Thanks to social media, we have seen the rise of big social movements with hashtags such as #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, #ClimateAction, and #GivingTuesdayNOW.
But as these movements grow, people crave meaningful connections to a cause that will lead to systematic change that goes beyond sharing a memorable hashtag. Social media plays a key role in forming inspiring communities that blend online and offline grassroots activities. These simple steps will empower your nonprofit’s social media channels to engage with the public, connect with your followers on a deeper level, and remain consistent with your organization’s mission and messaging.
Turn Online Activism into Action
While a hashtag is an effective way to start or support a movement, online and in person events can bring your followers together and build the necessary momentum to help the movement achieve its mission.
Below are examples of Teak’s clients and their campaigns who turned their online activism into action:
Project Bread’s Virtual Walk for Hunger
College Bound Dorchester’s Virtual Uncornered Fundraiser
North Shore Cancer WALK’s Virtual WALK Fundraising Toolkit
Massachusetts Coalition for Serious Illness Care’s Virtual Summit
Lift Each Other Up
Use social listening to learn about your followers’ habits. Observe their social media posts and comments. Pay attention to what they’re saying and how they want to help. Keep an eye out for the people, places, and organizations they’re praising, and hone in on how your messaging fits into their values and beliefs.
Create a campaign with a call-to-action asking followers what they want to see from your organization. Conduct a poll through your social media channels, send out a survey or post a link with a form to be filled out. All are excellent ways to not only show your followers that you truly care about them, it is also a way to get some great ideas on campaigns or services you may have never thought of before. Follow through on their requests, give them feedback on their ideas, and don’t be afraid to ask your followers to advocate for you on their social media channels.
If you follow these tips to social listening, your followers will notice, and they will more likely come back to you, again and again—and possibly refer their friends, family and network to join your cause too.
Share Relevant and Reliable Resources
Participating in social movements on social media requires seeking out both information easily found in traditional media and important stories that may not have gotten as much media attention that might need “shares” to lend them a voice. However, it also requires diligently fact-checking online sources and accounts before you “like” and “repost.” This is not a substitute for action, which would make it “slacktivism”— taking small measures to support a cause with little risk involved. Instead, it’s a way of continuing the global conversation about the issues you care about.
Social media has become a source of raw, live information and crowdsourcing imagery. Your organization must be an accessible and reliable resource and information, which your followers can trust to help them become educated about the issues and the ways they can advocate for your cause. Share links to petitions, offer advice for safe protesting practices, create templates for emailing public authorities, list organizations in need of support, and share videos or documents from primary sources.
Luckily, there are many of us who want to create positive change in society and make social media more positive. It’s up to all of us to make a change. Now is the time to highlight the positive ways we can use social networks to make friends, gain followers, and find peace and inspiration. We can build a powerful people’s response to increase care in our communities and reshape the limits of what is possible.[/vc_row]
