The Daily Tell

Nonprofit organizations are increasingly building a presence on social media platforms, but many nonprofits are either unconvinced of the strategy’s effectiveness or are unsure of their ability to successfully manage their campaign, said a recent study.

The survey, released this week by Sage North America, found that 88 percent of U.S. and Canadian nonprofits are using some form of social media, although less than half of this number have been using the channel for more than a year.

Of those who have not adopted a social media campaign, 45 percent indicated that it was because they were unsure of its relevance or advantages, while others said that they were unable to devote the time or resources.

There also seems to be some hesitancy to transition existing new media strategies into the social media sphere – 91 percent of nonprofits said that they raise funds online, yet only 58 percent of these respondents said they use social media for fundraising.

Instead, the primary goals of social media nonprofit campaigns were found to be "sharing our story," building a community, public relations, and donor engagement and retention.

Experts say that social media can be a valuable tool for nonprofits, if used in the right way.

"The most successful nonprofits are capitalizing on social media, not by simply tweeting a link to their donation form, but by using it as part of an integrated campaign," said Krista Endsley, senior vice president and general manager for nonprofit solutions at Sage. "Multiple touches with constituents are what result in donations. Social media is helping nonprofits engage in more ‘touches’ with more donors and, ultimately, raise more funds."

With Facebook recently reaching the 300-million user mark and Twitter adding 8 million new users each month, the potential is great for philanthropic social media activity.