As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many smaller businesses are struggling to stay afloat. In response, Instagram has launched a personal fundraising feature on its platform to help business owners raise money for selected causes. Instagram will review all of the fundraising campaigns prior to money being collected to ensure that they meet the eligibility criteria (you must be at least 18 years old to create a fundraiser, etc.) 

Instagram released a statement explaining the launch, “Starting today, we’re rolling out a new way to raise money for a personal cause, like yourself, your small business, a friend, or a cause that’s important to you. We’ll begin with a small test to create a Personal Fundraiser in the US, UK, and Ireland on Android, followed by iOS. If you live in a country where you can donate to a fundraiser through our donation sticker, you are also eligible to donate to a Personal Fundraiser on Android starting today.”

Instagram has made it a priority to support people and businesses affected by COVID-19 through its platform. In April, Instagram added the features gift card, food order, and fundraiser tools for stories and profiles. With the wave of digital activism and social responsibility happening at the moment, this methodology has been quite effective—since January, over $100 million has been raised for COVID-19 fundraisers across Instagram and Facebook. And as the pandemic seems to show no signs of stopping, the need for fundraising will only continue to grow in these next few months. We are interested in seeing how different social media platforms use their platforms to help business owners most impacted financially by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Do you have any questions about this social media update, or are interested in working with us? Shoot us a line at info@socialflyny.com and we look forward to kickstarting a conversation.