More from the newly released Millennial Impact Report:

Social media and new technology certainly have captured Millennials’ attention, but the “old-fashioned” website continues to serve as the primary information hub, and basic, straightforward information is the key attraction.

When the surveyed Millennials go to nonprofit websites, nearly 9 out of 10 of them will go first to the page that describes the mission of the organization. While other information such as events, volunteer opportunities, videos and photos were also favored features, none of these got above 50%, showing that nonprofits must make sure it is clear what they do.

While this may seem like a no-brainer, our focus group respondents echoed these feelings when shown examples of 4 different nonprofit websites. Participants in all 3 cities repeatedly said they wanted to be able to understand exactly what the organization did in a split-second. Mission statements should show the purpose and value of the organization without being lengthy.

During that split-second judgment, the overall look of the site also plays a role in determining if your website is worthy of their time. One focus group participant said, “Even if you are a small, scrappy nonprofit, your website should look professional. I judge the character of the organization with its presence on the web.” Vivid imagery was also a compelling factor in understanding what your cause was about without having to do a lot of reading or digging.