Mobilizing our Forces: Engaging the National Agenda through Social Media. Jack Delaney, Public Policy Assistant, ACCSES

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1 Mobilizing our Forces: Engaging the National Agenda through Social Media Jack Delaney, Public Policy Assistant, ACCSES

2 Basics Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, SnapChat Allow users to create and share content and participate in social networking Facebook and Twitter have most engagement and should be prioritized before other forms of social media are used FB and Twitter - best for promoting business and politically related posts Facebook: 2b users Twitter: 328m users

3 Elements of Social Media Direct contact with voters/ advocates/ customers Modern word of mouth - one of the most effective forms of marketing Advertising your ideas without paying for it (or paying very little for it) No geographical boundaries The present & future of messaging Build and find communities to spread your and our message

4 The Importance of Social Media Some stats: Use as of 2016: 93% of nonprofits, 87% of B2B, 86% of B2C If a business is not using social for advertising, chances are it isn t as competitive - Social media growth over time: 08 only 10% of small businesses used social media 14 87% of small businesses used social media Why? IT S FREE AND EFFECTIVE

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7 Social Media in Politics Each social media network has a unique culture and messaging strategies Facebook, Twitter both are great for sharing links (news stories) the difference? Twitter quick hitting messages (289 characters or less), best for connecting and engaging directly with voters and advocates Facebook more flexible posts can vary in messaging length post can be more in depth on an issue Social Media can be used to sway public opinion, much like traditional media You don t need to be the NYT, WaPo, Fox News, or even a politician to influence public opinion anymore If you can build a following, you can change attitudes

8 How ACCSES uses Social Media Facebook, Twitter, increasing use on LinkedIn Mostly posting of relevant news stories context (messaging) can be provided but not always necessary Liking/ sharing/ retweeting other organizations posts Original graphics Something big in DC? We can tell our followers to call their lawmakers and oppose/support the issue

9 Posting 101 Since each social network has a different culture, posting length and timing varies: Facebook: Generally 1-4 posts a day is acceptable Want to space posts out throughout a day Twitter: Unlimited posting, it is okay to flood timelines with your messaging Tweetstorms Rapid tweets in secession that reaffirm your organization s message Anytime In general: The best times to post are on Sunday night and during the work day Studies show that this is when social media is most widely used REMEMBER: Since we serve people with disabilities we want to make sure our messages and the way we connect with people is ACCESSIBLE for people with disabilities Example: Senator Sanders shakes hands with labor organizers, protesting regulation changes made by the Department of Labor.

10 Content Graphics Great for holiday promotions, promoting events ACCSES uses graphics for our Capitol Hill Day events Infographics convey information in a graphic form A great and simple resource for creating graphic content is Canva Videos ALWAYS caption your videos Most people use social media on their mobile devices and often are in a setting where the can t use sound (commuting) Captioning videos allows your message to be spread Adobe premiere News stories Can either match your narrative or, if it doesn t, make sure you message around it properly to show your organization s POV #Hashtagging - #WeAreTheCommunity #AmplifyOurVoice #MobilizeOurForces

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12 Content: Don ts Avoid hyper-partisan messaging when possible If you wouldn t say it in person don t say it online permanent record NEVER argue comes off as unprofessional Can: respond to questions in way that conveys your organization s message Like your own posts or retweet your own tweets (unless you quoting a old post)

13 Social Media Analytics Facebook: Insights: Available for free Tracks likes, followers, engagement, most popular posts Twitter Similar analytical tools What are you looking for? Trends in posts and comparing posts: What posts did well? Why did they do well? Is there a common theme in those posts that can be used for future messaging?

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15 Boosting your Posts Both Facebook and Twitter allow you to promote your posts For a small fee you can promote posts that are breaking news for the industry or the work your organization is doing Target based on likes, demographics, geographical regions, etc.

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17 Social Media Tools Hootsuite Allows you to control all your social media pages from one site Feeds from all social media networks available Analytical capabilities Tweetdeck Allows to schedule tweets Allows you to follow multiple conversations at once

18 Community Engagement Social Media engagement is the new word of mouth will allow your message to be seen by more people Facebook uses an algorithm which will show posts that have large amounts of engagement first Engagement is key The key to engagement is Reciprocity: If you want your content shared you must share others content

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20 Mobilizing Followers in a Political Context Conveying your message Highlight the issue: Tell them why they need to get involved Explanation: What will this bill/ regulation/ guidance do to them Always simplify the message as much as possible Not the time to get into the weeds of an issue Your Ask: What do they need to do to get involved? Example: Call your Senators and tell them to vote NO on the proposed Medicaid changes.

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25 Questions? Jack Delaney Make sure you like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter! Please like and share our future posts!