When it comes to social justice, awareness and voicing the trials and/or triumphs of our citizens, social media is one of the most powerful tools on the planet. It’s important to understand which platforms will provide the best leverage for your targeted audience. I will share three platforms that have proven to be consistently successful for individuals and organizations around the world.
Facebook. Facebook continues to be one of the most far reaching forms of technological communication to date. According to statistica.com, the third quarter of 2016, Facebook had 1.79 billion monthly active users. What started out as a social outlet to connect with family and friends and exchange ideas has now become a major go-to platform for social change. Facebook Live allows you to reach audiences in real time. Viewers can join in, opt out, rejoin, share your video and more in just a matter of seconds. The impact is instant. You can do anything from sharing your point of view to streaming a presentation. And, all of this can be done for free! If you have a budget for marketing, you can invest in purchasing Facebook Ads. If you upgrade your post or video to a sponsored ad, it will provide you an opportunity to reach an even larger target audience. Take a moment and think about how many reported current events being reported have cited a Facebook post or video as the source of its existence.
Twitter. It’s amazing the level of conversation that takes place with 140 characters. Posting in this platform are referred to as tweets. Like Facebook, you can attach photos and videos to the tweets you share. You also have the ability to tag people, follow them and encourage having others to follow you. The key to Twitter is the use of the # sign, affectionately recognized in the social, media world as a hashtag. You can host twitter parties and twitter chats with anyone around the globe. Another great feature associated with Twitter is Periscope which is quite similar to Facebook Live. It is noteworthy to mention that Periscope was 1st on the social media scene. And, just like Facebook, you have the opportunity to purchase ads for additional leverage and outreach. If you’ve ever wondered about the usefulness of Twitter, consider our recent Presidential election and any number of current social issues where a hashtag has been referenced.
Podcasts. Podcasts can be very effective as well. You can share your own thoughts or create a radio show to bring emphasis to a particular issue or take on several initiatives over the course of time. Shows can be recorded and can be uploaded to a website, YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook or emailed to family, friends and colleagues with a request to share it within their circles of influence. For many people working in the trenches, it is sometimes difficult to get the attention of mainstream media. And, like the others, you have the option of a free platform or pay for more options and overall visibility.