What Is Crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding has been rapidly growing in popularity. From the far corners of the Internet, crowdfunding now regularly attracts mass media attention.

A quick lookup for the phrase ‘crowdfunding’ on Google Trends gives a tangible insight into the heightened interest as search volumes rocket.

But what is crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding has all the basic principles of traditional fundraising but with a few distinct traits:

• Crowdfunding efforts are usually conducted online
• Fundraisers often entice pledges by offering non-financial rewards
• Donations are typically quite small but benefits arise from the power of the crowd and collective involvement
• Crowdfunding websites make it easy to browse through different types of projects and they create a community feel

The increased use of social media has been a huge driving force behind the success of this new type of online fundraising. Great projects, ideas and causes can now spread a lot faster than was previously possible.

How can you take advantage of crowdfunding?

If you need to need to raise money for something, at least some of your fundraising efforts should be conducted online. And it’s essential that you pick the crowdfunding platform that best meets your specific needs.

The two key differences between most crowdfunding websites are:

• How and when you are paid out. Some require you to reach your funding target whereas others pay you everything you raise immediately.
• What your fundraiser is about. Certain websites are restricted to a specific type of project whereas others are more flexible.

 We at Go Get Funding allow all types of fundraisers. From creative projects to medical fundraisers and everything in between. On our site, you’re paid when your project hits its target and our funding flexibility allows you to change all aspects of your campaign even when it’s live.

How can I succeed at crowdfunding?

Here are our essential tips for creating a crowdfunding project that succeeds:

• Include a thorough description. Talk about yourself, explain what you’re doing, how you’ll use the money and what rewards are on offer.

• Add a video to your fundraiser – it’s proven to hugely increase the success of projects. It doesn’t need to be anything snazzy – a casual 2-minute video of you talking through your project will do.

• Offer great rewards that would make you part with your money. Rewards could be a anything from a personal thank you on your website to a home-cooked meal or backstage passes to a special gig.

• Promote your fundraiser to your own network of contacts and get the ball rolling. All too many people think donations will immediately pour in from the public but unfortunately this isn’t always the case.

• Go beyond your personal network and connect with other people and communities that you think may be interested in your cause.

Succeeding at crowdfunding requires many of the same skills as traditional fundraising with the greater upside of getting donations from total strangers. If you put in enough effort, pledges will come.

So next time you need to run a fundraiser, take a crowdfunding approach!

Post By Go Get Funding