversions. It recommends using fewer form fields to reduce abandonment, guiding users to priority tasks like donating, and using smart defaults and nudges like pre-selecting donation amounts. These techniques helped one organization increase one-time donations by 198% and regular donors by 288%, growing annual income from regular web donors. Proper form design and context can optimize donations across devices.

1. From good intentions to
more web donations
Beate Sørum @BeateSorum
Digital fundraiser and consultant at b.bold
Ida Aalen @idaAa
Senior interaction designer at Netlife Research

2. @BeateSorum
@idaAa
#iofnc
bit.ly/iofslides

3. Agenda
• Improving forms
• Guiding your users
• Using defaults
• Context is key
• Nudging

5. – I have decided to give, and I
will do so even if this form is
a bit long and
incomprehensible and it
takes me all afternoon
...said no donor ever

6. Photo: Flickr-user wippetywu CC-BY

7. Do i still
want a hot-
dog?
Photo: Flickr-user Angermann CC-BY-SA

8. To give is an
emotional
decision,
not a
rational one.

10. Support us

11. Become a
member
Support us

12. Donate
withdrawn coins
Become a
member
Support us

13. Web shop
Donate
withdrawn coins
Become a
member
Support us

14. 3 simple
ways to
improve
your forms
Slides and resources at
bit.ly/iofslides

15. Step 1:
Don’t make
me think

16. First name
Surname
Email address
Phone number
You may contact me for offers
Address
City or town
Postcode
Cancel Submit

17. First name
Surname
Email address
Phone number
You may contact me for offers
Address
City or town
Postcode
Cancel Become a member

18. First name
Surname
Email address
Phone number
You may contact me for offers
Address
City or town
Postcode
Cancel Donate now!

19. First name
Surname
Email address
Phone number
You may contact me for offers
Address
City or town
Postcode
Cancel Sign me up!

20. First name
Surname
Email address
Phone number
You may contact me for offers
Address
City or town
Postcode
Let me throw away all
the work I just did
Sign me up!

21. First name
Surname
Email address
Phone number
You may contact me for offers
Address
City or town
Postcode
Sign me up!

22. First name
Surname
Email address
Phone number
You may contact me for offers
Address
City or town
Postcode
Sign me up!

23. First name
Surname
Email address
Phone number
You may contact me for offers
Address
City or town
Postcode
Sign me up!

24. First name
Surname
Email address
Phone number
You may contact me for offers
Address
City or town
Postcode
Sign me up!

25. First name
Surname
Email address
Phone number
You may contact me for offers
Address
City or town
Postcode
Sign me up!
Optional
Optional

26. First name
Surname
Email address
Phone number
You may contact me for offers
Address
City or town
Postcode
Sign me up!
Optional
Optional

27. First name
Surname
Email address
Phone number
You may contact me for offers
Address
City or town
Postcode
Sign me up!
Optional
Optional

28. Surname
First name
You may contact me for offers
Address
City or town
Email address
Sign me up!
Postcode
Phone number
Don’t
do this!

29. Aalen
Ida
You may contact me for offers
|
City or town
Email address
Sign me up!
Postcode
Phone number
Don’t
do this!

30. Aalen
Ida
First name
Surname
Email address
Phone number
You may contact me for offers
Address
City or town
Postcode
12 Lawn Lane
London
Sign me up!
SW8 1UD
45242412
Optional
Optional

31. Aalen
Ida
First name
Surname
Phone number
Address
City or town
Postcode
12 Lawn Lane
London
SW8 1UD
Optional
UK phone numbers have 7, 9 or 10 digits. Please try again.
We’re sorry, but we were not able to sign you up.
Please revise the highlighted fields below and try
again.
!
!

32. Forms that
are coded
right are
• easy to use on all devices
• accessible
• future friendly

33. |
Ida
First name
Surname
Email address
Phone number
You may contact me for offers
Address
City or town
Postcode
Optional
Optional

34. Optional
Email address
Sign me up!
Phone number
You may contact me for offers
Postcode
SW8 1UD
|
Optional

35. OptionalEmail address
|
Phone number
You may contact me for offers
20 7840 1000
Optional

36. Step 2:
The
database is
not in
charge

38. Just because your
database has a field for
it, doesn’t mean you
have to ask your users
for it.

39. Every extra
field in your
form is likely
to lower your
conversion
rate

40. How many filled out the
form?
With
Without
Source: bit.ly/DanZarellaStats

41. Phone Street Age
0 %
5 %
10 %
15 %
20 %
How many filled out the
form?
With
Without
Source: bit.ly/DanZarellaStats

42. Phone Street Age
0 %
5 %
10 %
15 %
20 %
How many filled out the
form?
With
Without
Source: bit.ly/DanZarellaStats

43. Phone Street Age
0 %
5 %
10 %
15 %
20 %
How many filled out the
form?
With
Without
Source: bit.ly/DanZarellaStats

44. bit.ly/ContactFormConversion

45. bit.ly/ContactFormConversion

46. bit.ly/ContactFormConversion
From
11 to 4
fields

47. bit.ly/ContactFormConversion
Submissions
+140%
From
11 to 4
fields

48. What’s the least
amount of info you
can get by with?

49. Step 3:
Your form
is a
conversation

52. Forms
matter.

53. Photo: Flickr-user renemensen CC-BY
Donate
now!

54. Guide your users

56. Top task survey

57. Top task survey
“If you’re visiting The Cancer Society’s website, which
five tasks are the most important to you?”

58. Top task survey
“If you’re visiting The Cancer Society’s website, which
five tasks are the most important to you?”
Participants chose between 79 different tasks.

