What would you do if your nonprofit’s only web presence and online fundraising were in Facebook?
I recently loaded Facebook but got this page. Apparently, Facebook was experiencing instability. While it still happens frequently with Twitter, this is rare in my experience of Facebook. But it serves as a good warning.
Don’t limit your fundraising to Facebook
Can you imagine how you’d feel if your only web presence were a page on Facebook? And your only online giving option was through Facebook?
Getting a page like this would mean your cause was invisible on the web.
Don’t let this happen to you. Getting your own website isn’t expensive. I use BlueHost [affiliate link] and a free WordPress blog software. A simple WordPress backup plugin automatically backs up my site each week and sends me a copy of the backup.
It’s not perfect, but at least there’s a web presence when sites like Facebook go down.
By the same logic, make sure your own self-hosted site isn’t your only presence on the web. I’d suggest there is at least an equal chance your own – or BlueHost’s – server will go down.
GREAT point, David! It’s important to have multiple presences on the web.
And it’s vital to be able to back up those sites as much as possible!
This is a great post. My client is currently running a Facebook fundraising campaign, but has also implemented Twitter and YouTube efforts in order to avoid this problem.
Shire Human Genetic Therapies is donating $1 for every person who “likes” its Gaucher Disease Awareness Month Facebook page (http://facebook.com/GaucherDiseaseAwarenessMonth) during the month of September. Feel free to check it out to donate or email me for more information on the campaign, as it might be a good topic for you to post about.
Thanks again for sharing your insights!