Social Media For Social Good
Joe Marchese, president of socialvibe, has written this great overview of the contribution social media are beginning to make in the cause world.
He observes:
"Because of social media, not only can people in need, be they class room teachers or farmers in the third world, publish their stories and have them read, but these platforms actually make it possible for people to band together to make a difference. Finally, social media completes the loop by allowing the teachers, students or farmer s to actually thank those that made the difference. Talk about value in connecting people.
Can social media make charitable giving market efficient? With, less bureaucracy, more transparency into the actual effect of your dollars, it would seem that improving the efficiency of charitable giving is not only possible, but likely.
But monetary donations are only part of the story. Just as important is the ability for charities to spread their message. Whereas before non-profits counted on the donation of media from major media companies, now non-profits need only look to their supporters. People are media in social media."
But read the full article … it cites a variety of sites and examples you should look at if your nonprofit is dipping its toes into the social media world.
Just one caution. As our latest DonorTrends survey and other sources indicate, the current donor base for most nonprofits — Boomers and older — have not yet embraced social media in the numbers or intensity of the under-30s. So keep in mind two things: 1) different strokes for different folks; 2) from a pure fundraising dollars perspective, social media are tomorrow, not today.
Tom
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
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I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
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Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
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There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
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I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
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