Respondents feel PBS.org, station websites "too subtle" in donation requests

PBS Interactive has an update on research on PBS's Prosper online fundraising project.

One interesting finding so far: Universally, "respondents felt that both PBS.org and the station sites they looked at were too subtle in the donation placement," said Amy Sample, PBS Interactive's director of web analytics. "That said, there is a limit to how overt the appeal can be. We still have to respect the essence of the brand. Clearly there is room for experimentation and testing of donation appeals."

Phase I of the research in May involved focus groups of existing and potential donors in Baltimore and Chicago; Phase II begins in July and will survey existing station donors nationwide.

Sample expects to have a final report on the research findings by the end of summer.