5 Things to Know About Donor Engagement on LinkedIn, According to New Report

With LinkedIn being the highest converting social media channel for nonprofits, there’s a huge opportunity for organizations to reach and engage new donors on the platform — if they have a strong donor engagement plan. 

To help you develop your LinkedIn donor engagement strategies, we partnered with Classy to conduct The Donor Engagement Report: How Nonprofits Build Meaningful Connections on LinkedIn. This report contains insights from a survey of 1,000 U.S.-based donors with active LinkedIn accounts and reveals some eye-opening trends in the donor cultivation cycle. 

Here are five key findings from the report that can help your nonprofit further its mission with LinkedIn. 

1. LinkedIn users donate regularly

LinkedIn’s global network is made up of over 850 million professionals — and many of those professionals donate to nonprofits regularly. One in three survey respondents (33%) report donating to causes, individuals, or nonprofit organizations on a monthly basis, with 20% donating weekly. 

In fact, 98% of the LinkedIn users we surveyed say they donate at least once per year. So, if your nonprofit is not currently using LinkedIn as part of its donor cultivation efforts, it may be time to start. 

2. Friends and family members have the biggest influence on donor decision making on LinkedIn

People often find out about new causes from important figures in their life. While partnering with celebrities and influencers can be a good way to reach new supporters on some social media platforms, The Donor Engagement Report found that these figures do not have the greatest influence over donor decision making on LinkedIn. That honor goes to friends and family members.

3. It pays to keep your nonprofit’s LinkedIn Page up to date

The Donor Engagement Report found that 42% of respondents use LinkedIn to research companies and organizations. And when people research your nonprofit on LinkedIn, they’ll likely turn to your LinkedIn Page first.

You can make a good first impression by reviewing your page regularly. When asked about LinkedIn Pages, respondents ranked a complete and up-to-date page as the most important factor influencing whether or not they would donate to a nonprofit. 

4. Designated giving days inspire LinkedIn users to donate and volunteer

If your nonprofit is debating whether or not to lean into designated giving days like Giving Tuesday, The Donor Engagement Report’s findings suggest this strategy can be highly effective. More than half (55%) of respondents report being “likely” or “very likely” to give on these days. What’s more, 29% say they’ve participated in Giving Tuesday in the past by volunteering for nonprofits.

5. Leveraging connections can help you get potential donors’ attention

When it comes to your nonprofit’s marketing efforts, how you deliver your messages can be just as important as what you say. And the most effective way to get your marketing efforts noticed on LinkedIn, according to our respondents? Encourage someone they’re already connected with to send them a direct message. 

Elevate your donor engagement plan

It’s easier to develop successful donor engagement strategies with insights to guide you. To discover more actionable data and trends, download The Donor Engagement Report: How Nonprofits Build Meaningful Connections on LinkedIn today.