Should Your Nonprofit Invest in Twitter?

Notice we didn’t ask whether you should use Twitter.  You probably should.  But the amount of time and resources you invest in Twitter is an open question that depends on your organization’s goals.  Before you go “#ALL_IN” on Twitter, you need to consider who you’re trying to reach.

Fortunately, Brian Solis has shared some very illuminating data on the matter.  Here are some notable points:

• 15% of all Internet users visit Twitter.  This percentage has doubled since 2010, and includes a userbase of over 500 million people (and bots).

• Twitter is most popular with the under-30 set.

Now things start to get interesting:

• Of all education levels, Twitter is most popular with those without high school diplomas, of whom 22% use Twitter.

• Twitter’s racial makeup is disproportionately African-American, as almost a third of African-Americans who use the Internet use Twitter (compared to 12% for Caucasian).

• Of Internet users 18-24, over a fifth are using Twitter from their phone.

And, unsurprisingly:

• Residents of rural areas have a lower participation rate than those from urban and suburban areas.

So, if you want to fundraise from old farmers (don’t giggle, their net worth might surprise you), you need to hit “them there dusty backroads” or send a message via snail mail.  If, however, you want to reach out to urban youth, you need to get hashtaggin’, yo.

Cultivate a robust presence on Twitter by sharing relevant info, responding and following influential Tweeters in your issue area, and welcoming followers.  Get a campaign trending virally, and your yearly fundraising goal could be met in a day!

Hit us up at @causevox, and we’ll help you get the ball rolling.