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87%
Conversion uplift (desktop) from donation amount reordering -
31%
Click-through rate (desktop) from contextual emotional messaging
Overview
WWF is the world’s leading independent conservation organisation, championing efforts to protect nature and combat climate change. From safeguarding endangered species to restoring habitats, its work relies on the generosity of public donations – typically made via its website through one-off gifts, adoptions, and memberships.
Yet, in a digital landscape where attention is fleeting and user expectations are sky-high, WWF faced an urgent challenge: to make giving not only easy but emotionally rewarding. Partnering with Merkle and leveraging AB Tasty’s experimentation platform, WWF set out to optimise its digital donation journey by boosting conversions, increasing average donation values, and fostering stronger emotional connections with supporters.
With a shared vision of putting people at the heart of transformation, Merkle helped WWF unlock new value through experimentation; applying behavioural science, UX best practices and emotionally intelligent design to create a faster, more intuitive and impactful giving experience.
The challenge
WWF had seen promising levels of engagement across its donation touchpoints, especially on its core website. But while many visitors were interacting with the donation widget, large numbers were failing to complete the journey.
Hotjar heatmaps and session recordings pointed to a consistent problem: hesitation, distraction, and uncertainty at the critical moment of giving. Despite strong intent, users often paused, looked for more information, or dropped off entirely—indicating friction and a lack of emotional clarity in the experience.
With every missed donation translating to lost impact, WWF needed to act. The goal was to remove barriers, create a clearer and more compelling journey, and maximise the value of every visit. Critically, it needed to do so in a way that didn’t overwhelm users or risk deterring contributions.
The innovation
Merkle and WWF launched a programme of continuous A/B testing using AB Tasty, combining behavioural science insights with UX best practices to evolve the donation experience. Each experiment focused on reducing friction, increasing emotional resonance, and encouraging more generous giving, especially on mobile devices, where user attention is harder to capture.
Three key tests were implemented:
- Anchoring to higher donation values: Donation amounts were reordered from low-to-high (£5–£25) to high-to-low (£25–£5). This applied the behavioural principle of price anchoring, nudging users to view higher donations as the default.
- Increasing preset donation values: To encourage more generous giving, the preset options in the widget were adjusted to £10, £25, and £50, balancing aspiration with accessibility.
- Adding emotional context: New contextual copy was introduced to highlight the tangible impact of each donation, such as “£10 could help protect river dolphins from fishing nets”, helping users feel more connected to the cause.
The impact
The results delivered a major uplift in donation performance—and a deeper understanding of how users make giving decisions online.
- Reordered donation values drove an 87% increase in desktop conversion rates. Mobile users were more likely to engage with mid-range amounts, aided by improved scanning design and positioning.
Raising default values nudged more users towards the £25 tier, with strong uptake across both desktop and mobile. This validated the “Goldilocks” effect by presenting options that feel “just right” for donors.
Emotional copy had a strong effect on engagement, particularly on mobile. Click-through rates increased by 31% on desktop, while mobile users interacted more frequently with the new messages.
WWF now has a scalable experimentation model to continually test, learn, and optimise its digital experiences. Our work is empowering it to grow donor contributions and further its vital conservation mission.
