A properly run website can be a great and much-needed source of extra revenue for your rescue. Depending on the popularity of your site and how you monetize it, you can raise enough each month to cover anything from the cost of running the website to life-saving surgery for your newest rescue. Below we’ll run through some of the easiest ways to raise funds with your rescue website:
1) Make ‘Donate’ buttons prominent on each page
If someone is looking at your website and is inspired to donate, you want to make it as easy as possible for them to do so. This can be easily achieved by setting up a free PayPal account, and posting a Donate button in an easy-to-spot place on each page of your website. Because PayPal doesn’t cost your rescue anything, every rescue group should have one; it is becoming an increasingly popular method of easily transferring money, and involves none of the delay, postage cost or extra manpower involved in receiving cheques, money orders, or similar. Similarly, if you use CanadaHelps.org, put one of their donate buttons on each page of your website.
That said, for those who do prefer to use a different method of donating, have a clearly labeled ‘Donate’ page, that lists your P.O box, location of donation boxes, contact information for people interested in donating food or other supplies, etc. Make sure to include a ‘Wish list’ of things your rescue could use, and remember, if you don’t make lofty demands you won’t get them! Don’t be afraid to ask for someone to donate a building so you can start your own shelter, or donate PR/website design/legal council to help you achieve your goals.
2) Consider adding AdSense or other forms of advertising
Adding Google AdSense advertisements to your website can also help to raise funds. Depending on the content of your website and the keywords Google chooses, every time some clicks on one of your ads you will earn generally between $0.08 to $0.84 or up. Setting it up is easy, generally taking only a few minutes once the account is set up.
You can also sell individual ads to companies, though this can be more difficult and time consuming, as you will need to find advertisers, decide prices, and ad the codes to your website. If you can do this though, it can be another steady source of income.
3) Add sources of ‘affiliate income’
If your site has a ‘suggested reading’ list (say of good dog training books, for example) you can sign up for an Amazon Associate account, so each time someone clicks the link from your website and buys an item you receive a percentage of the sales price. Amazon affiliate links can be used for anything they sell on their site, from dog & cat toys to grooming items. ClickBank also has a number of animal related products that offer a high percentage of the sales price for each sale you refer, though be cautious of the content of the product; especially if you don’t buy the product yourself to know exactly what it says, you may inadvertently end up advertising something that condones methods, companies or ideas you do not agree with.
4) Start your own web store
Zazzle and CafePress are two of the more popular websites that allow you to easily create and sell products featuring your logo, name or anything else you’d like. You get a portion of each sale, and there’s the added benefit of awareness gained from people sporting your rescue’s name or message on their shirt, hat or coffee mug. You can also link to other products on the site (they both have a wide selection of Anti-BSL, Anti-Puppy Mill, pro-rescue, etc products) and receive a portion of the proceeds when people buy through your link.
These are just four easy ideas of how to raise funds with your website, there are lots more! Be creative and the skies the limit. Feel free to post your ideas here to share with other animal rescue groups.
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