Can a single website move you to take action?

Causecast.org is an online portal that attempts to join media, philanthropy, social networking, entertainment, and education to move people into action around various social causes. The online community connects users to other users, charities, NGOs, leaders, and brands that interest and inspire people through video, messaging, and various content sharing opportunities.

The organization was founded by Ryan Scott, a tech entrepreneur credited for founding the “opt-in” email method in the mid 90s. Utilizing Scott’s business and technology knowledge and his passion to contribute to society, he created Causecast. As told by Brian Sirgutz, President of Causecast, the organization was founded out of Scott’s countless attempts to make donations to charities and causes and realizing the inefficiency in doing so. (Causecast has the capability for users to directly make donations to a charity/cause of choice through the Causecast website.)

When a user visits Causecast, the first thing he or she will see is a featured video and series of videos that discusses a social cause. The videos can be a collaborative effort with an NGO, or something shared by a user to the community. Broadly speaking, Causecast’s issues are divided into subtopics of Animals, Arts, Community, Environment, Human Rights, Health, and Youth. (Interesting that Poverty is not considered one of the featured causes.) The idea is for the user to peruse content based on a cause of interest, and be propelled to take action or take the first steps to take action. As an example, upon watching a video, a user can opt to donate to an organization (if partnered with one), comment, or learn more about that topic.

As Sirgutz says, the goal of Causecast is to help people who want to get involved get involved, and to make that process as easy and accessible as possible. Sirgutz believes that “all causes are inherently connected”, and as much as this seems like a simple concept, most people do not understand that global issues are inter-related.

When asked why social media is an important tool for advocacy, Sirgutz states that “people [inherently] want to feel like a part of something”, and social media can make it easier for people to do so. This seems consistent with how the Causecast site is built, and the primary ethos behind the site and the organization.

The site offers a plethora of NGOs to learn about or see how to get involved. When clicking on an NGO of choice, the user can find out the details of an NGO, or read snippets of updates from the NGO itself. The page also feeds volunteer opportunities with the organization of choice, or events related to the organization.

Beyond the single user experience, Causecast also has a consulting/”cause solution” arm, where the organization helps to “create real connections between foundations, charities, and brands” with social and new media tools. The intention is to help its clients create a tailored messaging strategy based on the clients’ needs and objectives. As Sirgutz says, “it is important to have a digital strategy that engages and educates people to give the opportunity to get involved” and “specific objectives need to be looked at in an intelligent way. “ Sirgutz cites organizations like Charity Water and Invisible Children as examples of NGOs who have successfully integrated social media into their campaigns. [Charity Water and Invisible Children are part of Causecast’s NGO partnerships, but these organizations are not part of Causecast’s consulting client base.]

According to Sirgutz, media tools are a powerful way to get a message across, but the tools need to be used in a “right/proper” manner, and organizations don’t necessarily know how to use these tools effectively. He believes that “more is not more”, and organizations make the mistake of overusing social media tools without thoroughly understanding that the messaging should be customized appropriately. Causecast’s consulting arm’s aim is to tailor its client’s messaging by utilizing media tools and helping the client empower its customers.

Speaking to Sirgutz and perusing Causecast’s site, it is clear that the organization is built on sound principles and has a unique approach to bringing together a community of do-gooders. Causecast has created a compelling model for socially conscious people to learn about various initiatives, and delivers information in a palatable manner even for novices in the charity or activism fields.

Sirgutz indicated that Causecast has many new projects in the works to push forward with its “one-stop philanthropy” model. It remains to be seen how much users will be drawn to actually take tangible steps to contribute to philanthropic causes, but Causecast appears to have the right messaging and packaging to make it happen.

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