People to People - 2.0 tools

People to People Networking - Why Web 2.0 Tools Work For Fundraising

There is a new wave of communication tools, and they are immensely powerful. People are gradually beginning to see the value of Web 2.0 tools in a variety of sectors, and this value is advocate engagement.

Whether these advocates are customers, partners, referrers, sponsors, supporters or fundraisers, the common denominator is awareness-raising through people to people networking.

The United Nations, a customer of www .com ltd, is using the company's platform to engage the youth of today and provide an online meeting place where the next generation of budding world leaders can share their thoughts quickly, efficiently and interactively with their peers.

Forums, wikis, blogs, RSS feeds, bookmarks and tagging - all used outside work - so why not utilise their benefits inside the workplace?

What went before

I wonder what scenario prevailed before the advent of Web 2.0? I can imagine what it would have been like for anyoneinvolved with charitable causes. Organisations with high ideals and worthy goals would be frustrated in trying to raiseawareness or funds through traditional and expensive media channels or by knocking on doors.

These channels would belimited to big budget organisations and the smaller charities or companies, despite their equally worthy causes, wouldstruggle to claim wide support because they would only be able to supply anecdotal evidence as to the sincerity of theirobjectives.

How would they prove that there was rising support, and proof of the success of the funds already raised?

Web 2 changes all of this - dramatically - by introducing the conversation factor, getting people talking to people about the causes they are supporting, whatever their size, whether local, regional, national or international. Dialogue matters and over time a conversational wiki builds up online, thus showing potential funders - including those all-important celebrity and commercial funders - that there is a wide interest in this cause.

Thanks to Web 2.0 tools, smaller charities who traditionally found it difficult to raise funds will benefit greatly. Through viral marketing campaigns via forums, blogs, share buttons and wikis, supporters will do more than just make a donation; they will get people talking to people about the cause, and will inject a buzz into it.