By Lauren Coates
Even though Millennials outnumber other generations, this group donates the least amount of money to charity…or do they? Andre Bourque’s new article for Entrepreneur suggests that Millennials are simply not getting the credit they deserve when it comes to being charitable. With the recent innovation of crowdfunding websites like YouCaring.com or GoFundMe.com, donating to charitable causes has become easier than ever, and Millennials are leading the charge! In fact, Millennials are three times more likely than Baby Boomers and 70% more likely than Gen Xers to donate to these online campaigns that help those with medical expenses, funerals, adoptions, disaster relief, and more. Bourque theorizes that the reason Millennials are responding so well to this new wave of charitable giving is because they value transparency and accountability, which are two things that crowdfunding offers. Whereas money donated to a huge organization could be used for advertising or overhead costs, crowdfunding enables the donator to follow the story of the person or cause to see that the money was put to good use. When I donated to one of these causes that was advertised on Instagram, I LOVED receiving pictures and updates in my inbox to ensure that my money was used to help rehabilitate an injured animal. Crowdfunding has become so successful among Millennials because it utilizes what comes naturally to them: mobile phones and social media.
Speaking of social media, Snapchat is paving new ways for business to reach Millennials. For those of you non-Millennials who don’t know what Snapchat is, it’s a social media app that allows users to send photos or videos to their friends or post them to their “story” for 24 hours. Even though this form of social media may seem silly for businesses to use, it is wildly successful. With over 100 million daily users who send more than 65 million photos or videos daily, who can resist jumping on the bandwagon?! One way businesses can incorporate Snapchat into their marketing portfolio is by creating a filter that users can insert into their pictures or videos to increase brand awareness. According to Jillian Hausmann at Adage.com, in order for a Snapchat filter to be successful it must be funny, memorable, and share-worthy. After all, Snapchat filters can cost upwards of $500,000 so they better be unforgettable!
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