All websites have two sides to them—the outer chocolatey cookie and the cream-filled vanilla center.
The outer shell is what everyone sees when they type in www.your-website.org. The hidden inside is what makes your website go round. But if you don’t have access to the inside, (meaning you don’t have a username, login and password to update and modify your information) you’re missing out on half of your cookie!
Alright, enough with that metaphor.
The point is that if you don’t have a private side to your nonprofit website, I can almost guarantee that your website isn’t as good as it could be. Staying on the up and up with the latest design trends makes your organization seem more knowledgeable, professional and up to date. What are some of those design trends, you may ask? Here are a few:
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Flat, minimal design: say goodbye to the 3D effects of drop shadows and gradients—web designers are favoring use of whitespace and a succinct color palette to give sites a sophisticated, clean look.
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No more sliders: now, many of you probably still have these set on your website (the large images across the top that swap out every few seconds or users can click through and see a few images), don’t fret. But do consider that most UX experts say that sliders require a longer amount of concentration on the very top of your site, discouraging people from digging in right away and asking them to stay engaged with the very first thing they see for several moments.
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Focus: rather than trying to squeeze all of the content you have onto one platform, take out what’s unnecessary. Cut the clutter to ensure a smooth transition for a mobile-friendly site.
With constantly changing design trends (one minute sliders are in and the next they’re distracting), the need to be able to update on the fly is essential. Read on to learn more about why your nonprofit needs a public and private side in the article below.
Why Your Website Needs a Public Side and a Private Side [Firespring]
