If charities can better engage older supporters on social media there is “huge potential to spread the message to a wider audience”, according to new research.
A survey by strategy agency Eden Stanley found that 30% of the UK population post about charitable causes online, though engagement varies by age.
It said there is scope for charities to engage further with Baby Boomers (those aged between 60 and 78), as many are using online channels most days, yet only 14% of them are posting about causes.
Key findings
Gen Z (aged 18 to 27) respondents and Millennials (between 28 and 44 years old) were the most likely to post about charitable causes at 44% and 43% respectively.
Researchers found that what drives people to share their views also correlates with age.
Millennials share their views about good causes on social media to express their values, while older generations primarily want to raise awareness of issues, according to new data.
More than half (52%) of all those who reported posting about social causes did so to raise awareness of a cause, but among Baby Boomers this rose to 65%.
For Gen Z respondents, encouraging political change was a priority – with 32% of those who post reporting a political motivation, six percentage points above the UK average.
The research found that younger groups were more optimistic about the positive impact social media allows them to have as individuals.
Some 29% of Millennials and 30% of Gen Z repondents that post about causes saying they believe doing so “can make a real difference”, compared with 9% of Baby Boomers.
‘Better engage older supporters on social media’
The research was conducted via an online survey of 3,000 nationally-representative UK adults aged 18 and over, throughout July 2024.
Joe Barrell, founder and principal of Eden Stanley, said: “If non-profits can better engage older supporters on social media, there’s huge potential to spread the message to a wider audience and, given this demographic’s political sway, have a greater impact on public policy too.
“Getting there requires identifying how best to speak to, engage and mobilise different groups of supporters, and this relies on understanding what really motivates people to act.”
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