It’s a well-recognized state of affairs for a lot of organizations: the advertising web site feels outdated, complicated, and disconnected from what the group really represents.
The easy resolution appears to be a brand new web site. Tangible engagement metrics on Google Analytics make it simpler to influence management to put aside funds to repair your major channel for advertising and communications.
However, what if the foundation of the issue lies deeper, within the very essence of your group’s model?
Deciding what to put money into first ought to be primarily based on the foundation reason behind your signs. With a number of hundred tasks beneath our belt over the previous few a long time, we will inform you that many nonprofits that assume they’ve a web site downside, even have a branding downside.
The place Do Frequent Web site Issues Stem From?
When there’s uncertainty in regards to the group’s route and focus, it turns into extremely tough to make choices about content material group, taxonomy, navigation, calls to motion and the person expertise as a complete.
Let’s zero in on one instance. Internet navigation is all about guiding your viewers to essentially the most important info they should entry. In case you are an org with 30 concern areas or 15 applications, displaying all that in your navigation will make guests’ eyes glaze over with choice paralysis. You must prioritize otherwise you threat shedding folks. Your selections will inform a clearer and extra strategic story about your group. However arriving at these selections is difficult work.
Many web site issues are rooted in strategic model work to make clear the group’s story and aims.
Questions like “Who’re our audiences? What’s the final story or impression we would like them to stroll away with? What are the three most essential facets of our work and method that we would like them to know?” are actually model questions that comply with questions like “What makes us completely different from our friends? What worth can we uniquely convey to this work?”
Beginning your work by answering model questions is the way you be certain that your web site’s content material technique and person expertise successfully assist your group’s mission and have interaction your viewers.
Whereas it’s nonetheless just a little more durable for nonprofits to justify investing in branding — with some nonetheless seeing “branding” as a nasty phrase — and not using a stable model technique basis, web site tasks are certain to be gradual, irritating, and costly as a result of nobody is nicely outfitted to make essential choices.
So that you assume you want a brand new web site, however you in all probability want a model. How will you uncover what you really want?
Model-First Method: Aligning Identification with Technique
Being 100% actual right here, most of the time, shoppers who come to us eager to concentrate on their web site, with a lightweight model refresh hooked up, don’t have a stable model technique footing.
Give it some thought this manner — making an attempt to rebuild your web site in these circumstances is akin to asking an architect and development agency to make you a constructing while you don’t but know what the constructing is making an attempt to perform, who it’s going for use by, and the way you need them to really feel once they’re utilizing it. Feels like a waste of treasured actual property and cash, proper?
If that is the place your group is, do your self a favor, shift your sources in the direction of constructing strategic alignment so you may make certain the model authentically represents your group. Have interaction your group members to allow them to voice concepts, perceive the model’s rationale, and its relation to the strategic plan. This may make all choices about your web site rather more easy.
Digital-First Method: Refreshing the Verbal and/or Visible Identification
When you’ve got a stable model technique basis, a digital redesign is a good alternative to replace your verbal identification, which could really feel jargony or stale, and your visible identification, which could really feel outdated or restricted. A sharper verbal identification could make your model extra accessible, and a versatile, nicely documented design system will allow your group to speak rapidly and effectively. These updates will all assist your model identification be an genuine reflection of your model technique. However the important thing right here is that you just’re refreshing your model, not reworking it — you’re optimizing your model identification to raised mirror your technique, not constructing your total model technique.
There are just a few essential issues to bear in mind when taking this method. First, whereas the UX and technical implementation are a key precedence for these sorts of tasks, it’s essential to not deal with the branding a part of the mission as an afterthought in relation to finances and time — be sure to give it the vitality it requires and that you just carve out time to have discussions about how design choices align to the promise and character of your group. You must also bear in mind that, regardless that you may need a stable model technique in place, the concrete nature of content material technique work usually reveals gaps within the readability of your positioning which you would possibly want to resolve for.
Your Method Ought to Inform Your Alternative of Artistic Company Associate
Meals for thought: most businesses within the social affect house are optimized for a digital-first method to branding. Many businesses that promote digital-first branding as their major service accomplish that as a result of that’s what many organizations have been snug shopping for during the last decade or so. This method works if circumstances are proper, but when it isn’t what your group really wants, it’s not a shortcut.
Ensure that in case your group wants a brand-first method, that you just’re working with a brand-first inventive company outfitted to facilitate a deeply collaborative model technique course of together with your group.
Evaluating Your Group’s Wants
The selection between a brand-first and digital-first method isn’t a one-size-fits-all choice. Each approaches, whether or not main with a extra in-depth branding course of that units you up to your web site redesign, or main with a web site redesign that comes with a model refresh, require important funding. You need to be sure to’re considerate in choosing the proper path — the trail that finest aligns together with your group’s present wants and future objectives.
Figuring out the suitable method requires a actuality test. Ask your self: Is your model clear and resonant to our workers and stakeholders? Can you articulate what makes you distinctive and indispensable to your trigger?
By rigorously assessing your model’s present state and understanding the implications of every method, you possibly can be sure to’re utilizing your group’s time and cash successfully and setting your self up for achievement.
This essay is by Deroy Peraza, Associate at Hyperakt, a purpose-driven design and innovation studio that elevates human dignity and ignites curiosity. Initially posted of their e-newsletter, Insights by Hyperakt.
Header illustration by Benefit Myers.
