Don't Waste Your Ad Spend: 3 Donation Form Essentials Before You Launch EOY Ads
It’s that time of year. Your end-of-year (EOY) campaign theme is set, your email copy is drafted, and your digital ads are designed to inspire action. You’re ready to launch a campaign that will fund your mission into the new year. But before you hit "publish" on those ads, there's one critical question to ask: where are you sending people?
All the time, energy, and budget you put into driving traffic, whether through the Google Ad Grant or paid social media, can go to waste if your donation form isn’t ready to turn that interest into action. If your form is outdated, clunky, or confusing, you’ll lose valuable ad dollars.
Here are three simple updates you can make to help your donation form work better for you. Let’s get started.
1. Meet Donors Where They Are with Multiple Payment Options
Today’s donors are accustomed to fast, seamless online checkout experiences. If making a donation feels more complicated than ordering a book online, you’re going to lose people. This is especially true for mobile users who are clicking your ads on their phones and expect to be able to give with just a few taps.
Reduce friction by offering a variety of modern payment options beyond the traditional credit card form. The EOY Toolkit highlights the importance of integrating trusted, one-click payment methods.
Check with your donation platform provider (like Classy, Funraise, or Givebutter) to enable digital wallet options like PayPal, Venmo, Google Pay, and Apple Pay on your donation form. These platforms save users from having to find their wallet and manually type in their card details, dramatically speeding up the process and reducing the chance they’ll abandon the donation.
2. Anchor Giving with Tangible Impact
An empty amount field with a blinking cursor can cause decision paralysis. Potential donors who were inspired by your ad may hesitate, unsure of what an "appropriate" amount is or what their gift will actually accomplish.
Guide your donors and connect their gift directly to your mission. Instead of showing them a blank box, suggest giving amounts anchored to specific, tangible outcomes. (Pro-Tip: The best impact statements come from collaborating with your program staff or pulling from recent success stories!). This transforms the act of giving from a simple transaction into a powerful act of impact.
Offer 3–5 preset donation amounts linked to clear, simple impact statements.
Instead of just '$50,' use '$50 | Provides a week of hot meals for a senior.'
Instead of '$100,' use '$100 | Supplies a student with a backpack full of school supplies.'
This simple change accomplishes two things: it makes the decision easier for the donor and it reinforces the emotional, story-driven message that likely made them click your ad in the first place.
3. Streamline for Speed and Trust
A long, complicated form that asks for too much information can feel intrusive and overwhelming. Donors are busy, and if your form takes more than a minute or two to complete, their attention will move elsewhere. Furthermore, donors are cautious about their financial data and need to feel secure.
Your guiding principle should be to make the donation process as fast and trustworthy as possible. This means stripping away every unnecessary field and visually reassuring donors that their information is safe.
Consider:
Limiting required fields: Audit your form and remove any fields that are not absolutely essential for processing a gift. Truly essential fields typically include name, email, and payment information. Every field you eliminate is a step closer to a completed donation.
Adding an optional email opt-in: While you want to limit required fields, including an optional checkbox to join your email list is a great way to turn a one-time donor into a long-term supporter and is a key strategy for building your email list.
Including trust indicators: Display security logos and badges (like SSL certificates) prominently on the page to reassure donors that their transaction is secure.
By making your form faster and more secure, you show respect for your donors' time and their trust, making them more likely to complete their gift and give again in the future.
Your Ads Will Thank You
Your end-of-year digital ad campaigns are designed to bring the right people to your digital doorstep. By implementing these three donation form essentials, you can be sure that your doorstep is welcoming, efficient, and ready to convert inspiration into the real-world impact your mission depends on.
One final tip: Don't forget to measure your success. Track key metrics like conversion and form abandonment rates before and after implementing these changes. This data will prove the impact of your efforts and show you where you can continue to optimize.
🆓 BONUS: Download our FREE Google Ad Grant Dashboard
It's a big season, but you've got this. If you need a partner to help think through your EOY strategy, we're here to help.
