If you’re like most of the nonprofits I work with, updating your website can feel like a full time job that needs to be squeezed in between programs and services, planning, and strategy. So when it comes time to refresh or rebuild a website, it can seem like a HUGE task. Read on for the 3 things I learned launching my own website so you can be prepared for any hiccups that happen.

I recently launched this website and wanted to share some of the things I learned during the process. I’d been planning on launching Market Your Mission for over two years. I’ve been building and launching websites since 2003 so you’d think it would be a piece of cake. This time around, I was working full time (or maybe more than full time!) serving my design and marketing clients. Despite my heartfelt desire to serve nonprofit organizations, I just couldn’t find the time to work on this site. It wasn’t until I started carving out time regularly that I made real progress. Then, as I was working, I found my vision shifting ever so slightly. Now that Market Your Mission is live, I’m so proud of what I accomplished and thrilled to share it with you. I’m proud to say that after 15 years of web design and marketing that I’m still learning something! Here are three things that I learned while launching my own website.

It’s going to take longer than you expect

Life happens, right? As a nonprofit executive director or staff member, your day is jam-packed full of the good work you do. So it’s perfectly OK if writing your new About page takes a little longer than expected.

Here are some of the obstacles you may face, and how to overcome them:

Worrying too much about the design of your site.

This is a common hang-up for most of my clients: they spend far too much time worrying about the color palette or the fonts on their site instead of focusing on the content and message. While we are visual creatures and a beautifully designed, pixel-perfect mobile-optimized site will certainly draw visitors to you, it’s your core brand attributes that really make the difference. When you’re pressed for time or staff resources, focus on a simple, clean website design that includes your logo or brand colors and easy-to-read fonts. You can always get fancy later.

Stumbling on writer’s block

There’s nothing quite as frustrating as sitting down to write and having your brain go completely blank (or start spinning off in a million directions). When you begin to write content for a page or a blog post, just remember to take AIM: audience, intent, message. Think about your audience and their needs, imagine what their intent is when they’re on the page (are they learning, validating, solving a problem?), and the message that’s most important for you to share.

Endlessly searching for the perfect imagery

Many nonprofit organizations are so busy doing the work that they forget to document the good they’re doing in the world! Or, some nonprofits work in sensitive areas where their clients may not want to have their faces shown. If that sounds like you, here are a few tricks to help you find complementary imagery to support your message and get you back on track.

Find gorgeous, royalty-free stock images at Unsplash.com that represent the major concepts of your nonprofit mission. For example, if you’re working to end homelessness, you can find photos of outstretched hands, worn boots, or even urban landscapes to illustrate the world you work in.

Ditch the photos altogether and use icons. Font Awesome, Icofont, The Noun Project and many other free icon fonts can help you tell your story without needing to search for photos.

Be flexible in your vision and the creative process

There’s something magical about the creative process. Just when I think I’m done with a design or a piece of content, I’ll realize there’s a way to improve it or even create something brand new! As you’re working on your website, follow these tips to be nimble and stay on track.

Create a feature list

Before you begin, create a wish list of every feature and piece of content you’d like to see on your site, no matter whether it’s feasible or not. Then, categorize and prioritize based on your organization’s needs. As you work and new ideas come up, add them to your list. When time and/or budget allows, you can check items off your wish list.

Establish a clear vision.

Your website should be an extension of your mission, so think about it as another program.

• How will each of your target audiences (clients, donors, stakeholders, etc.) use the website?

• What problem or challenge are you solving for them?

• What transformation will they experience after interacting with your website?

Release version 1.0 and make improvements later

The startup world has made an oversized mark on how we work today. One concept that I like is the idea of the minimum viable product, or MVP. An MVP is the most basic, simple, and functional version of a product that can be released to test its viability in the marketplace. Launching your new nonprofit website quickly can help you test page layouts, learn more about your users, and attract fresh traffic from the search engines. Here are a few tips on how nonprofits can build a new website using this principle:

Define the critical pieces of your site that must be completed before launch.

These most likely include pages that share your mission and vision, your programs and services, and your contact information. The first version of your website probably includes a contact form and a simple way to accept donations online, too. Once those elements are finalized, launch your nonprofit website using this pre-launch checklist!

Build out a schedule of the remaining important, but not critical content.

Blog posts highlighting outstanding volunteers, past annual reports, and case studies can all be scheduled for version 2.0 or later. Remember that wish list? Don’t forget to work some of those items into your plan as well.

Use data to guide your next iteration.

Review your analytics and any other important metrics that you’ve collected from your MVP to inform the next version. Aside from the typical page views and users, look at which pages are most popular and where people go next on your website.

If you’re looking for even more helpful strategies to improve your existing site, don’t miss my FREE guide, “Six Smart Strategies for an Effective Nonprofit Website” which will give you the confidence you need to create a website that wows your donors and volunteers.