Facebook as a tool for Activists, Advocates and Causes
At the core of advocacy and activism is a social network . Without the collaboration of leaders, volunteers, advocates and community, messages would not be shared and change for the greater good could not occur.
This social foundation helps to understand why social networking sites, such as Facebook.com, are a perfect fit for nonprofits, activists, advocates and social causes. Due to its immense reach, at no cost to the user, new causes, companies and people are joining in the conversation and signing up for social networking sites every day.
Creating a social cause site provides a free and effective way to help attain goals among the general public and target audiences.
Getting Started
If you chose to move forward with a Facebook cause page, there are a few necessary steps to ensure that the page is as effective as possible.
State goals and mission in a clear, and compelling manner. Having a vision is an important part of convincing potential members why they should join your cause in its fight.
Get everyone involved. Invite every person possible, including co-workers, friends and most importantly, those associated with the organization, cause and causes similar to preventing childhood obesity.
Start the conversation. Engage members with thought provoking, informational and/or entertaining content. By doing so, you foster an active social network and environment.,
Utilize your network. Take advantage of the energy of group members. Ask them to help you recruit. They care about the cause, and are there to help spread the word.
Choose a moderator for the page. Make sure the page is active, updated and full of informative, correct information. The moderator should be fostering growth and support throughout the first few months.
Be digitally active. Once the group is sizeable it is a good time to orchestrate action – digitally. This involves suggesting that members spread the message among family and friends, blogs, and other social media sites such as digg, reddit, twitter, flickr, photobucket, etc. Encouraging action is an easy, and free way to get attention among all types of audiences.
Team up with like-minded activist groups and health advocates. Networking and familiarizing with likeminded advocates and organizations can add credibility and generate help in continuing your mission.
Other Important Things to Know:
- Update recent news frequently.
- Don’t SPAM your members.
- Remember to utilize the power of your group. Passion, enthusiasm and personal belief can go a long way.
- Let your members contribute. The group is an outlet for individuals to express their support in your cause. Don’t forget that allowing your members to feel a sense of shared ownership is important.
- Make friends with other causes. Combining members with existing causes is a great way to establish a well rounded and well formed network of supporters and advocates.
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