Social Media Trends
Have you ever donated towards someone’s birthday fundraiser on Facebook or bought a novelty product on Instagram? If so, did you know you’re in the minority?
In early 2023, HubSpot released a trends report analyzing consumer’s trust-level when it comes to spending money on social media. They surveyed 600+ U.S. adults and discovered that one in five social media users make regular purchases on social media and 75% of those shoppers are satisfied with their purchases. However, of all social media users, only 41% feel comfortable purchasing products through social media apps.
In general, consumers are suspicious of social shopping, citing reasons such as they’re concerned the companies aren’t legitimate or they’re scamming customers. Consumers are also concerned their product either won’t arrive or won’t be as described.
Why This Matters
Although many non-profits and charitable organizations engage in fundraising activities more than ecommerce, there are many cross-over applications when it comes to earning and keeping trust with followers on social media.
1. Have transparent, easy-to-understand policies around how you raise money and what you do with raised funds.
2. Create a trusting community on social media through replying to comments, answering questions in public, addressing concerns, and asking for feedback.
3. Encourage constituent engagement and user-generated content. Word-of-mouth recommendations and reviews from reliable sources are highly effective for building trust and highlighting legitimacy.
Next Step
If integrating social media donations into your donor experience is something you’re interested in exploring, click here to learn more.
Photo from Canva.