In today's digital age, a strong online presence is crucial for charities to reach their audience, raise awareness, and garner support for their causes. To achieve this, many charities turn to content management systems (CMS) to create and maintain their websites efficiently. Umbraco, an open-source CMS, continues to deliver exceptional design, functionality and user experience due to its capability and flexibility.

In this article, we explore how charities can design and develop their websites with Oblongata using the Umbraco CMS:

1. Visitor-centric design:

The first step in creating a successful charity website is to prioritise the user experience; to make your website, the navigation frame and the information it presents easily accessible. With our guidance, charities can focus on clear navigation, engaging visuals, and compelling storytelling to captivate visitors, drive engagement and entice action.

2. Customisation:

Utilising Umbraco's flexibility allows charities to tailor their websites to specific needs. From functionality including, for example, creating donation forms, event calendars, and interactive maps to display project locations, to incorporating the charity’s branding, every aspect of the website can be customised. This adaptability ensures that the website aligns with the charity's ultimate online goals.

3. Content management:

Managing content is a breeze with Umbraco. Charities can easily update blog posts, share success stories, and upload multimedia content such as images and videos. The intuitive interface makes it accessible for non-technical staff members and volunteers (as appropriate) to contribute, freeing up valuable time and resources that can be realigned to day-to-day operations.

4. Integration capabilities:

Charities often rely on third-party tools and services, such as payment gateways for donations or email marketing platforms for outreach. Umbraco supports seamless integrations with a wide range of third-party applications, ensuring that charities can make the most of their existing tools and streamline operations all of which can be incorporated by our web development team at Oblongata.

5. SEO and accessibility:

Search engine optimisation (SEO) and accessibility are essential aspects for any charity website. Charities can optimise content for search engines, increasing the chances of being ‘found’ by potential supporters and the wider stakeholder community. Additionally, Umbraco's built-in accessibility features make it easier to ensure that the website is inclusive and accessible, so all users enjoy the same visitor experience.

6. Responsive design:

In an era of mobile devices, responsive design is critical. Using Umbraco enables us to create a charity website that automatically adapts to various screen sizes and devices, without interfering with the desktop design look and feel, and navigation features.

7. Security and support:

Charities often deal with sensitive information, so security is paramount. Umbraco has a robust security system and a dedicated community that constantly monitors and updates the platform.

Additionally, Umbraco offers excellent support and resources to assist charities in troubleshooting issues and expanding their websites' capabilities.

8. Scalability:

As charities grow and evolve, so should their websites. Umbraco's scalability allows charities to add new features, upload regular content, expand their online presence, and accommodate increased traffic as initiatives gain traction.

Umbraco offers a powerful and versatile platform for designing and developing charity websites, and that’s why it’s the only CMS platform we use at Oblongata. Its user-centric design, customisation options, content management capabilities, integration support, SEO and accessibility features, responsive design, security, and scalability make it an ideal choice for charities looking to make a meaningful impact online.

By leveraging Umbraco's capabilities, charities can effectively communicate their mission, engage with supporters, and drive positive change in the world. Let’s start a conversation about your charity website.