Instant Messaging: The next online donation tool?

In a recent conversation with the Development Vice President of a large nonprofit, we explained parenthetically that “by the way, when we say ‘email’ we mean all forms of electronic one-to-one communication.” He wrinkled his brow and looked at us as if it were a trick question.

“We include Instant Messaging and text messaging as well. They are largely untapped but vital forms of communication.” The brow wrinkled further.

In fact, Twenty-nine percent of respondents to AOL’s second annual survey on IM say that they send as many - if not more - IMs than they do e-mails, and the younger users are, the more likely they are to favor IM. Half (49 percent) of teens and young adults (ages 13-21) say they send more instant messages than e-mails, while only six percent of those 55 and older say they do.

19 percent of IM users now send instant and SMS text messages from their mobile phones and PDAs, about double the number of users who said that last year. (A story this summer said that 10% of single British men had been dumped by their girlfriends via text message to their mobile phones. While this may not say much for the character of British women, it says a lot for the power of the medium among young people.)

Teens and Young Adults Still Lead the Way: Ninety percent of Internet-savvy teens and young adults say they send instant messages, and 71 percent of those ages 22-34 say the same. America Online dominates the teen and young adult population with more than four out of five (81 percent) using the AIM service or the AOL Buddy List feature to send instant messages.

A recent Pew Internet study largely confirmed this data. One of its most powerful findings is this:

“Within the instant messaging Gen Y (18-27 years) age group, 46% report using IM more frequently than email. In contrast, only 18% of Gen X-ers (28-39 years) instant message more often than emailing. In older generations the percentage is even smaller.”

Some questions to ponder:
• Even though you’re probably not maximizing the potential of email with donors, are you recognizing that IM and mobile text messaging is rapidly catching up to email in usage?
• How might you capture IM addresses and use them as part of your advocacy, communications and fundraising programs?
• Will today’s young people, who already find email less attractive than IM, ever become direct mail responsive when they get to their “prime giving” years?

Read both articles at:
http://media.timewarner.com/media/newmedia/cb_press_view.cfm?release_num=55254160
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/133/report_display.asp

November 2004

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