Social Media Trending Up Among Nonprofits

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Nonprofit organizations looking for a cost-effective way to engage their supporters often turn to social media. According to the 2011 Nonprofit Social Network Benchmark Report, of the 11,000+ Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) surveyed, 92% utilize social networks like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn. It appears that social networking overwhelmingly benefits NPOs. But can a small nonprofit achieve real returns using social networks when they’re all over the place?

Interestingly enough, out of the organizations that raised over $100,000 using social networks (dubbed “Master Fundraisers”), 30% were small organizations with annual budgets under $ 5 million. There is certainly potential for smaller NPOs to gain substantial returns on their investment in social media; however, it seems that few organizations want to dedicate the resources.

Of the nonprofits surveyed, 75% dedicate only ¼ of a single employee’s time or less to social media, while 30% of the “Master Fundraisers” dedicated 2+ full-time employees solely to social media. Clearly there is a link between social media results and the level of investment an NPO puts into these tools. Last year Facebook communities for NPOs grew 161%; users of social networks are engaging with nonprofits in as many ways as possible, and this can mean direct benefits to the NPO in terms of membership, event attendance, and donations. Of the nonprofits that were not using social media, 60% of them cited “Lack of Strategy” as the primary reason for staying away.

Does your nonprofit organization have a clear strategy for social networks? Are you using your resources effectively to get the most out of social media? Hear about success stories and valuable tactics for a variety of budgets from professionals in the nonprofit sector at our June 21^st seminar. Find more information and register for the FREE nonprofit seminar.