When you’re running a nonprofit, your focus is the mission. But how often are you told you need to keep up with trends to make an impact? In this article, we will dive into five modern design trends that will breathe new life into your organization’s online identity.
It can feel overwhelming to try and keep up with the ever changing digital landscape. However, there are some trends that we think are here to stay. From engaging minimalist aesthetics to captivating carousel posts, explore innovative ways to connect with your audience and share your mission, while staying fresh in the conversation.
1. Minimalism
We live in a world overpowered by sponsorships and oversaturated advertisements — today, simplicity speaks volumes. Adopting a minimalist design approach can transform your nonprofit’s online presence and create an easy way to achieve elegance. By strategically choosing fonts, colors, photos, and messages, you can place emphasis on what is most important: your mission.
A clutter-free website with clean lines and a focused layout allows visitors to navigate seamlessly, discovering the heart of your organization. Let your content take center stage, with uncluttered visuals that exude elegance and foster a deeper connection with your audience. Minimalism is not just about aesthetics; it’s a way to elevate your message, bringing clarity and purpose to your nonprofit’s digital journey. Afterall, even the studies show that less is more.
Check out how Embark utilized the power of minimalism to create stunning visuals for the Colorado Catholic Conference.
2. Micro-Interactions
In the realm of modern design, it’s the little things that make a big difference. Enter microinteractions—a delightful trend that can amplify your nonprofit’s online impact. Studies have shown that these subtle, interactive moments, a heartwarming animation— a heart floating over a picture of schoolchildren—or a friendly notification (such as a bright pulse after the visitor enters their email address), create a sense of engagement and responsiveness.
Using microinteractions on your website and social media channels can enhance user experience and encourage deeper connections with your audience. By adding these thoughtful touches, your nonprofit’s online presence becomes not just a static encounter but a dynamic way to make the user feel seen.
3. Bold Typography
In today’s digital landscape, attention spans are fleeting. Capturing your audience’s attention is paramount for getting your message across and potentially landing a donation. Enter the power of bold typography—a design trend that can infuse your nonprofit’s online presence with a captivating visual punch. Bold typography goes beyond mere words; it becomes an expressive design element that conveys the heart of your mission.
Whether it’s an inspiring call to action or a compelling quote, using striking and attention-grabbing fonts can elevate your message and create a lasting impact. Through this awesome trend, you can deliver your organization’s beliefs and values with a visual flair that resonates deeply with your audience. Sharp, clean typography should be an integral part of your web design and social media graphics.
4. Bold Colors
Although we are huge fans of minimalism in design, you don’t just have to use beiges and neutral colors to have an aesthetically pleasing website or social media presence. Vibrant and attention-grabbing colors have the ability to evoke emotions that neutrals cannot — they capture attention, and can even convey the essence of your organization’s mission.
Color psychology shows us that utilizing bold colors strategically in your web design, social media graphics, and marketing materials can instantly make your brand stand out from the crowd, especially among organizations.
A deep red might evoke passion, bold purple hues are a symbol of royalty, and blues create a sense of purpose and trust.
See an example of bold colors below:
By infusing your online platforms with dynamic colors, you create a visually stimulating experience that connects your supporters.
5. Carousel Posts
Carousel posts are an awesome way to captivate your audience and keep them wanting more. Whether it’s showcasing your organization’s charitable initiatives, heartwarming success stories, or behind-the-scenes dedication, carousel posts let you craft immersive experiences that resonate deeply with viewers.
Carousels are particularly effective for CTAs (Call to Actions). For instance, a recent trend on Instagram involves incorporating a call to action on the last slide of a carousel. This encourages the reader to interact by leaving a specific keyword in the comments. In return, they receive a special link through direct messages. This approach maximizes audience participation, boosts engagement, and fosters a sense of exclusivity, making it an impactful strategy for building stronger connections with your audience.
Sites like Canva make it easy to create beautiful, graphics based carousels that will be not only aesthetically pleasing but seamless to navigate.
Bonus: User-Generated Content (UGC)
User-Generated Content is a strategy that involves leveraging content created by your audience, such as testimonials, photos, and stories, to enhance your nonprofit’s online presence. Although this is similar to the concept of influencers, UGC is more of an extension of influencer marketing — the organization is using real, everyday people with smaller platforms to showcase their mission.
The reason this works is because it emphasizes authenticity, as well as broadening the audience. A nonprofit can encourage its community to share their experiences, faith journeys, and volunteer efforts, creating a sense of authenticity and engagement. Feature UGC on your website and social media platforms to showcase the real impact your organization has on people’s lives.
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In conclusion, embracing modern design trends like bold typography, minimalist aesthetics, and engaging microinteractions is the key to revitalizing your nonprofit’s online presence for maximum impact. It may feel overwhelming to try and adopt every new movement, but using these few will make your profile feel fresh and on top of design trends.
For those looking to take your design and social media presence to the next level, Embark offers a full suite of services to help you navigate the digital landscape effortlessly.
We want to help you do what you love (running an incredible nonprofit) by doing what we love (branding, web design, social media management, and more!). Schedule a complimentary consultation with us and let’s build a digital platform that truly shines.
