Social media has changed how advocacy campaigns operate and reach their audiences. Campaigns can now utilize social networks and media to reach grassroots activists and thought leaders, engage audiences in two-way interactions, and amplify their messages through sharing and reposting. This allows campaigns to build larger audiences, measure engagement, and put pressure on policymakers as their messages are spread more widely. The document outlines strategies for utilizing different social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and websites to grow audiences and track the impact of social advocacy efforts.

1. Here Comes Social Advocacy NCRC April 16, 2011 Alan Rosenblatt, Ph.D. [email_address] Twitter: @ProgressLeague , @CAPAction & @DrDigipol Progressleague.org http://Facebook.com/AmericanProgressAction Facebook.com/DrDigipol YouTube.com/DrDigipol Slideshare.net/DrDigipol

3. The way things are now Congress can’t ignore because the world can see! Campaigns email activists & promote on social media Activists send email to Congress & msg via social media Activists sent to email/petition page, twitter petition, Facebook wall, etc.

4. Dimensions of digital communication strategy Social Networks & Social Media (Grassroots & Grasstops) Transactional Websites (Information Exchange, Donations, & Action) Email Lists & Brochure Websites (Broadcast & Narrowcast) Audience Interacts with Each Other Audience Interacts with Campaign, Organization, or Government Audience Interacts with Information All-way Communication Two-way Communication One-way Communication Community Action Information 3-D 2-D 1-D

6. Social media can reach the grassroots

8. Who do people trust? Among institutions, NGO’s most, but still lower than people

9. Who do people trust? Experts & Peers

10. Size isn’t everything

11. Influence in action: The right followers 10/09 @Katulis tweet from Afghanistan quoted in GlobalPost.com (117,000 readers). 12/09 Brian Katulis tweets about Afghanistan surge quoted in NYT by Helene Cooper. 11/09 @Katulis tweet about Afghanistan sent by The Atlantic’s Ambnder to WH Nat’l Sec. Council. 1. 3. 2.

12. Invest in emerging influencers Stan Spring ’09: Stan received information from CAP via email & web June ’09: Stan joins Twitter July ’09: Stan has 40 followers; starts retweeting @CAPAction Today, Stan over 400 followers & continues to share his influence w/ @CAPAction & other CAP/Action Twitter channels Value to CAP/Action increases

14. Organize your social media champions w/ Lists

15. Growing your Twitter audience: TweetSpinner

18. Understanding hashtags

19. Twitter petitions: Act.ly

20. Social Advocacy Case Study: ENOUGH

22. Measuring audience growth: Twitter

23. Measuring audience growth: Facebook

24. Monitoring social media

25. Measuring influence

26. Measuring URL referrals

27. Here Comes Social Advocacy NCRC April 16, 2011 Alan Rosenblatt, Ph.D. [email_address] Twitter: @ProgressLeague , @CAPAction & @DrDigipol Progressleague.org http://Facebook.com/AmericanProgressAction Facebook.com/DrDigipol YouTube.com/DrDigipol Slideshare.net/DrDigipol