Ninety-nine percent of nonprofits polled recently in the U.S. and Canada have a Facebook page. ... [+]
Nine in ten nonprofits around the world regularly use social media to engage their supporters and donors, according to the newly released Global NGO Tech Report produced by Nonprofit Tech For Good.
Organizations’ social media usage is one layer of the multifaceted, 33-page report, which polled 5,721 NGOs from 160 countries worldwide.
The report offers a comprehensive region-by-region breakdown, with statistics for usage of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and WhatsApp. Nearly all (99%) nonprofits in the U.S. and Canada are shown to have a Facebook page, with 56% using Instagram, 64% on Twitter and 37% leveraging LinkedIn.
Live-streaming usage in the U.S. and Canada lags behind global rates: Facebook Live (43% U.S./Canada, 43% global); Instagram Live (34% vs. 41%); and Twitter Live via Periscope (13% vs. 20%.)
NGOs worldwide are found to use different aspects of Facebook to varying effects. While a vast majority of nonprofits (97%) globally have a Facebook page, 54% say they use Facebook stories, while 44% have a Facebook group. Thirty-six percent use Messenger Bots, while 47% say they purchase ads on Facebook.
And while Facebook is generally the preferred channel for nonprofits worldwide, more than half of the organizations polled – 56% – responded that they do not have a written social media strategy.
Of the six regions polled – Africa; Asia; Australia & New Zealand; Europe; Latin America & the Caribbean; and the U.S. & Canada; the U.S. and Canada had the lowest percentage of organizations with a written social media strategy (40%).
Even without an outlined strategy or an editorial calendar – 58% said they do not use an editorial calendar – 94% of respondents agreed that social media is an effective tool for online brand awareness.
Globally, the 42% of nonprofits that have Instagram profiles average 3,322 followers. Of those with an account, 66% use Instagram Stories, ahead of the U.S. and Canada rate of 56%.
The report included questions about web and email communications, as well as productivity and emerging technologies. Ninety-seven percent of respondents in the U.S. & Canada said they have a website, with 85% accepting donations through their site – the highest rate of the six regions polled. However, only 6% offer live chat, well below the global average of 12%. Worldwide, just 4 in 5 (80%) of NGOs were found to have a website.
Of the 5,721 total NGOs polled, 27% reported participating in #GivingTuesday 2018, with 59% saying they raised more than they had on the day in 2017. And 40% of those polled worldwide said they use Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software to track donations and manage communications.
The report, in its fourth edition, is sponsored by Funraise. The fifth biennial report will be released Sept. 15, 2021.
