We’ve heard it all before.  ‘Social media is just a fad’. ‘Facebook isn’t cool anymore.’ ‘Twitter isn’t converting enough followers to leads…

I don’t have to tell you twice that the nonprofit sector faces a unique set of challenges in the marketing arena all the time. We are constantly balancing limited resources and attempting to prioritize what tools will give our organization the best bang for its buck.  With that being said, I’ve never been more convinced that social media is something worth investing in. Hopefully I’m not breaking too many hearts here- but social media isn’t a fad or a fashion trend. It’s here to stay. Not only is it here to stay, but it’s become an essential tool for your nonprofit’s success.

Don’t believe me? I’ve put together 4 reasons why your nonprofit needs to take social media more seriously. Whether you want to convince your boss to take social to the next level or just want to understand why your nonprofit hired a ‘social media manager’ instead of an X, Y, Z, position, then read on.

1. Social Media Has Changed How We Communicate

A few years back Aaron Lee astutely made the assertion that social media has “fundamentally changed the way we communicate”.  So despite the new iPhone that comes out every second, or the new features the next tech gadget or app will accomplish, the purpose for using them never changes. We use our phones, apps, and social media networks because it makes communication better and connection easier. Check out these statistics that show how social media users are more socially engaged and have closer relationships. We can share photos, places and passions instantaneously for everyone to enjoy and follow. It allows your mom to stalk you without feeling the need to call you every night and you letting it go to voicemail (haha). At the end of the day, we want to know what our friends and family are doing and that need is what keeps people coming back for more.

2. Consumers Are On Social Media

So you need to find new leads or a different audience to pitch your non-profit to… where do most adults seem to be? As of September 2013, a Pew Research Center study found that a staggering 73% of online adults use social networking sites. Furthermore, 71% of adults use Facebook, 22% use LinkedIn, and 18% use Twitter — three of the most popular social networking sites out there currently. With that many adults on social networks, why wouldn’t you want to spend your time there? Social media is the new watering hole- go grab a drink and make a few “friends” (pun intended) while you’re at it!

3. Social Media Isn’t Stagnant Or Declining… It’s GROWING

Although social media has become a staple in most people’s lives whether they like to admit it or not, what I’ve found most fascinating is that social media isn’t as stagnant as people think. According to research by Steven White, social media hasn’t even reached its peak. Instead, social networks are still young- and rapidly growing in terms of usage and innovation.  In fact, according to the 2006-2012 snapshot, you’ll find awe inspiring growth across every social media site in the last six years. These numbers simply can’t be ignored and support an expansion of more user-friendly social networks which in turn creates more users and more opportunities for nonprofits to leverage social media to support their causes.

4. Despite Perception, Social Media Drives Leads

Whether it’s your boss, an executive or even friends and family who claim “all you do is go on Facebook all day” – social media DOES need a perception change.  People think that social media is just a jokey way to complain or post meaningless grumpy cat memes. Although this may be the case for some people, nonprofits should take advantage of the cold hard facts, which show that social media is one of the top drivers of leads and is particularly successful with lead acquisition.  In fact, Hubspot’s State of Inbound Marketing Report shows that not only is social media one of the top drivers of leads but that it’s the top driver of reducing the cost-per-lead (CPL) for business to business (B2B) and business to customer (B2C) industries. Furthermore, the CPL is actually reduced when social media marketing is used and 52% of all marketers surveyed actually sourced a lead from Facebook in 2013. Pretty cool right?