When nonprofit websites underperform, the real problems often run deeper than technical issues or outdated designs. More often, surface-level website issues conceal deeper organizational problems. 

That “outdated design” might signal a disconnect between your digital strategy and organizational objectives. Your “confusing navigation” could reveal internal silos affecting your entire digital presence. And “lackluster conversions” may be a sign to sharpen your audience’s understanding. 

Unfortunately, failing to diagnose these root causes leads many organizations to invest in surface-level fixes—only to face the same challenges months later. In doing so, they risk reducing their impact and perpetuating unending cycles of quick fixes that fail to stick.

Take a step back and consider what a “broken” website may represent for your organization—and why simply “fixing” the site may not be the solution you need. 

The Real Problems Hampering Your Nonprofit’s Website

Website issues—even those that look technical—frequently mask deeper challenges. Consider the following root causes that may be holding you back.  

1. You’re Treating Internal Stakeholders as Your Primary Website Audience

A lackluster user experience is one of the most common issues among nonprofit websites. Too often, this stems from treating internal stakeholders—rather than end users—as the primary website audience. Of course, organizations don’t do this intentionally. Rather, it happens when teams default to their “insider” perspective when designing the website rather than taking a more user-centric approach. 

For instance, this issue could take the form of a main site navigation that reflects your organization’s internal structure rather than the needs and goals of your external audience. It could also look like a website filled with jargon and industry-specific terms that are well-known to your team but unfamiliar to the people you’re trying to reach. 

This “insider audience” problem can also manifest in less obvious ways. Consider a government agency whose website is cluttered with outdated content. At first glance, this may seem like a simple content management issue. However, a deeper look reveals that the agency is legally required to maintain certain historical information, yet lacks an intranet system to properly archive this data. That results in a public-facing website filled with irrelevant content, hampering user experience and obscuring more timely information.

2. You Don’t Understand Your Audience Well Enough

Committing to a user-centric website is a fantastic first step. But until you truly understand your audience, you can’t create a website that reliably meets their needs. As you emphasize engagement and action, you must know what your audience is trying to achieve. Your website should be structured so the experience of completing these user-defined “jobs to be done” is as easy and frictionless as possible. 

Many nonprofits think they understand their audience better than they do. This is partly because of something you might call “the super-user fallacy.” 

The super-user fallacy happens when you rely too heavily on feedback from your most engaged supporters—your “super users.” While these individuals can provide valuable insights, they already possess a deep understanding of your organization that the average visitor lacks. This can lead to assumptions about user behavior and preferences that don’t align with your broader audience’s needs.

To truly understand your entire audience, it’s crucial to:

• Conduct research with a diverse range of target users
• Implement tools like pop-up surveys to gather real-time feedback
• Analyze user behavior data to identify patterns and pain points

By diving deeper into audience motivations and answering the critical “what’s in it for me?” question, nonprofits can create more user-centric digital experiences. This approach improves website effectiveness and strengthens overall audience engagement and mission impact.

3. You Aren’t Offering the Right Engagement Opportunities 

Today’s digital audiences, particularly those under 30, want to engage in diverse and impactful ways with the causes they care about. At the same time, many younger supporters cannot donate cash. And they may not trust the efficacy of petition signing and letter-writing. 

If your website CTAs are still focused primarily on fundraising and signature-gathering campaigns, you may miss out on meaningful opportunities to move the needle on your mission by meeting your audience where they are. In the meantime, this problem could manifest as lackluster conversions on your existing CTAs. If that’s the case, simply redesigning (or repositioning) the same CTAs won’t solve the underlying issue. 

When developing digital engagement strategies, start by considering the capabilities and preferences of your target audience. A youth-focused environmental organization could leverage social media integration and gamification to encourage eco-friendly actions, while a professional association could offer mentorship matching through its platform.

You might consider incorporating:

• Skill-based volunteering opportunities
• User-generated content initiatives
• Interactive educational experiences
• Personalized impact tracking

Ultimately, the goal is to transform passive website visitors into active participants in your mission. By providing meaningful ways to contribute beyond financial transactions, nonprofits can build a more engaged and loyal community of supporters, driving long-term success and impact.

