Workplace use of Web 2.0 is prevalent...

...if you work for a non-profit. And read TechSoup. And took their recent survey.

I'm not too sure how much stock to place in these figures released earlier this week by TechSoup, an organization dedicated to helping non-profits use technology effectively. The sample is undeniably biased in favor of those who have an interest in technology, but for whatever its worth, here is a taste of the data:

• 40.4% of respondents reported that they read an online journal or blog in their professional lives which represents a 13% increase over last year.
• 9.7% of respondents reported writing their own blog for work which is a 2.5% increase over last year.
• 21.3% of respondents reported that they subscribe to an RSS feed for their work which is an 8% increase over last year.
  
• 15.5% of respondents reported that they use social networking tools for their work which represents a 7.4% increase over last year.

I saw another survey recently which stated that the non- and not-for-profit sector was ahead of the private sector in its adoption of Web 2.0 technologies to communicate with their constituents or customers.

If your association caters to non-profits, it stands to reason that investing in Web 2.0 technologies would be likely to yield levels of engagement on par with the figures above. But I do not think that these results would project well on to the population at large.

Even if these figures are overly optimistic, it still begs the question: When only 10 percent of its membership shows up for the annual convention (considered by many to be the industry norm), why wouldn't your association take some Web 2.0 initiatives for a spin?

Tagged: Association Management; Associations; CAE; Certified Association Executive