How To Properly Use Social Media For Social Activism

Social media is a perfect place for fun and entertainment. However, that’s not its only purpose. Various social media platforms can be used to send a good message and even engage in social activism.

There have been countless examples of how activism can be seen and heard through social media, including #OccupyWallStreet, #BlackLivesMatter, and so on. Such campaigns take the internet by the storm and generate rapid but short-lived engagement.

Even though such campaigns and posts are well-intentioned and they amplify awareness, they shouldn’t last that short. So, in order to create proper social activism and engagement through social media, here are a few things to consider.

Set Your Goals

In order to have a strong and successful social media campaign, you have to have goals and objectives. To achieve this, you should utilize the S.M.A.R.T approach, meaning you have to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-boun. This approach towards setting your goals for activism camping is the first step in your plan.

It will help you plan everything out, identify your desires and outcomes and help you keep the campaign on track. Without setting the goals and objectives, little to no people will recognize your campaign and won’t engage in the way you wanted to.

You Message has to be Clear

When engaging in social activism, people want to know why they are doing it. That’s why you have to have a clear message in order to spark that desire in other people to join.

When you have a clear and compelling message you allow your supporters to understand your movement, what the cause is about and how and why should they engage and join you.

What’s more, with a focused message you can combat confusion and co-opting as your campaigns gains momentum and traction on various platforms.

Choose the Right Platform

Speaking of platforms, there are so many social media platforms that people use today. However, not all people use all platforms. You may think that sharing your message on every single platform is a good idea, but that may be a mistake since you may not reach your desired audience on all of them, which can later result in a lot of negative feedback. That’s why you have to define your audience and meet them where they are.

For example, if you want to reach Gen Z and Millenial adults you may want to start an Instagram campaign. On the other hand, if you want to engage with Gen X, then Facebook and Twitter are good options. Additionally, you may want to research some other and new platforms that people are using today.

For example, there is a great new free speech social media platform where people are sharing valid research, links, and activist movements and you can be sure that your campaign will meet the right audience there.

Be Specific About the Call to Action

Besides being clear about why your audience should get involved, they should know how to take action. No matter if you want to encourage people to vote, or motivate them to demand justice, you have to share a specific call to action.

This will only elevate your cause and show people how they can make a change with their actions. This way, people will take you and your campaign more seriously instead of just seeing it as an ego boost. Active participation can make a change, but people have to know how they can help.

Come up with a Relevant Hashtag

Hashtags play a major role on social media, especially when it comes to activism campaigns. Your hashtags should capture the essence of your message and the call to action you are trying to put out there. Also, hashtags are a powerful tool for spreading the word and making your goals visible online.

So, before you make up your mind about a hashtag, you should do some research. Make sure no one is using the hashtag already, especially not a certain organization in your space. Also, aim for the hashtag to be flexible so it can naturally and easily be implemented at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a sentence.

Using social media platforms for social activism is a great idea. Everyone uses social media and they represent a fast means of spreading the message and engaging people. However, if you want your campaign to be seen and impactful, there are some elements that you need to consider before you start.