Social media has served Kiva well. Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn allow the microfinance organization to gain product insight by interacting with clients, and reach diverse types of audiences - from industry professionals and philanthropists to technically savvy individuals.
Twitter, for one, provided a venue for people to defend and show support to Kiva amid a growing controversy following a blog by David Roodman. The Center for Global Development research fellow said Kiva’s microlending is “partly fictional.”
One Twitter post read: “I’m a little surprised at the ‘uproar’ about kiva lately. didn’t we all already know the $ goes to MFIs? Kiva just tells the story better.”