Pinterest doing wonders for Charity

With the popularity of Pinterest surging at present, the adaptability of the site has really been highlighted by the increased variety of users signing up. In particular, there have been growing numbers of charities joining the site and utilising it in quite imaginative ways.

The photo-sharing site, which recently became open to all, is being realised as potentially becoming ‘a great source of donations’. This is due to the site being dominated by females (70%) mostly between the ages of 25-44, a demographic which is often hard to target. Campaigns on Pinterest could subsequently bring increased success for the charities tapping into this and also help to further their message and support base.

Some have suggested however, that Pinterest can only lend itself to certain charities due to the visual nature of the site. However, as is being shown, numerous charities are making use of it and finding a variety of original ways to portray themselves. Recently, the Blurt Foundation has made use of the site to try and remove the stigma surrounding depression. Whilst the subject can be difficult to convey, co-founder Jayne Hardy believes that “images can be more powerful than words”. The decision to turn to Pinterest was an obvious one for the charity and has really helped to raise awareness.  Through their use of the site the foundation were featured on the Total Politics blog for their depression in politics series.

Numerous other UK charities are now utilising Pinterest as it becomes an essential part of social media campaigns. Jordan Harling (Reason Digital) has noted that the goal for charities is to ‘use Pinterest to connect people and communities based on their social interests and motivation to do good’. By being creative, charities can gain attention and stand out from the crowd. The network can also be beneficial through linking up with other social media platforms and blogs for instance. So by grabbing the attention of the user on Pinterest, they could then be directed to the charity site and even make a donation. Even if a donation were not to happen, the charity has successfully disseminated its message and may gain support through this in the long run.

Some notable charities using Pinterest include water, a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. Their boards contain images from field trips, fundraising campaigns and photos of the day, which prominently feature water. The WWF are another significant group to have taken to the site. Understandably they use a lot of images of animals but they also include boards devoted to supporters and ‘tips to go green’.

Consequently, despite it being relatively new and unfamiliar, Pinterest is fast becoming a key avenue for charities. As well as helping to generate donations, the site is allowing charities to broaden their message and potential audience. In terms of visuals, these charities are also doing a great job in pinning creative, interesting content. This is sure to develop in the future as the site advances and understanding increases. 

Google and Good Deeds

Gone are the days of popping a few coins into a tin on a Sunday to do your good deed for others in need. With the power of social media, donating to charities, community groups and non-profit organisations, giving for a cause has become easier. With websites like kickstarter and just-giving raising funds for individual groups, Causes allowing you to share which campaigns interest you via social networks and organisations like Sparked that gives the user the opportunity to volunteer their expertise to third-sector organisations via the web; doing your bit has become that much easier.

If you're interested in volunteering online, have a community group that lives close to your heart or even want to give a small donation to a charity in mind, then here are a few websites that can help you out:

·         IndieGoGo - The largest crowdfunding platform on the web, IndieGoGo allows users to create campaings in which they wish to fundraise. It can be anything from giving a boost for a small company to helping out with someone's medical bills. What you donate is entirely up to you and allows random acts of kindness to flourish.

·         Kickstarter - Fancy putting some money towards a creative project? Look no further than the largest platform for this on the internet. The diverse selection of projects available range from Game Designers creating apps to History of Art webinars to photography gallery exhibitions. For something a little different that caters for all, Kickstarter is probably your best bet.   

·         JustGiving - JustGiving works differently than the above two websites as it is much more sponsorship-based. Raising for a selected charity, users can fundraise by doing their chosen tasks such as skydiving and sponsored silences.

·         Sparked – Fancy volunteering your specialties or area of expertise online? Look no further than Sparked, an easy way to find voluntary positions online. There are various different avenues in which you can help including web design and marketing.

It has never been easier to do your kind deed for the day, and now you can do it with only a few clicks!