AI is huge these day, and people are using things like ChatGPT for searches, instead of Google.
People may ask AI to recommend local charities; a company may look for nonprofits to support; or a family searches for an organization that provides a service in its community.
You may not know if your organization shows up. That is becoming an important question for nonprofit marketing teams.
Tools that generate answers with artificial intelligence are changing how people discover information. Instead of looking through a list of websites, users may read a summary and click on only a few sources.
Google is continuing to change how its AI-powered search results display links to websites. The Verge reported that Google was making links within AI-generated answers more visible.
This does not mean traditional SEO is dead. The same basic SEO practices remain important for appearing in its AI search features.
The goal now is simple: make it easy for search engines, AI tools and real people to understand who you are, what you do, whom you help, and how someone can get involved.
Here’s how to make that happen:
1. Explain what your nonprofit does in plain English
Could a stranger explain your mission?
Many nonprofit websites use broad phrases such as “empowering communities,” “creating lasting change,” or “building a better tomorrow.” These do not always explain what the organization actually does.
Imagine a nonprofit that provides job training for adults with disabilities.
Instead of opening with “Building a more inclusive future,” it could say:
“We help adults with disabilities find jobs, build workplace skills, and succeed at work.” I can dig that.
The second version tells visitors what the organization does and whom it serves.
It also gives search systems clearer information to work with.
What to do: Review your homepage, About page, and main program pages. Make sure each one clearly explains the organization, its services, its audience and the locations it serves.
Use words your community would use when looking for help. Don’t use internal program names or industry terms that outsiders may not understand.
2. Answer questions people actually ask
A nonprofit website should answer the questions people have before they decide to donate, volunteer, seek help, or become a partner.
A food bank’s visitors might want to know:
- Who can receive food assistance?
- Where are the food distribution sites?
- How can a business donate food?
- Does the organization accept volunteers?
If the website does not answer these questions, visitors may leave without taking the next step.
The same problem affects donors and sponsors. They may want to know how donations are used, what programs accomplish, which communities benefit, and how to support the work.
Ask your staff to list the 10 questions they hear most often from donors, volunteers, program participants and partners.
Check whether your website answers each question clearly. Create or improve pages for the most important gaps.
Put answers near the top of each page. Use headings that describe the question being answered.
This helps people find answers without contacting your staff for basic information.
3. Give people proof
Many nonprofit websites make similar claims.
They say they change lives, strengthen communities, and make a lasting difference. And they are true. We know that.
But they do not explain what makes one organization different from another?
Your website should show evidence of what your organization does.
Maybe:
- The number of people served during a stated period
- Program results, with clear definitions of what was measured
- An annual report with financial and program information
- Examples of completed projects
- Quotes from program participants who have freely agreed to share their experiences
- Reports from trusted outside organizations.
A youth nonprofit could explain how many students completed its mentoring program last year, how completion is defined, and what happened after the program. Be precise.
Google emphasizes helpful, reliable content with a distinct point of view. It warns against repeating information that is already available elsewhere.
So replace vague claims with specific, verified facts. Add dates, sources and context. Explain what numbers mean.
4. Make your videos and images understandable without sound or sight
Video help people understand a nonprofit.
Search engines need accessible information about the page and its media. People also have different ways of accessing content. Some cannot hear audio, some cannot see images, and others may prefer reading a quick summary.
Google recommends supporting website text with relevant images and videos when they add value. Important information should be available in textual form.
What to do: Review the videos and images on your most important website pages.
For each key video:
- Add a clear title that describes its subject
- Write a short summary of what the video covers
- Include captions
- Provide a transcript
For meaningful images, write useful alternative text that describes the image’s purpose or content. Decorative (or stock) images don’t need descriptive alternative text.
Do not stuff keywords into video titles or descriptions.
This supports access for more people while making the content easier to understand.
5. Check whether your website is being found — and whether visitors take action
You cannot improve what you don’t know.
Use with Google Search Console. It’s a free, and it helps website owners understand how their sites appear in Google Search. It can show which search queries bring people to your site, which pages receive impressions and clicks; and whether technical problems need attention.
Google says traffic from its AI search features is included in the overall search traffic reported in Search Console.
Set aside 30 minutes to review your website’s performance.
Check whether your most important pages are indexed by Google. An indexed page is one Google has added to its search index and may show in results.
Next, look at the search terms people use to find your site. Are they finding your organization only by its name, or are they finding your services and programs?
Review the pages that receive the most traffic. Do they have a clear call to action??
Finally, review your website analytics to see whether visitors take those actions.
Don’t judge success by traffic alone. A page that attracts 1,000 visitors but produces no useful action is less valuable than a page that attracts 100 visitors and brings in qualified volunteers or prospective donors.
What nonprofit leaders should do first
Don’t attempt to rebuild your entire website.
Start with your homepage and your three most important program or service pages.
Make sure each page answers four questions:
- What does the organization do?
- Who does it help?
- What evidence shows that its work matters?
- What should a visitor do next?
Then review your site’s accessibility, video information and search performance.
Following best practices does not guarantee that a page will be indexed or displayed.
Focus on clear information, useful evidence, accessible content and a website that helps people take action.
Your website should make your mission easy to understand
AI search is changing how people discover information, but don’t chase every new shiny tool.
The fundamentals still matter: explain your work clearly, answer real questions, show credible evidence, and make it easy for people to get involved.
If you already have useful videos, reports and program information, you may not need to create more content. Maybe you just need to make the content you have easier to find, understand, and use.
Want to get more value from your nonprofit’s existing videos? Team Trust Productions offers a free 15-minute video marketing review to help nonprofits identify three ways to get more marketing and fundraising value from their current video assets.