Instagram is set to launch a ‘donation sticker’ feature, allowing users to make donations on Instagram Stories. The social media platform hasn’t announced the exact date when this feature will become available, although you can expect to see it rolled out later in the year. A spokesperson for Instagram said:
“Instagram is all about bringing you closer to the people and things you love, and a big part of that is showing support for and bringing awareness to meaningful communities and causes.
Later this year, people will be able to raise money and help support non-profits that are important to them through a donation sticker in Instagram Stories. We will share more updates on this feature in the coming months.”
There are a number of promising benefits associated with this feature that are worth highlighting.
The Benefits of Instagram’s Donation Sticker
There’s Huge Fundraising Potential
Facebook launched its own fundraising features in 2017. And the impact has been huge. The platform’s donation tools have so far generated $1bn, with Facebook’s birthday fundraisers contributing to a large portion of the funds. Instagram’s donation feature will, therefore, be an expansion of this successful enterprise. Given that Instagram has 1 billion monthly users, the potential for fundraising is massive.
It’s a Unique Form of Fundraising
Integrating a donation feature into Instagram Stories will be game-changing. Facebook Vice President of Product Partnerships Ime Archibong highlights that the donation feature will combine an immersive visual experience with awareness-raising activities. Fundraising through an Instagram story will be an organic way of connecting with users who are passionate about a particular cause.
It Will Help Bring Out the Best in People
When a polar vortex swept through Chicago and left homeless people in dangerously cold conditions, Candace Payne, a 34-year-old real estate broker in the city, felt she had to do something. So she booked 30 hotel rooms for some of the city’s homeless to stay in. She then posted on Instagram asking others to do the same, by donating to a cash app account. Archibong said:
“For every Candace Payne story, there are 10 or 15 other stories in local communities of people who have taken to the platform in an organic way to raise awareness for their causes. That’s why we’re starting with Instagram and extending our giving tools there.”
People are fundraising, informally, on Instagram anyway. So the new donation tool will simply make it easier for these charitable actions to flourish. Emily Dalton Smith, Director of Product Management and Social Good at Facebook, noted:
“We heard from our nonprofit partners that they have very active communities on Instagram and they want to be able to reach them and have their supporters support them.”
How Millennials Will Engage With Instagram’s Donation Sticker
There are all sorts of ways that millennials can engage with Instagram’s new fundraising tool. First of all, it can allow young people to start their own fundraising activities, which can turn Instagram into a much more empowering and fulfilling experience for young people. While Instagram has come under fire for worsening young people’s mental health, if the platform can be used in a more positive way, then Instagram may be able to improve users’ well-being.
Instagram’s donation tool will also allow millennials to donate to causes that matter the most to them. Millennials are passionate about making a positive impact in the world and they follow a number of non-profits on social media, including Instagram. So giving non-profits the ability to include a simple donation feature on their Instagram stories is likely to garner a lot of positive attention from millennial users.
Young people (those aged 18 to 34) are the largest demographic who uses Instagram. Millennials are also enthusiastic about supporting charitable causes. This combination of factors is likely to spell success for Instagram’s new donation sticker, which, in turn, will help to improve the lives of so many more people.
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