Report shows more than half of nonprofits intend to increase social networking project staffing over next 12 months

Co-sponsors ThePort Network, Inc., NTEN, and Common Knowledge released results of the nonprofit industry’s first-ever survey examining the use of social networking as a marketing and fundraising channel. Conducted earlier this year, the survey polled 978 nonprofit professionals about their organizations’ use of commercial social networking sites, as well as their own hosted social networking communities.

Included in the survey highlights:

• Among commercial social networking sites, Facebook is the most popular, with 74 percent of nonprofits maintaining a presence. Nonprofit communities on Facebook are still relatively small, with an average size of 5,454 members.

• Four-fifths of nonprofits are committing at least one-quarter of a full-time staff person to their social networking efforts. More than half of nonprofits intend to increase social networking project staffing over the next 12 months.

• Approximately one-third of nonprofits have built one or more “house” social networks. Of those with their own social networks, 86.3 percent host communities of 10,000 members or less.

The survey also indicated that nonprofits prefer more traditional marketing tactics to promote their social networks — prioritizing website, email lists and events. Lower in popularity but still prevalent were the use of Twitter and other social networks as marketing tools.

Survey results are being presented at the NTEN 2009 National Technology Conference (2009 NTC), held in San Francisco on April 26-28. More than 1,000 nonprofit professionals are anticipated to attend the event.

“The question for nonprofits is not if they should be hosting an online community, but how,” said Holly Ross, Executive Director of NTEN, a membership organization of nonprofit professionals. “We’re excited to work with our co-sponsors to present survey data that will help nonprofits answer that question while also illuminating the current rate of adoption and relevant trends.”

“More nonprofits are recognizing the value of social networking as a way to better engage and energize supporters online,” said Bob Cramer, CEO and Co-Founder of ThePort, a social media solutions provider that has worked with such leading nonprofits as CARE, Easter Seals and Sierra Club to enrich their websites with social networking features. “While many nonprofits are taking advantage of commercial networking sites like Facebook, others are seeing even more distinct benefits in hosting their own social communities.”

According to Jeff Patrick, President and Founder of the interactive agency for nonprofits, Common Knowledge, “Social networking is taking hold in the nonprofit sector, with plenty of groups experimenting and some nonprofits growing large online communities. Our industry is beginning to see the potential, and the survey demonstrates nonprofits’ commitment to increased staffing and budgets to help realize that potential. We’re clearly on the cusp of a new wave of innovation and productivity in the nonprofit industry.”

The complete social networking survey report can be downloaded without charge. To access the report, go to http://nonprofitsocialnetworksurvey.com/.

Source: ThePort Network, Inc.