SOS Children's Villages: New website helps increase the number of sponsors and donors

SOS Children's Villages' digital platform had reached the end of its lifetime and needed a solid upgrade. Two major projects were initiated: upgrading the CRM system (Salesforce) and a complete revamp of the website, with the aim of converting more people from being visitors to regular donors.

The existing website had little structure for both users and search engine optimization (SEO). The bounce rate was higher than desired and the design needed a renewal. The old CMS also had an outdated user interface, which was not very intuitive for the editors.

Dekode was given responsibility for the extensive website project, which was carried out in parallel with the roll-out of the new CRM system Salesforce at SOS Children's Villages.

The feasibility study was carried out in March/April 2023. Insights from existing strategies, interviews with employees, core site workshops and keyword analyses were used to clarify the requirements and create a roadmap for the project. This was supported by the project owners at SOS Children's Villages.

One of the organization's goals was to make its expertise more visible on the website in order to increase credibility and create more engagement with potential donors. The goal provided clear guidelines for the work on user experience (UX) and design.

Dekode prepared a revised visual identity, within the global design guidelines of the organization. SOS Children's Villages now has access to a design system that allows editors to customize content as needed.

The solution gives editors a great deal of freedom without compromising the visual integrity. The design system also takes accessibility into account.

The new donation forms are among the most important features on the website. These are integrated with Salesforce (CRM). A collaboration between SOS, the CRM partner, and Dekode was established early on to ensure a seamless implementation. Dekode and SOS Children's Villages merged their fundraising experience to create solutions designed for high conversion rate. The forms are optimized with carefully selected fields and precise microtexts. Custom tracking is set up to ensure continuous improvements based on real data.

New website gives immediate positive results

Since the launch, SOS Children's Villages has had very good results in its fundraising efforts from the website, with a significant number of new sponsors. The transition to the new website was efficient, with minimal loss of organic traffic, and the bounce rate has decreased significantly. The editors are now experiencing a simpler working day, with more focus on content rather than the tool.

• Strategy and advice
• Design
• CRM integration
• Project management
• Development
• Content advice