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How can environmental activists use social media? Part 2
Perrone, Alessio
http://theecologist.org/2018/jun/19/how-can-environmental-activists-use-social-media-part-2Date Written: 2018-06-19 Publisher: The Ecologist Year Published: 2018 Resource Type: Article Cx Number: CX22847 Environmentalist activists and major NGOs all spend a considerable amount of time on social media - as an immediate and direct connection to the public. But to what effect? Abstract: - Excerpt: "The biggest mistake we make when we create content is trying to make something for the general public," says Richard Roaf, a filmmaker who specialises in viral videos, and runs the VideoRev project – which provides tools and training to make viral videos for social change. Successful posts are short, clear and compelling. They tap into your audience's values and give them a sense of empowerment. "People are really busy, Facebook says they spend on average about 2-3 seconds looking at a piece of content before they move on," says Richard Roaf. So make your posts succinct, striking and simple. Choose fresh images and words - or you'll lose potential readers/watchers. Successful content also taps into your audience's worldview and offers them something they value - it could be emotional value, new information, or a sense of empowerment. Michael Hamilton, Digital Communications Organiser at Safe Passage, says the latter is very powerful. "The key thing is make people feel that they really can make a difference," he says. Subject Headings |