How does scrolling through your social media make you feel? Happy or anxious?
Australia hit the headlines recently after deciding that the emotional cons of social media far outweigh the pros as far as young people are concerned and passing a bill through its senate which will see a social media ban introduced for under 16s.
So what should nonprofits be thinking when it comes to their social media strategy? Are we all part of the problem – or can we demonstrate a better way of using social media?
At Jersey Road, we are passionate about working with our clients to ‘communicate for good.’ That’s a key line in our mission statement and it drives what we do. The nonprofits that we partner with are doing great things and making a positive difference in the world - from working to eradicate poverty to investing in Bible translation.
As the world decides how it will respond to the current challenges of social media consumption (Norway look set to follow Australia’s lead), here are three ways that your nonprofit can have a positive impact on social media and create ‘content for good’ that will enrich those who consume it:
One of the most satisfying parts of the work that we do is to shout about the countless powerful stories of transformation and change that are taking place through the work of our clients.
Whether it’s people being lifted from poverty, being given a Bible translation in their language or being provided world class care in old age, personal stories matter and they are powerful.
What better tonic to combat the wave of negativity and anxious-inducing content that populates our feeds than life-giving, positive examples of real people having their circumstances changed for the better because of your organisation.
A great recent example of this is a piece of coverage we secured in The Guardian with Pilgrims’ Friend Society. ‘They support older people to live fulfilled lives’ and presented the real story of Ann Thomas-Carter, who after retiring felt she’d lost her sense of purpose, only to find it when she volunteered in a PFS care home where she now serves as a ‘Hummingbird’ - a person who provides short, meaningful connections for those living with various stages of dementia. It was a story that resonated because it highlights personal meaning and joy in retirement.
People love to hear stories of redemption and joy, and it does them good, so focus on pulling case studies together of people’s hopeful stories - these will help you raise awareness, attract supporters and empower advocates to stand behind your mission.
We can’t get away from the fact that the world is full of injustice, that’s probably the reason that your nonprofit exists in the first place. But when so much of what we read and hear on news outlets and social media feeds is reinforcing the problem, people can become beaten down with apathy. Being told that you are sick without any mention of a cure is not going to move many of
us to action.
Dadsgroup in Australia marked Father’s Day this year by running its annual fundraising event ‘Man With A Pram’, to raise awareness around the issue of mental health for fathers. Families came together to combat isolation and enjoy community on an important national day.
The story was picked up by the Herald Sun because it both honed in on a serious issue (father’s’ mental health) while at the same time coupling it with hope, through their Man With A Pram event which effectively seeks to combat the problem.
A great example of equipping advocates for your mission can be seen in the work we are doing with International Justice Mission for its Dressember Movement, which is all about raising awareness of and putting an end to human trafficking.
With the tagline ‘advocate with purpose’, IJM asks advocates to commit to wearing a dress or to dress up every day in December, to embrace the freedom that they’re allowed, on behalf of those who aren’t free to live autonomous lives.
The charity is giving its supporters a sense of ownership and permission to get involved and tangibly change how they look to make a stand. It’s a powerful way of catching people up in the mission of the organisation and it creates identity and affiliation with all those taking part with you.
Find ways to give your supporters ownership for your campaigns, give them something to rally around and they will become your strongest advocates.
As an organisation that exists for good, you have a powerful opportunity in this cultural moment to stand out from the negative social media crowd and engage an audience who are thirsty for hope.
You may already have a basic social media strategy that is reaching your target audience, but with room for improvement, or you may be at the starting line with your social media strategy.
Either way, if you’d like to start a conversation with us about how we can help you with your social media strategy, simply get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.
By Liam Flint, Marketing Manager at Jersey Road
With decades of experience in journalism, advocacy and communications, our team knows what it takes to craft campaigns that can have a lasting impact.
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