How Your Fundraiser Description Length Influences Donations

| 5 min read Fundraising Strategy

Word count is a major factor in generating online donations for your crowdfunding fundraiser. With our advice, it’s simple to learn how to make your fundraiser description length the perfect amount to heighten visibility and attract donations.

Read on for details about using our recommendations to:

  • Increase your fundraiser’s visibility by writing no fewer than 400 words
  • Choose keywords to make your cause easier for supporters to find in search engines
  • Prioritize important details in your story that inspire donations
  • Attract more donors by appealing to diverse interests
  • Update frequently to increase awareness and support for your cause

1. Description length increases your fundraiser visibility in online searches

Write at least 400 words in the description of your cause. The length of your description greatly improves your fundraiser’s visibility on search engines like Google. The better you describe your current hardship, your reasons for needing to start a fundraiser, and detailed plans for how you are going to use the money you raise, the more often your fundraiser will show up when people search.

This increased visibility will have a direct correlation on the amount of money you can raise. For best results, we recommend no fewer than 400 words; 800 is better, and around 1,000 is ideal.

2. Use words that make your online fundraising page easier to find

Which words will make your fundraiser page a top result in searches by potential donors? Since most people use online searches to find a cause to support, this point matters greatly to your efforts.

Use these tips for how to make your donation page easier to find in searches:

Always use the full name of the beneficiary in your fundraiser name and URL, so that it is easy for people to find a fundraiser and donate. Many people will decide whether to visit your page solely based on the text in your URL link and page title, so choose these words carefully. Don’t miss our blog post about great ideas for naming your online fundraiser.

Be thoughtful about your choice of words, personalization, spelling, and quality of the content on your fundraiser page. As illustrated in this Google infographic about how search works, Google’s algorithm evaluates these page aspects (and much more) to determine the most relevant answers to an information query.

While 400 words is a minimum guideline—and being concise is the best way to keep people reading to the end of your page—feel free to write more. More content makes your donation page more findable. “Findability” refers to how to make a donation page easy to find in an online search, along with how easily people can navigate that site or page to find what they seek.

Make a list of words that fit your cause and are likely for potential donors to use when they conduct online searches. Check that your description includes them.

3. Details motivate compassion and online donations

How does each sentence of your donation page help people get to know your beneficiary? Descriptions lead to online donations by helping viewers develop compassion and understand how their support will make a difference.

Make sure your text is honest, personal, and specific in explaining your beneficiary’s situation, why help is needed, and what results you expect. For a sampling of successful approaches, these fundraisers offer inspiring descriptions of more than 400 words each:

4. Descriptions that broaden your online funding appeal

The depth of your description lets you offer a variety of reasons to resonate with more people. Which words will encourage different types of potential donors to care enough to contribute support and introduce your cause to their social network?

With more description, you can add text that appeals directly to diverse audiences. For example, the fundraiser Help the Rabbit on the Silk Route! features descriptions in both English and Italian.

In addition, keep in mind that if a fundraiser description seems to be too short or vague, it could look less trustworthy.

5. Heighten online fundraising awareness with detailed updates

One of the best ways to fundraise money is to think of online donations as the beginning of people caring, not the end. By posting updates that contain more information, you keep supporters in the loop and offer them news to share on social media. The fundraiser Chauncy’s Chance offers great examples of detailed updates.

Wondering what 400 words looks like? To find the word count of your description, paste the text into a web-based word-counting site, such as Word Counter.

To start raising money online, create your fundraiser. For more advice about developing your description, use our guide to courageous storytelling. 

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Written by caitlin