(As this email may enact changes that affect the total Wikimedia
community, please feel free to forward or post this email on any and all
applicable lists. I would like as much feedback as possible.)
Wikimedians--
We have begun exploring ideas for enhancing the visibility of the donate
button not only within the Wikimedia main skin but also on every page of
every Wikimedia project. We hope that enhancement will enable us to
better informing our public that we are dependent on their donations as
we promote the free and open knowledge movement.
We expect that a small change to the Wikimedia main skin will result in
big returns in donations--donations we use to keep the Wikimedia
movement alive and growing. I expect that in return for a bit of
enhanced visibility, we will see a daily increase of up to 20% in
donations.
Working with the same professional designer that worked on last year's
donation page (
http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Donate/Now/en), we
have culled his 30+ button ideas into 6 that represent some of the
better designs.
We have posted several design options for your comments and input here:
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fundraising_2009/Donation_buttons_upgrade
I would like your input and advice in figuring out both how to make this
buttons look better and how to make the language around the buttons
better. In addition, we are exploring adding different language
underneath the Title Bar of an article.
Design is only half of this change...words are important. What are the
simplest words we can use (we are aware that these changes may get
translated to numerous other languages) that will convey what we want to
convey? You, collectively, have proven to be amazing at using words and
communicating with our users. How can we reach them?
One of these designs borrows from our look and feel from our previous
campaign and another resembles the look and feel of Paypal. What do you
think of those? We are curious about how look and feel associated with
online payments will increase the need or opportunity to make a donation.
The objective here is to take the average Wikimedia user and get them to
recognize we are a non-profit and that our future depends on their
donations. How can we better show our users that we are a charity?
Again, your time and input is appreciated. To see the designs, go here:
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fundraising_2009/Donation_buttons_upgrade
-Rand
--
Rand Montoya
Head of Community Giving
Wikimedia Foundation
www.wikimedia.org
Email: rand(a)wikimedia.org
Phone: 415.839.6885 x615
Fax: 415.882.0495
Cell: 510.685.7030
“At some future time, I hope to have something witty,
intelligent, or funny in this space.”