Make your charity’s website more discoverable

A practical guide for charity comms teams and small nonprofits to improve SEO, boost visibility, and increase engagement online.

Writing meta titles and descriptions might seem technical, but they’re one of the simplest ways to make your charity’s website more discoverable. Done well, they tell Google and potential supporters exactly what your page is about, improving search rankings, clicks, and donations. This guide breaks down the process step by step, with advice tailored for charities.

Why meta titles and descriptions matter

Meta titles and descriptions are the snippets of text that appear in search results. They act as your charity’s first impression online before anyone clicks through to your website.

For charities, investing time in meta has clear benefits:

Boost visibility in Google

Search engines use meta titles and descriptions to understand your page content, helping your site appear for relevant searches.

Encourage clicks from supporters

A clear, compelling description can persuade users to explore your resources, donate, or volunteer.

Reinforce your brand and message

Consistent, concise messaging across your site ensures potential supporters instantly understand your charity’s mission.

Support AI-driven search results

Google increasingly pulls meta information to generate overviews in AI-assisted search. A well-optimised meta makes it more likely your charity is referenced accurately.

How to add meta titles to your charity website

The process for adding SEO data varies depending on which CMS software you use. Once you’ve written a blog or other webpage, navigate the meta section to fill in your page title and description.

We’ve included guides for some of the most popular CMS options below:

Squarespace
Wix
Wordpress or when using the Yoast plugin.

Writing meta titles

Meta titles appear as the clickable headline in search results. They should summarise your page concisely while incorporating your primary keyword. A good meta title is both descriptive and enticing. For charities, this might mean highlighting the service, campaign, or resource the page focuses on.

Writing meta titles and descriptions: A step-by-step guide for charities