Why Website Speed and Accessibility Matter for Charities

In the digital age, your charity’s website is often the first impression you make on potential donors, volunteers, and supporters.

But if your site is slow or inaccessible, you risk losing their interest—and their support. 

Here’s why website speed and accessibility are non-negotiable for charities and how you can improve both.

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The Importance of Website Speed

Did you know that 40% of visitors will abandon a website if it takes more than 3 seconds to load? For charities, this could mean losing out on vital donations or volunteer sign-ups. A slow website not only frustrates users but also harms your search engine rankings, making it harder for people to find you in the first place.

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Tips to Improve Website Speed:

• Optimise Images: Use compressed, web-friendly formats like JPEG or WebP to reduce load times.

• Enable Browser Caching: This stores parts of your site locally on a user’s device, speeding up future visits.

• Minify Code: Remove unnecessary characters from your HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files.

• Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN): A CDN distributes your site’s content across multiple servers worldwide, reducing load times for users in different locations.

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The Importance of Accessibility

Accessibility ensures that everyone, including people with disabilities, can use your website. For charities, this is not just a legal requirement under the Equality Act 2010—it’s a moral imperative. An accessible website demonstrates your commitment to inclusivity and broadens your reach to potential supporters.

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Tips to Improve Accessibility:

• Use Alt Text for Images: This helps screen readers describe images to visually impaired users.

• Ensure Keyboard Navigation: Make sure all functions can be accessed via a keyboard, not just a mouse.

• Choose Readable Fonts and Colours: Use high-contrast colour schemes and avoid small or decorative fonts.

• Add Captions to Videos: This makes your content accessible to users with hearing impairments.

• Test with Accessibility Tools: Use tools like WAVE or AXE to identify and fix accessibility issues.

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The Impact on Donor Trust

A fast, accessible website isn’t just about functionality—it’s about trust. Donors are more likely to support charities that demonstrate professionalism and inclusivity. A slow or inaccessible site can create the impression that your charity is outdated or doesn’t care about its audience.

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Real-World Benefits

• Higher Engagement: Faster sites keep users engaged, reducing bounce rates and increasing time spent on your site.

• Improved SEO: Search engines like Google prioritise fast, accessible websites, boosting your visibility.

• Broader Reach: Accessibility ensures your message reaches a wider audience, including the 1 in 5 people in the UK with a disability.

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By prioritising website speed and accessibility, your charity can create a better user experience, build trust, and ultimately drive more support for your cause.

Remember, your website is a reflection of your values—make sure it’s fast, inclusive, and ready to inspire action.

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