In 2009 a study was done on Digital Philanthropy and titled the The Digital Future of Philanthropy: Engaging Donors with Online Video. I've posted the link below. It explains the reasons how an organizations use of the internet impacts a potential donor.
http://twoparrot.com/jessica_kizorek_thedigitalfutureofphilanthropy_engagingdonorswithonlinevideo.pdf
In today's society, technology can make or break a donor's decision. The internet is a great way to connect. People can quickly search, it gives instant results an gratification. The study argues that when you can't provide people with what they are looking for they will move towards something else that. Isn't this true? When we were making our statement of interest form, we wanted a question to include the organization's website as well as any form of marketing via social media. It does play a huge role in determining who to donate to. People want to be able to find all the information online to be able to make an informed decision.
The internet just provides so many ways to get the organization's message and word out. Not only does it make it easier to donate but it can save a lot of time. Websites and other multimedia outlets need to attract a donors attention as well as volunteers. The use of online videos is becoming a huge part of an organization because it can create an emotional connection as well as a relationship to the potential donor. Donors can hear about an organization from the people that are being impacted by that organization through videos. It connects the viewer with what is happening around the world and brings it home. It educates them, its effective and it helps to reassure a donor about the cause they are donating to. It creates an empathetic connection and a feeling that their donation is making a difference. Videos can capture moods, faces, voices and stories that pictures or text cannot.
Being in this class I've seen how the internet is a key player in philanthropy. Tweeting each week requires me to do research online about choosing a topic to tweet about. Even doing research about a particular organization begins online. Its how I choose my finalists. I read the applications, picked the ones I liked best, and then went on their website to do more research to narrow it down. The internet can do so much for an organization. Seeing videos on the impact the organization is making can change the way I feel about an organization over another. When I see the impact they are making and that it is successful I trust that organization and want to donate. This makes me worry about organizations who are too small to create a website or advertise via social media. I feel as though those smaller organizations have less of an advantage and don't have the money to spend on creating and advertising via the internet. Would this affect the way you donate or think about an organization? For me, it would just make it harder to get the information but I would do my best to try. Technology is only expanding and improving. I'm fearful for the organizations that do not use the internet to get their message out because they can get lost in all the shuffle.
What do you guys think? Does an organizations ability to provide a website impact your donation? Would you guys inquire more information about an organization if there wasn't a website?
Like you, I too see the value of the internet in a non-profit organization’s endeavors. With the increasing prevalence of social media and the internet in our everyday lives, it is becoming more and more obvious to me that any organization would struggle without utilizing its power.
ReplyDeleteIt is those who are quickest to adopt new and upcoming technologies that find the most success. I draw my reasoning from an example I read in my economics textbook, which delves deeply into the innovations that helped shape global communication. The book mentions Wal-Mart as a prime example of a company that was quick to adopt new technologies and techniques. As a result, Wal-Mart has become nearly impossible to compete with, as its effective use of technology has allowed it to increase efficiency and marketing while keeping prices low. This is analogous to a non-profit using the internet and social media for marketing and outreach purposes.
Although, I agree with the points you have made regarding the digital realm’s importance, I am hesitant to agree with you on the topic of its availability to smaller firms. One great thing about social media such as Facebook and Twitter (aside from the connections and interactions that they facilitate) is that they are free. In addition, a professional-looking website can be designed for a very low price (besides time). I don’t think it is right to say that small firms lack the funds necessary to create an online presence for themselves. I believe it is that the organizations either resist change or are oblivious to the boundless opportunities available through internet marketing. Since these two marketing tools are so affordable and readily available, it strikes me as odd that some organizations still do not make use of them.
