The world has become smaller. People today are more connected, engaged and involved than ever before. Billions of people are texting, posting, blogging and tweeting, disseminating and sharing information on a nearly limitless global scale, instantaneously, at the touch of a finger. How does one tap this endless stream of bits and bytes, this immeasurable wealth of Internet-user superhighway traffic?
For the innovative nonprofit organization, it’s social media. The Internet has changed the way people communicate, revolutionizing how we gather information, work, interact and socialize, while the advent of high-speed broadband connections has enabled users to spend more time and accomplish more online. The growth has been exponential, with 85 percent of Americans now finding their way online. And more than half, including adults 65 and older, subscribe to at least one social networking site.
Capturing their attention
So how can nonprofits get their attention, win their hearts and minds and persuade them to open their wallets for their causes? Many of these users may already be on your direct mailing lists, as seniors still respond best to more conventional campaigns. Yet online giving is increasing among both older adults and younger generations, with millennials especially — driven by a common desire to “give back” to their communities — opting for charitable sustainer monthly giving opportunities, which can in turn lead to higher rates of donor retention; a major priority for the successful fundraiser.
This tech-savvy, well-educated, gainfully employed and increasingly civic-minded population is almost always connected and exceedingly mobile. More than 90 percent of all American adults now own a cellphone (58 percent upgraded to smartphones, trending away from desktops and PCs as primary online portals), with more than half (67 percent) of all users checking their device diligently whether or not it rings or vibrates. They operate in real time, generate real results and are predominately motivated to respond to causes that incorporate great storytelling (already a foundation of direct mail written appeals) and moving events and images (tests have shown that people process visuals 60,000 times faster than text).
Texting donors
In the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, 9 percent of Internet users (13 million Americans) went online to donate money to victims of the disasters, according to a Pew Research Center survey. Similarly, donors contributed some $43 million in aid to Haiti following the 2010 earthquake via text message alone. These part-time philanthropists tend to act on impulse, turning to nonprofits to make a difference. And they are asking their friends and family to do the same, opening opportunities for charitable organizations to reach new donors under new circumstances as messages spread virally through friend networks. Additionally, most of the texting donors surveyed subsequently contributed to other causes.
While direct mail remains the greatest generator of charitable giving, social networking activity through digital media is winning the race for fastest growth as a channel, according to Avalon Consulting Group. The best approach, moreover, is multichanneled, melding new technology with age-old altruism.
Paul Noonan is president of International Data Management, which offers full-service, data-driven solutions to the nonprofit community.