59. Treatment of cancer
Symptoms of cancer
Preventing cancer
Cancer types
Latest research
Choosing a hospital
Patient rights
Next of kin advice
Waiting times
Dietary prevention
0 % 1 % 2 % 3 % 4 % 5 % 6 %
Top 25%

60. Treatment of cancer
Symptoms of cancer
Preventing cancer
Cancer types
Latest research
Choosing a hospital
Patient rights
Next of kin advice
Waiting times
Dietary prevention
0 % 1 % 2 % 3 % 4 % 5 % 6 %
Top 25%
6 out of
79 tasks
have 25% of
the votes

61. Home page

62. Home page

63. Home page

64. Home page

65. Home page

66. Home page

67. Home page

69. Many users
will never see
any other page

70. Many users
will never see
any other page

71. Googled «lung cancer»
Many users
will never see
any other page

72. Googled «lung cancer»
Saw a link on Facebook about
cancer research
Many users
will never see
any other page

73. Business
goals
User
tasks

74. Business
goals
User
tasks

75. Business
goals
User
tasks

76. Business
goals
User
tasks

77. Business
goals
User
tasks

78. Business
goals
User
tasks
“Lung cancer”

79. Business
goals
User
tasks
Core pages
“Lung cancer”

82. 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Cancer line
conversations

83. 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Cancer line
conversations +40%
Launch

84. Treatment of cancer
Symptoms of cancer
Preventing cancer
Cancer types
Latest research
Choosing a hospital
Patient rights
Next of kin advice
Waiting times
Dietary prevention
0 % 1 % 2 % 3 % 4 % 5 % 6 %
Top 25%
6 out of
79 tasks
have 25% of
the votes

85. Treatment of cancer
Symptoms of cancer
Preventing cancer
Cancer types
Latest research
Choosing a hospital
Donate
Volunteer
Memory gift
Legacy gift
0 % 1 % 2 % 3 % 4 % 5 % 6 %
Top 25%
6 out of
79 tasks
have 25% of
the votes

86. Treatment of cancer
Symptoms of cancer
Preventing cancer
Cancer types
Latest research
Choosing a hospital
Donate
Volunteer
Memory gift
Legacy gift
0 % 1 % 2 % 3 % 4 % 5 % 6 %
Top 25%
6 out of
79 tasks
have 25% of
the votes
Fundraising-
tasks were on
the bottom of
the list!

87. Business
goals
User
tasks
Core pages
“Lung cancer”

88. Business
goals
User
tasks
Core pages
“Lung cancer”“Donate”

89. Business
goals
User
tasks
Core pages
“Lung cancer”“Donate”

90. Right context
+ short path
to completion
= action!

91. Research
project
Core page

92. Make a
donation
Research
project
Core page Outward path

93. Portable
donation forms!

97. Using smart
defaults helps
both you and
the user

100. 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
2012 sep 2012 nov 2013 jan 2013 mar 2013 mai 2013 jul 2013 sep 2013 nov 2014 jan
250 NOK
500 NOK
One-off donations
Default 250 NOK

101. 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
2012 sep 2012 nov 2013 jan 2013 mar 2013 mai 2013 jul 2013 sep 2013 nov 2014 jan
250 NOK
500 NOK
One-off donations
Default 250 NOK Default 500 NOK

102. Use “nudge”-
theory

103. 2011 2012 2013 2014 (so far)
Annual income, regular
donors (web)

104. 2011 2012 2013 2014 (so far)
Annual income, regular
donors (web)

105. 2011 2012 2013 2014 (so far)
Annual income, regular
donors (web)
Launch

106. 2011 2012 2013 2014 (so far)
Annual income, regular
donors (web)
Launch

107. 2011 2012 2013 2014 (so far)
Annual income, regular
donors (web)
Launch

109. 32%
choose to sign up
another member of
their household

113. Donate now!Recurring giftSponsor a child
Become a
member
Volunteer
Follow us on Facebook Subscribe to newsletter
Order brochure Download app
Join our #Instagram competition

115. Donate now!
Recurring giftSponsor Member Volunteer
Follow on facebook Subscribe
Order Download app
Join our #instagram competition

117. One time
donations
+198%

118. Regular
donors
+288%
One time
donations
+198%

119. Regular
donors
+288%
One time
donations
+198%
Regular
donors sum
+382%

120. Regular
donors
x4
One time
donations
x3
Regular
donors sum
x5

122. Members
+107%

123. Members
x2

124. And
priorities
are
essential
on small
screens

125. Christmas appeal

126. Christmas appeal
15%

127. Christmas appeal
15% 17%

128. Christmas appeal
15% 17%
10%

129. Member recruitment

130. Member recruitment
2,5%

131. Member recruitment
2,5%
6,5%

132. Member recruitment
2,5%
6,5%
7,3%

133. More donations:
• Design and code your forms right
• Fewer fields are better
• Context is king
• Nudge
• Tell your users what you need
• Be device agnostic
Never stop improving!

134. With better forms and
better landing pages,
you’re ready for
everything....

138. Web donations desktop
Web donations tablet
Web donations phone
Text donations
Cold water challenge

139. Web donations desktop
Web donations tablet
Web donations phone
Text donations
Cold water challenge
3,5
million NOK
in 2 weeks

140. Questions?
@BeateSorum or beasorum@gmail.com
@idaAa or ida@netliferesearch.com
@ThordFoss Graphic Designer
@EirikHafver Content Strategist
@WilhelmJA Frontend Developer
@MarteGraberg Web Editor
@SolheimSlind Web Master
Download slides
and resources at
bit.ly/iofslides