5 Ways the Internet is Changing the World of Charity and Donations

In order for charities to help those in need, they need to reach as many people as possible, while also bringing in the necessary donations, resources and volunteers. Through the use of traditional marketing and outreach methods like paid televisions commercials, print advertising and postal mail, it’s always been an ongoing struggle to hit such goals.

Now, through the use of the internet, the day to day operations and outreach methods look a lot different for charitable organizations versus what they did just five or ten years ago.

With all of this in mind, today we are going to take a look at five different ways the internet has completely changed the way charitable organizations and non-profit foundations play a role in the world today.

Social Media is Increasing Charitable Awareness and Reach

Right off the bat, social media has changed everything. Just around a decade ago, the internet was much more of a one-sided conversation, where people would visit websites, read the content and then move on to their next site. 

Now, with social media, it’s all about user engagement and connecting with each other.

For charitable organizations, this has been simply amazing. It’s no longer about just getting clicks and visits to your site, but growing an online following that sticks around and helps your cause reach more audiences over time.

This is exactly what organizations like WE Charity have been focusing their efforts on for many years now. As a result of their efforts, they now have more than 3 million social followers across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

With such a following in place, this immediately provides an organization with the ability to reach out to an unlimited amount of people at any given time, while also having little to no associated costs.

Websites, Blogs and Charity Directories

Next on the list, we have a collection of websites, blogs and charitable directories. Through the use of platforms like Charity Navigator, millions of charities around the world have been able to get exposure, legitimacy and also provide volunteers and philanthropists with the necessary information to help them grow and bring in more support.

The value with most of these sites is that they have come out with lists of charities based on needs, location, required support, endorsements and more.

You can see an example of one such list here.

Celebrity and Influencer Endorsements

Speaking of endorsements, it would be a huge mistake to not discuss how much of a difference the internet has made for non-profit organizations to sync up with celebrities and influencers to expand their reach and impact.

The concept of brands and organizations seeking out endorsements is nothing new, but what is new is how it’s done in the age of the internet.

In short, celebrities and influencers now have more reach and engagement with audiences than ever before. And with a single tweet, snap or social media update, it can make the world of a difference for a charity looking to make a positive impact in the world today.

Crowdfunding and Accessibility to Online Donations

In previous years, if you wanted to make a charitable donation to an organization or good cause, you would need to write a check or pick up the phone and get in touch with an operator. You would also likely need to see a commercial on television or get a flyer in the mail.

Those days are long gone, and live donations are being made every single second on the internet today. These can be done through simple website donations, social media awareness, crowdfunding campaigns, or even through Facebook Groups looking to help local charities and bringing in new volunteers to help the cause.

In addition to having the process of incoming donations being a whole lot easier and more effective than ever, they are also a lot more cost effective as well. Just like in our previous data points, there is little to no need for commercial advertising on television or in print ads. The internet simply offers superior reach, and much lower costs.

Immediate Access to Unlimited Resources

Last but not least, the internet has pretty much provided everyone with unlimited access to everything. Whether it’s money, resources, information, personal engagement or anything else, there is pretty much an unlimited supply if one is willing to put in the time, work and effort.

And for charities looking to help those in need, the internet is a gold mine. A perfect example of this could be Facebook Marketplace, where people are literally listing thousands of items daily that they are giving away for free.

These items and resources could be picked up by volunteers and charities and put them to better use. They could also be placed in thrift shops and resold for profits to put back into the organization and further help those in need.

This is simply one example, but you get the idea of how enough searching, outreach and implementation can result in huge resources and tools for organizations looking to make a positive impact in the world today.

The Best Charities in the World Take Advantage of the Internet

Say what you will about different charities and the many different causes they are put in place for, but at the end of the day, the success of many of these organizations rely on how great of a content creation, marketing and social media team they have in place.

The internet has completely changed everything about the way we live our lives, and if non-profit organizations are still relying on ‘old world’ methods to reach audiences, they simply aren’t going to make it. Just take a look at any of the top charities in the world today, and you are going to see that they are more socially-active and internet driven than ever before.

Every charitable organization and non-profit foundation must be taking advantage of free traffic from Google search, social media, and making sure they are connecting with influencers to get the social awareness and attention they deserve.