By: Keisha Hartman

Are you on top of these four peer-to-peer fundraising trends?

Have you given any thought to how your non-profit organization can best maximize these options?

Not all trends are worth jumping on the bandwagon for, but it’s important to keep up with what’s available to you.

Here are some trends we’ve had our eyes on that may be worth considering for your next peer-to-peer campaign:

1) SOCIAL MEDIA FUNDRAISING

In 2018, there was a big shift in social media fundraising. Facebook began partnering directly with charities and with dedicated fundraising platforms such as Blackbaud to enhance the giving experience.

It is now easier for both non-profits and individuals to connect their fundraiser with their social network. Since the debut of Facebook’s charitable giving tools in 2015, users have raised more than $1 billion for non-profits and personal causes via its Fundraisers feature and Donate buttons.

With these enhanced features, more non-profits are integrating Facebook Fundraising into their digital strategy. We expect to see an emergence of messenger automation and targeted Facebook Messenger campaigns that activate your fundraisers in addition to traditional email marketing.

YouTube Giving tools are also ones to watch, but they don’t have the P2P aspect of Facebook fundraisers, at least – not yet.

2) VIDEO STORYTELLING

Donors want to see authenticity and transparency and it doesn’t always need to be a full-production video.

Digital fundraising is not just about the ask.

It’s about cultivating an engaged group of supporters who care about your cause and want to share your work with others. Use video content to create a connection with your supporters by giving them a closer look into your mission.

Here’s how you can use video in your next P2P campaign:

• Instagram or Snapchat Stories– A quick way to acknowledge top fundraisers, post quick tips, share impactful stories and progress updates. It’s a fun and easy way to engage and interact with fundraisers

• Facebook or Instagram Live – Connects with event participants on a deeper level and allows participants to ask questions and share ideas in real-time. Show behind-the-scenes footage and thank and update donors/participants on their impact

3) LIVE STREAMING FUNDRAISERS

In the last few years, live streaming became a growing trend on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Organizations such as St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital have pioneered the use of live video platforms such as Twitch to raise millions each year via gaming competitions and creative challenges.

A typical charity fundraising stream consists of a streamer hosting a live stream dedicated to a charity or non-profit organization. During the stream she or he talks about the mission and encourages viewers to make monetary donations in real-time. There are now several peer-to-peer fundraising platforms such as DonorDrive and Blackbaud’s JustGiving that supports livestream fundraising.

4) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE + CHATBOTS

Non-profits are beginning to use chatbots to automate as many manual tasks as possible so you can focus on raising more funds and delivering on your mission. Chatbots use little pieces of artificial intelligence that hold automated conversations allowing your non-profit to immediately interact with supporters.

Bots can answer basic questions like, “How can I learn more?” and offer a link to fundraising toolkits and tips or be programmed for more sophisticated customized messaging.

Just like an email campaign, fundraisers can receive trigger and time-based messages through apps like Facebook Messenger. Whether chatbots exist to deliver content, answer questions, or bolster fundraising efforts, these AI tools are making changes to the way organizations operate and interact with its supporters.

The above are just a few of the trends we’re currently seeing many non-profits integrate into their strategy and expect to see more emerge throughout the year. What trends have you seen lately that you’ve found useful?

Need help implementing any of the tools we mentioned? Looking for advice on how-to up your peer-to-peer fundraising game? Schedule a complimentary consult with us and let’s talk more about how we can help you with your digital fundraising strategy.