What Makes Social Media Users Donate to Charity?

Trust the messenger, not the medium. That appears to be the motto of charitably inclined social media users, according to a new survey by the American Red Cross.

The survey, conducted online among 1,021 U.S. adults in mid-October, found that 71% of social users had donated to a charity in the preceding 12 months, and 60% of those had donated online.

Respondents indicated that a personal connection was particularly important to them when deciding to make a charitable donation.

Seventy percent said they would take some kind of action if a friend posted a story on social media about giving to a charity.

Not only that, while just 3% thought social media was the most effective way for a charity to ask for money, 19% said they would make a donation if they saw a friend post about a recent donation.

“This survey shows how social networks and charitable giving are intersecting and building on one another,” Gail McGovern, the Red Cross’s president and chief executive, said in a statement.

“These social philanthropists are giving online to charities and sharing the news on social networks, which then often leads to more social activity and more giving by their friends. I believe this trend will only grow in the future.”

Giving Season Begins

Still, face-to-face interaction is the best way to solicit donations, according to the survey.