4. You Lack Collaboration and Internal Alignment 

Internal alignment issues can manifest in surprising ways on your website, creating a disconnect between an organization’s digital presence and its actual capabilities or priorities.

A common problem occurs when an organization’s website owners are siloed from the program team. When that happens, the website may drift out of sync with programmatic needs and objectives—and thus be less effective in driving mission impact. 

Another frequent issue? Communications and marketing teams lack the organizational clout to drive digital transformation initiatives forward. They may identify issues and propose solutions, but their efforts fall short without broader support.

These scenarios illuminate a critical point. Effective website management requires more than just strategic direction and technical expertise. It demands:

• Cross-departmental collaboration and alignment
• Clear internal processes for content creation and management
• Leadership buy-in for digital initiatives

By recognizing that website issues often reflect broader organizational challenges, nonprofits can take a more holistic approach to digital improvement. 

5. There’s a Disconnect Between Your Digital Strategy and Your Organizational Vision

Elevating website priority demands a more integrated approach to your nonprofit digital strategy. It’s no longer sufficient to treat your website as a standalone project. Instead, it must be woven into your organization’s overall strategic plan. 

This integration affects everything from resource allocation to decision-making processes, requiring a holistic view of how digital efforts contribute to mission fulfillment.

First, develop a mission-aligned digital strategy, complete with the right KPIs to measure your success.

6. Your Website Strategy Isn’t Evolving To Keep Pace With Zero-Click Search  

Most nonprofit websites were designed to prioritize awareness-building and information-sharing, with one or two calls to action (CTAs) thrown in—think “Contact Us” and “Donate Now”. 

In today’s digital ecosystem, however, websites serve as dynamic platforms for intentional action and engagement. Information-sharing is a significantly smaller piece of the puzzle. 

Underlying this shift is a much bigger change in how search engines respond to users’ queries. Rather than serving a list of relevant sites related to a query, search engines now provide information-rich answers directly in search engine results pages (SERPs). These “zero-click searches” result in less overall website traffic as fewer people click through to proprietary websites to answer their initial questions. 

This evolution of search demands reevaluating how nonprofit organizations approach their online presence. For instance, you may need to consider whether driving a high traffic volume to your website is still a primary goal. For some organizations, the answer may be no. In light of zero-click search, the Smithsonian is now prioritizing widespread information dissemination across a range of channels over “owned” website visits.

“Fixing” your website without strategically addressing this deeper shift won’t yield better results. You must first consider:

• What actions you want users to take on your site
• How to streamline the path from information to action
• Ways to achieve your goals without requiring a website visit

By aligning your website strategy with changing search dynamics, you can create a more effective digital presence that serves both your organization and your audience. 

Assessing and Selecting the Right External Partner

Many nonprofits turn to external partners when website challenges extend beyond internal capabilities. However, choosing the right collaborator is crucial to address both surface-level issues and underlying organizational needs.

Ideal partners possess both technical expertise and strategic acumen. They should demonstrate an understanding of nonprofit challenges and the ability to align digital solutions with organizational objectives. Consider their track record in:

• Balancing immediate website needs with long-term digital transformation
• Facilitating cross-departmental collaboration
• Translating complex organizational structures into user-friendly digital experiences

Beware of agencies that promise quick fixes without delving into your organization’s unique context. The right partner will ask probing questions about your mission, audience, and long-term goals before proposing solutions.

Moving Forward: A Holistic Approach to Your Nonprofit’s Website

As nonprofit leaders navigate the complex interplay between their digital and organizational strategies, a holistic approach becomes essential. And taking the time to diagnose the true scope of website challenges is a crucial part of this imperative. Doing so prevents costly missteps—and leads to more meaningful improvements. More importantly, when you view website issues as opportunities for broader digital transformation, you stand to unlock new avenues for impact and engagement.