Charities need to do more to attract donors to their websites, a new report claims.

They are missing out on fundraising opportunities because of outmoded online operations and a user experience that is "too similar to buying travel insurance".

According to Third Sector, the report, Charities Fail to Make Online Impact, by the digital consultancy company Nomensa, found that close to half (47 per cent) of online donors give up on making donations because of an online journey that is unintuitive and not engaging.

Charities need to better understand how donors are using technology, urged Bertie Bosredon, head of digital engagement and social media at the charity Breast Cancer Care, who wrote a foreword to the report.

"Most charities are taking donations through their website, but the journey is neither engaging, nor inspirational; the experience still feels too similar to buying travel insurance," he was quoted as saying.

Think about using promotional items to help generate interest in your online fundraising platforms.

You could send out attractive printed mugs and promotional mousemats to advertise your website, and you could say thank you to donors who give online by posting out promotional pens and printed USBs.

"Charities are failing to capitalise on online fundraising, report claims." Third Sector.

Posted by Cheryl Jackson-Leafield