Campaign planning
How to Create a Fundraising Landing Page on WordPress
A fundraising landing page on WordPress has one job: help a visitor understand one need and take one clear action. Unlike a general donation page, it is built around a specific campaign, deadline or project, such as a school appeal, a new piece of equipment, emergency relief or a seasonal drive. Everything on the page should either explain the need or make giving easier.
Start with an outcome people can picture
“Help our work” is honest but vague. “Fund 20 winter food parcels by 15 December” tells a supporter what the gift is for, how much is needed and when it ends. If the total is an estimate, say so: a clear limit builds more trust than a number that looks precise but has no explanation behind it.
Write a headline that names the outcome, then add two or three sentences on who benefits, what will happen and why the timing matters. Put the donation form or a Donate button near the top, so nobody has to read your organization’s history before finding the next step.
What a fundraising landing page on WordPress needs
Effective campaign pages are short and share the same handful of ingredients:
- A specific headline and a short summary of the appeal.
- One authentic image that shows the people, place or work involved.
- A donation form with suggested amounts connected to real costs where possible.
- A short explanation of how gifts will be used, including any material restrictions.
- Trust details, such as organization name, contact details, payment security and privacy information.
- A thank-you message that explains what happens after someone gives.
Keep the main menu quiet on campaign pages. You do not have to remove it, but avoid placing competing buttons around the form.
Make the donation decision easier
Suggested amounts save donors from doing sums. Three or four choices plus a custom amount are usually enough, and each one is stronger when it is tied to something real: “$20 supplies a food parcel” or “$75 pays for an hour of specialist support”. Do not invent those links just because they sound persuasive.
Then test the page on your own phone. Campaign links arrive through social media, email and QR codes, so most first visits happen on a small screen. Buttons, amount fields and payment steps should work without zooming. The mobile donation form guide covers the checks in more detail.
Show progress only if you can keep it true
A progress figure motivates when it is accurate and current. Show the amount raised and the target, or use plain words such as “nearly halfway there” if you cannot maintain a live total. Never reset a public total without explaining why, and do not suggest that every gift is restricted to the project if part of it may be needed for delivery costs.
Plan for the day after the deadline too. Replace the ask with a thank-you, the final result and a link to your regular donation page, so that someone who finds the link months later is not confused by an expired appeal.