Study: Most Nonprofits on Facebook but Raising Little Money

Brendan Hurley - Posted on May 12, 2009
While the findings from this study don't surprise me, I think that many nonprofits fail to look at the use of social media for its long-term strategic value. Sure its a quick way to develop a large list of new "friends", but just because your new friend is willing to chat with you, doesn't mean he's ready to give you money just because you asked for it. Trust still takes time to build...AND your friend has to have the money to give you!

Here at Goodwill of Greater Washington, we are very active in the social media world through blogging, Facebook and Twitter. We've also spoken about our successful integrated social media efforts all over the country. While we too can only quantify a small amount of fundraising revenue directly to our social media efforts, we understand that a typical social media user (right now) is dramatically different than our typical cash donor. Just because someone is using Facebook doesn't mean that he has a greater capacity to give or is more inclined to give online than someone who is significantly older and more comfortable donating through direct mail. Empirical data suggests that the vast majority of cash donors for almost all charitable causes tend to be much older and more affluent than the typical social media user. Therefore, to expect that an organization is going to immediately generate a significant amount of money through Facebook is naive. The greatest benefits to the use of social media are education and cultivation. If an organization continues to engage its social media constituents over time, the financial support will eventually come when those "friends" have the disposable income to support the right cause. You can't be successful by just sticking your toe into the social media waters. You have to be willing to make a long term investment in the strategy. Those charitable agencies that do, will reap the benefits of their efforts. Those that don't will be left sc

Brendan Hurley - Posted on May 12, 2009
While the findings from this study don't surprise me, I think that many nonprofits fail to look at the use of social media for its long-term strategic value. Sure its a quick way to develop a large list of new "friends", but just because your new friend is willing to chat with you, doesn't mean he's ready to give you money just because you asked for it. Trust still takes time to build...AND your friend has to have the money to give you!

Here at Goodwill of Greater Washington, we are very active in the social media world through blogging, Facebook and Twitter. We've also spoken about our successful integrated social media efforts all over the country. While we too can only quantify a small amount of fundraising revenue directly to our social media efforts, we understand that a typical social media user (right now) is dramatically different than our typical cash donor. Just because someone is using Facebook doesn't mean that he has a greater capacity to give or is more inclined to give online than someone who is significantly older and more comfortable donating through direct mail. Empirical data suggests that the vast majority of cash donors for almost all charitable causes tend to be much older and more affluent than the typical social media user. Therefore, to expect that an organization is going to immediately generate a significant amount of money through Facebook is naive. The greatest benefits to the use of social media are education and cultivation. If an organization continues to engage its social media constituents over time, the financial support will eventually come when those "friends" have the disposable income to support the right cause. You can't be successful by just sticking your toe into the social media waters. You have to be willing to make a long term investment in the strategy. Those charitable agencies that do, will reap the benefits of their efforts. Those that don't will be left sc