High-performing charities

Even as many charities consider social media to be an important channel to deliver on their communications and fund-raising goals, only a few incorporate it as a core strategy to engage with new communities. According to a new report from Grant Thornton, 'Growing communities: How charity leaders govern social media globally to thrive online', there is a real need for Board-level understanding of social media. This is true both in developed and developing countries alike. For instance, in India, social media is largely seen as an operational tool used for fund-raising and attracting volunteers by a small population of large to mid-size charities.

Confirming the Grant Thornton finding, a March 2014 survey of charities in the US and Canada by Bloomerang found that of 9,000 small to medium-sized charities, 67 per cent had no social media strategy or policies documented. The report says policies give staff reassurance: just knowing they exist sets an agenda for the organisation.

Among the various social media platforms, the Grant Thornton report says Facebook is still most popular, but posting too frequently can be counter-productive.