I believe the issue some organizations face of establishing an online presence stems more from poor allocation of time and lack of innovation than from a lack of funds. In my eyes, it is a huge drawback for an organization to not use social media or to not have an up-to-date website. Through personal experience, I find it very easy to know what is going on with my favorite bands through social media so why would acquiring information about a non-profit be different? Strong statistical evidence showing the benefits of social media marketing in the business world (which also applies to the philanthropic world) is available at the following link:
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/social-media-marketing-industry-report-2013/
To supplement this, the sheer number of social media users is shocking. Some further support for social media usage by non-profits can be drawn from the statistics:
http://www.fastcompany.com/3021749/work-smart/10-surprising-social-media-statistics-that-will-make-you-rethink-your-social-stra
In addition to these sources, countless other credible sources showing statistical proof of the benefits of social media marketing are easily accessible by a simple Google search. Given all of the evidence, I feel as though the non-profits that neglect to establish a digital presence are fighting a losing battle against technology and risk struggling as organizations as a result.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with both Kyle and Gladys in the importance of social media for non-profits. When reading the applications for our class, I went to a few organizations' websites to receive more information. As a result, I liked some better than I thought and others worse than I initially thought. Websites can provide lots of information to donors that the small paragraphs in the application could not fully convey. However, I never looked to go to an organization's Twitter or Facebook page, because I felt that their website was the best representation of their organization along with the most information.
ReplyDeleteOrganizations without a website is frustrating as a donor, however I do not think we can immediately cross them off our list to donate too. I think Mom's House was one organization that wanted to use part of the grant money to improve their website, which I think is a great investment in order to get more potential donors and users of their services. Having an up to date website that is both aesthetically pleasing and also full of information on how successful and efficient the organization is in completing their mission is a great way to market their organization.
Kyle mentioned that websites are relatively cheap to make, however I do not agree with that. Although Facebook and Twitter are free, creating a professional website from scratch can cost between a couple thousand to even twenty thousand dollars. Organizations with extremely tight budgets may not be able to afford this. Although this might be a disadvantage, I do not think that we should be unwilling to give to them. Just because an organization does not have a website to prove their impact, does not mean they are not successful in making a positive difference. I think as we continue to assess organization, we should be willing to contact organizations without websites to receive information if we feel that they could be a potential grant recipient. It is our job as assessors to be thorough.
At the beginning of this class I did not think it was important for an organization to provide a website. As long as the organization as accomplishing something good, I didn’t think it was necessary. However, my opinion on that has shifted within the last two weeks.
ReplyDeleteResearching organizations to help sway my decision making of where to give the grant money would not be nearly as successful had organizations not had a presence online. Also, the more I think about it, the more I realize the importance of an organization having a website it. The poor can go to a public library and access the organizations information online. Everything seems to be online today, so it seems almost silly for an organization not to have a website. Also if a website is provided, then people looking to donate will have an easier way of finding your organization. It is also important in my opinion for an organization to provide evidence of he success that has been accomplished, whether it is videos, statistics, anecdotes, or photos. It makes an organization look more credible.
The RISE organization that had their presentation last Tuesday showed their website and is a perfect example of a successful website. The website embodied everything that the organization hoped to accomplish. The homepage is uplifting, fresh, modern and organized. The website also provided anecdotes, photos and descriptions. I was actually shocked out how nice of website it was, and how inviting it was as well. I would definitely be more inclined to donate to RISE simply because it seems like it is a successful organization that is positively impacting women’s lives.
I do not think an organization has to have a presence on Facebook or Twitter because this requires a lot more upkeep. A well-thought out website on the other hand only needs to be updated a few times a year, maybe even less. Maybe if an organization is very large, then it should have a Facebook or Twitter, but not necessarily both.
Like Kyle, I too can draw on past examples to relay the importance of technology and social media in the marketing and outreach purposes of an organization and their cause. Most of us, if not all of us, can probably remember one of the most viral videos ever made, "Kony 2012", which was about a human rights issue occuring in central Africa. Without creating such a powerful video and website and signal boosting the video through every possible social media site, Joseph Kony would probably be a name most of us were unaware of, and the makers of the video would be without their millions of supporters and fundraising dollars.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Betty, in having an initial opinion that it was unimportant for an organization to have social media and/or a website. Like Betty, my opinion on social media has not strayed very much. In terms of reaching the most people, I think more money and time should be focused on advertisements than on the creation of a facebook or twitter, because, in my personal experience working in a very small non-profit, social media sites acts more as an accessory, and not as a crucial and helpful source of information.
To conclude, and to be completely honest, I typically would not be inclined to go out of my way to research an organization that does not have a website. In my mind, if an organization did not have a website,I would automatically assume that they are not a credible organization. Although this assumption would a lot of the time be wrong, I think it is a product of the age we grew up in to be skeptical of things you can not find on the internet.