Social Media and Its Donations

I believe that social media has the potential to help nonprofits improve their brand, gather more donors and raise money.

But with the advent of the 'Facebook Causes' article, people are starting to wonder whether social media is as good as you think it is. Can social media be used long term to raise donations?

The answer is in the question. I believe it does but the key is long term. Fundraising is long term, and each fundraising venture builds on its predecessor. Social media is a great way to put those connections in place to be able to solicit gifts later.

I currently have a poll up that asks How Many Times Per Week Should a Nonprofit Ask for Donations via Twitter/Facebook?

60% say that nonprofits should ask only once, with 30% saying two to five times per week. 10% believe no donations should be asked at all.

The question remains, how long should you wait for results? I believe that depends entirely on your organization and your goals for social media.

What do you think? Does social media have the potential to raise money for organizations or is it just for raising awareness? How many times do you ask your donors on Twitter/Facebook for donations?

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