Charity, Donating, and Social Media
Julianne Shenk
JBS Nonprofit Consulting
May 10, 2016
In the “olden days” (you know, the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s) your
daily mail was probably inundated with charity solicitations. Granted, there
are still a few agencies that employ the “mailer” method, but admittedly, my
mailbox is a lot lighter in that department now. Although I will admit, the address labels do
come in pretty handy.
Mailers and cold calls were very popular. With the advent of
caller ID, it makes it a little easier to see who is calling and a lot easier
to dodge the call. Some agencies have gotten smart and use fake caller ID names
to prompt you to answer, but with so few people using land line phones as their
main telephonic source, a large number of charitable agencies have taken their
campaign to social media; specifically, Facebook.
I was recently asked if I support charities through
Facebook, if I endorse charities through Facebook, and if I have ever been
prompted to or have donated through Facebook. The answer to all of those
questions: Yes. So many people are using Facebook now. In fact the demographics
have significantly shifted and young teens and twenty-somethings are not the
main users. It is our “older generation”, and sadly, for social media survey
purposes, that is 30s and up. (A tear slid down my cheek).
I am sure you are familiar with the term, “social media”.
Facebook, Twitter, Vine, Periscope, etc. are all forms of social media. Most of
you are reading this blog via Facebook or a link from Twitter. (Thank you by
the way, share with your friends!) Social media is a powerful concept. Perfect
example: The Ice Bucket Challenge of 2014. Everywhere you looked there were
friends, family, neighbors, sports figures and celebrities posting videos of
them partaking in the IBC and then challenging others to do the same. What
started out on social media, soon became clips on news shows, morning talk
shows and entertainment recap shows. Everyone knew about it. Everyone knew that
it was benefitting ALS. To put it in perspective, according to data from
SurveyMonkey[1],
66.8% of those polled felt that social media was “extremely effective” or “very
effective” for disseminating information about initiatives doing social good. [2] In the same survey, 56.9% of respondents said
that they follow or “like” nonprofits on Facebook. [3]
Here is some homework for you to try: think of your favorite
agency that you support and “Google”[4]
it. Type in the agency’s name along with the word “Facebook”. An overwhelming
amount of the time it will bring up the organization’s Facebook page in the top
3 results. You can also go directly to the agency’s webpage and look for their
Facebook link. Trust me, it will be there. If you are active on Facebook,
“like” their Facebook page and you will actively get updates and be able to
follow along with all of their activities. “Share” the page and any exciting
updates with your Facebook friends. Spread the word. Another SurveyMonkey
survey found that out of more than 1000 adults (aged 18 and older) who identify
themselves as regular social media users, 51% of respondents reported that they
hear about new initiatives for social good via social media first. [5]
This specific survey also found that 64% of users that identified themselves as
a social media user (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Google+)
donated $100 or more to charitable causes in the last year. [6]
A study in March 2013 by Georgetown University Center for
Social Impact released a study on “Digital Persuasion”. Digital persuasion is
how social media is being used to influence perceptions, actions, and support
for causes.[7]
The study determined that that in previous years, face-to-face communication
was the primary mode of information exchange about causes. The survey
respondents named social media as their top source for information about causes
that they support. [8]
The study also found that 55% of digitally active Americans did
more than just “like” a cause. Engaging with the causes via social media
prompted them to:
·
Donate money 68%
·
Volunteer 53%
·
Donate personal items or food 52%
According to the Georgetown survey, 82% agree that social
media is very effective in getting more people to talk about the causes and
issues.[10]
So there you have it. Follow your favorite charity. Share their
information via your favorite social media outlet and most importantly, take
advantage of any volunteer opportunities they post about or donation drives
they are having. Even if you cannot participate, by you sharing the
information, it will reach the eyes, hearts, and pocketbooks of those that can!
[1]
SurveyMonkey.com
[2] http://mashable.com/2014/09/19.
Retrieved 1 May 2016. Author: Connor Finnegan.
[3]
Ibid.
[4]
Google being used as a generic term. Use your preferred search tool (Google,
Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, etc.)
[5] http://mashable.com/2014/09/19.
Retrieved on 1 May 2016. Author: Ryan Lytle.
[6]
Ibid.
[7] 9
Ways to Use Social Media to Support Your Causes and Charities. 2013. McKhann,
Emily. April 12, 2013. http://themotherhood.com/blog. Retrieved on 1 May 2016.
[8]
Ibid.
[9] Ibid.
[10]
Ibid.
