For this post, I will be showcasing how the digital world has benefitted non-profit organizations.
The digital world has helped promote non-profit organizations massively. Today you can easily set up your own “GoFundMe” for a personal cause, or search for a charity you are passionate about. Direct debit is a popular option so anyone can donate monthly, but cash donations are still an option with charity shops and tins. Charities can update donors easily on what their donations help with and any events taking place in their local area. Raising awareness of their cause is a top priority for charities and online PR helps immensely. Being able to promote on social media covers all age groups.
Researching how popular charities have changed over the past 20 years, I found The British Heart Foundation’s development in the digital world. Early on, the implementation of direct debit generated a steady income, which eventually killed the job of collecting donations door to door. The BHF even created a phone game (on the Nokia), at the beginning of their digital journey, to promote to a younger audience and make their charity more interactive. Now they have an app called “RevivR” which teaches you how to do CPR. These points gave non-profit organizations a better opportunity to connect to different people and age groups. However, this charity did struggle with creating videos that weren’t a TV advertisement in the beginning. Today they use videos to showcase who the charity helped, motivating more donations.
Nowadays, you don’t get many letters through the door, but 20 years or so ago, people would receive so many that they ended up in the bin. The introduction of email newsletters combats this. Donors can subscribe to a charity’s newsletter, improving interactivity with people while helping the organisation’s impact on the environment. Email newsletters are important to keep every donor in the loop, expanding a bigger and better community.
Another important feature is testimonies in video or text format. This keeps everyone involved in charities, who the organizations are helping. Telling their stories and adding video testimonies to pull on the heartstrings of potential donors. This makes people trust the non-profit organizations more because they believe they can make such a positive impact on other peoples/animal’s lives.
Social Media plays a massive part in the advertising of charities. Having multiple platforms, some catering towards different age groups and promoting charity work on them. Even having big names promote the charity connects to a wider audience. This helps non-profit organizations connect to more people than ever before.
Is it better for charities?
I believe yes. Overall creating a charity and getting funding is much easier with the digital world helping you out. Non-profit organizations can now branch out to a bigger audience and drive more donations. The likes of social media and digital marketing have a massive positive impact towards getting attention and focusing on a target audience.
References
British Heart Foundation (2024) heart matters inspiring stories*. https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/my-story [28/10/24].
Jonathan Gilbrook (2024) How the British Heart Foundation’s RevivR app saves lives [Blog post]. Welmedical. May 9. https://www.welmedical.com/news/how-the-british-heart-foundations-revivr-app-helps-save-lives/[28/10/24].
Bertie Bosredon (2021) How Digital in the Charity Sector has changed over the last 20 years [Blog post]. The Catalyst. February 3. https://www.thecatalyst.org.uk/news/how-digital-in-the-charity-sector-has-changed-over-the-last-20-years#[28/10/24].