A study about teens, charity, and social media.

Key Findings:

1. Teens are now more likely to spend their free time playing video or computer games than they were last year (72% 2011 vs. 63% 2010).
2. As in 2010, nearly 1 in 4 teens (23%) say they volunteer during their free time, and 1 in 10 (10%) have a part-time job.
3. About 9 in 10 teens agree – the same proportion as in 2010 – that:
   • It is more important than ever to help others who are less fortunate (90% 2011, 90% 2010);
   • It is important to support charitable causes symbolically even if you can’t do so financially (86% 2011, 88% 2010); and,
   • They wish they could do more to help those in need (88% 2011, 89% 2010).
4. Nearly 3 in 4 teens (73%) say their family has been negatively affected by the current economic climate, and about 4 in 5 (79%) have become more aware of the needs of others as a result.
5. Though they are equally as likely to agree (88% 2011, 89% 2010), teens in 2011 are less likely than they were a year ago to strongly agree that they wish they could do more to help those in need (43% 2011 vs. 50% 2010).
6. The majority of teens (71% 2011, 74% 2010) continue to support charitable causes or organizations, primarily by volunteering their time or participating in an event (43% 2011, 38% 2010).
7. Nearly 2 in 5 teens (37% 2011, 33% 2010) show their support symbolically, and about 1 in 3 (32%) vocally support their causes by spreading word of mouth and recruiting others.
8. About 1 in 4 teens (26%) donate money.
9. Though 2 in 3 teens (66%) agree that the benefits of social media outweigh the risks, and more than 2 in 5 (44%) say they have become more aware of the needs of others thanks to their social media usage, the plurality of youth ages 13-17 (29%) would be most willing to sacrifice their access to social media if they had to forgo some of life’s luxuries or necessities for 24 hours.
10. Only 2% would be willing to go without food (2%) or water (2%).
11. Most teens (80%) use social media, primarily to keep in touch with friends (76%).
12. Additionally, more than 1 in 2 teens (57%) share photos, videos, or links with others, and nearly 2 in 5 (37%) use social media to share their opinion about various issues.
13. Teens are more likely to “friend,” “like,” or “follow” companies or brands they like (41%) than charitable causes they support (34%).

World Vision, “A Study About Teens, Charity, and Social Media,” February 2011.

Social media for nonprofits.

The digital story of the nativity.

10 keys to social media branding.

What makes a social media brand successful? Is it posting on Facebook at least once per day? Having lots of Twitter followers? Always being first to spread the news on your blog? Do you need a great logo?

These are all good things, but they’re not the heart of what makes a social media brand great. Whether you’re a nonprofit, for-profit, or an individual trying to make a name for yourself, the basic elements of success are the same. Here’s my list of 10 things you must be to have a truly remarkable social brand.

1. Personable – You must be likable! Out of all the media outlets from traditional newspapers to professional TV news channels, social media is the most relaxed. You must be friendly and engage people so they want to listen to you.
2. Consistent - Whether you have one employee or many updating your social media, your brand’s voice must be consistent. Is it funny? Authoritative? Down-to-earth? Do you blog about personal things, or keep it strictly business? Discuss these questions with your team and agree on them.
3. Focused – Your company has a mission, right? So should your social media! Don’t just write about anything and everything. Make sure it’s relevant or serves a purpose. Even if you let your employees write about personal things, they should write with the mission in mind.
4. Creative - No one wants to hear the same thing over and over again. Keep looking for new ways to engage your audience through real life updates, links to interesting material, live events, polls, contests, discussion questions, or anything else that can relate back to your mission.
5. Transparent - Be open with your followers. Share the ups and downs! Not only do people love hearing “behind-the-scenes” stories, it’s a great way to build loyalty.
6. Sincere - Don’t fake it. Don’t pretend to be something you’re not. People can see right through you, trust me.
7. Interesting – A good rule of thumb is: if you don’t want to read it, why should your followers? Keep it relevant, entertaining, or informative – or all three, if possible!
8. Helpful – People follow businesses and nonprofits because they want to know more about them, or they want to be entertained, or maybe they want to learn something. It’s your job to figure out what they want and then give it to them.
9. Modest – Social media is advertising, but that doesn’t mean you should be talking about how great you are all the time. It’s annoying. Even if you really are the greatest thing since sliced bread, no one will listen to you.
10. Grateful – This goes hand-in-hand with modesty. Give credit where credit is due! Thank people when they re-tweet your messages or comment on your blog. Acknowledge your biggest fans every once in a while. Don’t thank people so often that you sound insincere, but don’t ever forget to remember the guys who help you.

Jessica Sadoway, 10 Key to Social Media Branding

Top 10 things donors want from your nonprofit’s website.

“Did you know that most donor check out your website before they make a gift, whether they are giving online or through the mail? A Kellogg Foundation study found that potentially up to 50 percent of your donors are going to check out your organization online before they give, whether they end up actually donating online or not.

“Your website is now your front door – it is where everyone will go to find out about your organization. Be sure it is welcoming, just like your own front door invites you and your visitors to come in. Following are questions you should ask about your site to see if it is hurting or helping your fundraising campaign.

1. Does your website represent you well? Does it tell a compelling, moving story (i.e., photos of people helped by your organization)?
2. When visitors come to your site, can they easily find out what they want? The navigation need to be intuitive and easy for anyone.
3. What’s the call to action on your site? What do you want your visitors to do? Too many sites beat around the bush and do not come right out and ask for involvement and funds. Be sure your site has a clear call to action that captures your readers’ attention.
4. Does you site convey legitimacy and credibility? Do you post information on your website that proves your nonprofit status? Do you post the names of your board members – the members of the community who stand behind your organization? Does it say who is accountable for this organization?
5. Is the donation process easy to walk through? Some studies show that most donors who visit the donation page of a site never complete the process because it is too cumbersome. Be sure you make it really easy to give.
6. Is there also a way to download a form that donors can mail in or fax to you if they do not want to contribute online?
7. Are you offering people the ability to have a dialog with you? Is there some sort of interaction, such as a survey or a place to post comments? Donors want the ability to comment, to discuss and to participate with you.
8. Do you have a physical address and phone number prominently displayed for easy access?
9. Does your website share how past donations have been used? This is where you can share your good news, terrific stories of what you have done with your funding and information about your organization’s impact in the world.
10. Are you telling visitors how they can volunteer? You certainly do not want to give the impression that you do not want volunteers! However, this topic is sometimes completely missing from a website.”

Gail Perry, “Top 10 Things Donors Want From Your Nonprofit’s Website”, Advancing Philanthropy, May/June 2010

Social media revolution.