Many forms of social media are relatively inexpensive and easy to deploy. Given
this, it’s not surprising that non-profits have embraced Web 2.0 technologies. According to a new research study just released by marketing consultant Eric Mattson and Dr. Nora Barnes of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Center for Marketing Research:
“Charitable organizations are outpacing the business world in their use of social media. Seventy-five percent of the charitable organizations studied are using some form of social media including blogs, podcasts, message boards, social networking, video blogging and wikis. More than a third of the organizations are blogging. Forty-six percent of those studied report social media is very important to their fundraising strategy.”
However, while non-profits are embracing the Internet and social media technologies, some have a few words of caution. In a recent New York Times article Timothy L. Seiler, director of the Fund Raising School at Indiana University’s Center on Philanthropy, said: “What we’ve seen is that the reality [of the Internet] has never matched what people perceived to be the potential.”
Currently, non-profits are carefully evaluating the ROI of their social media powered communications and fundraising efforts. If more organizations are successful, look for more top charities to join the rush toward Web 2.0 technologies.
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