Business Communication and Character

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Comparing Donation Webpages

How do nonprofit organizations structure webpages to solicit Hurricane Ian donations? A Google search for “how to donate for hurricane ian” showed these top three ads:

Red Cross: The boldest of the three, this page shows users how to donate but provides no “why.” The cover image, palm trees blowing in the wind, could be more original.

Salvation Army: Although the Red Cross palm tree image lacks originality, the Salvation Army’s images are generic, showing volunteers with a truck and loading boxes. The call is for other recent hurricanes—not just Ian. Users can find information, including how their donation will be used, in the “Questions” box.

American Humane: Dedicated to rescuing pets, this smaller organization explains its work. Several photos show cute cats and dogs, and text explains the urgency and how quickly volunteers are responding.

Students will find more differences among these three organizations and their favorite nonprofit. An interesting activity could be guessing the organization name, given their webpage without identifying information.