The positive impact of social media on fundraising campaigns
Whether we like it or not, we live in a digital age where it seems like everything happens on a computer and every day of the week has an associated hashtag. For people of all ages, social media is an ever-present phenomenon with nearly unlimited uses. We can keep track of our favourite celebrities on Twitter, or keep in touch with friends through Facebook, but what is even more impressive is how easy it is to share our thoughts with the entire world with a simple tap of our smartphone.
So simple, right? And yet, if we want it to, that simple tap of a smartphone can be so much more than just another Instagram selfie. That tap could be the beginning of the next big online fundraising campaign.
With over 284 million active users on Twitter and over 300 million on Instagram, it’s no surprise that social media is now taking over the world of charity. With the world at our fingertips, so to speak, it has never been easier to get involved and spread the word about a good cause.
Bell’s Let’s Talk campaign is a superior example of the power of social media. One day every year, Bell Canada donates ¢5 from every call and text made by Bell customers, and every tweet and share online, to mental initiatives in Canada. According to the Let’s Talk website, Bell has donated over $67.5 million to mental health programs since 2010. Of course, they could have simply donated the money, which would have been very generous as well, but what really ends up touching people about the campaign is the outreach. By taking part, not only are we helping to raise the money for mental health programs but we are helping to end the stigma of mental illness, by talking openly about it with friends and family. With over 122,150,772 interactions this year alone, Bell has found a very successful way to break down barriers associated with mental health.
Some may argue that one day a year is simply not enough to make a real difference for those dealing with mental illness. Others would say that Bell is simply doing it for the publicity. Whether or not either of these would turn out to be true, in my opinion, feigns in comparison to the impact the campaign has had over the last five years.
…no surprise that social media is now taking over the world of charity.
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which made some serious waves this past summer, is another great example of social media at work. Started by Pete Frates, suffering from ALS himself, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge took the world by storm as it caught the attention of celebrities such as Ellen Degeneres, Oprah Winfrey, Justin Timberlake and Taylor Swift. The premise was that, if nominated, you would donate to the ALS Association or dump a bucket of ice water on your head. Critics feared the campaign gave people a reason not to donate directly to the cause, others that it was becoming more about the videos than the message, but the ALS Association had no complaints. Since July 29, 2014, the ALSA has received over $115 million in donations and it all began with one young man. Talk about social media impact.
Evidently, not every fundraising campaign can be as successful as those mentioned above. Not every selfie is going to start a worldwide campaign. But, with so much negativity associated with technology these days – how it’s ruining our communication skills and killing our privacy – it is comforting to know that somewhere out there, someone is putting that tap of their smartphone to good use.