Using your influence for good
It’s been the UK’s hottest week on record, and across all social media platforms, we’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly climate news. We wanted to celebrate those who have used their voice to craft an authentic, relevant and needed message; and share 4 top tips on how you, too, can achieve cut through and become a digital advocate.
Before we begin, let’s get the facts straight. This heatwave has been caused by climate change. Despite what our deputy prime minister Dominic Raab might believe, this is not a moment to ‘enjoy the sun’.
Making noise on social media helps to spread awareness and helps to counteract some parts of the mainstream media who tell us ‘not to worry’. When London is literally burning, we believe there is a reason to be concerned and one of the best actions we can take is to speak up.
This brings us to our first top tip: authenticity. To craft an authentic message online, you have to be genuine in your argument and be able to demonstrate what you’re saying aligns with your own beliefs.
For a good example, we look to the climate change studio Earthrise. Earlier this week, they produced a piece of content recognising that London was hotter than the Western Sahara. This content works on two fronts: the copy is short and snappy; and the stat is shocking. It is therefore simple for people to add to their stories, amplifying the message far and wide: climate change is already happening today - and it’s getting worse. Earthrise is a climate change studio; we trust their opinion, they’ve referenced their stats, and this feels like an authentic message.
A poor example of authenticity is Missguided, who dedicated their stories to “Budget Hacks to Handle the UK Heatwave” earlier this week. Missguided is at the forefront of fast fashion, contributing to the climate crisis through their ‘miss’-management of environmental policies. Approximately 10,000 items of fast-fashion clothing end up in landfill every 5 minutes in the UK. The content comes across as disingenuous, with Missguided basing its business model on driving consumption and waste and then sharing top tips on how to cope with the consequences. At least they have decided not to promote their £1 bikini…
Second tip: credibility - why should we believe what you are saying? When it comes to climate news, many scientists dedicate their lives to finding and promoting the ‘truth’. Sharing a fact, stat or infographic (ensuring to credit the author) can be a useful way to advocate for a particular study, driving awareness amongst your network. Remember, it is much more difficult to argue with facts and figures, but please read the FULL article and make sure you’re not contradicting the numbers. On Twitter, you can quote tweet (QT) and use your commentary to make it more relevant and relatable for your audience.
Third tip: consider the role of tone in your messaging. Tone is the way you speak to your audience, and it affects how people perceive your message. With climate change, some people are huge advocates, and some are huge deniers, so to use your channel for good and influence, you want to be authoritative with your message - demonstrate that you are well read and take a more serious stance. It can be considered scaremongering to use harrowing stats, but we must remember how desensitised people have become to the climate crisis. This is an important issue and it should invoke a response.
However, if you are unsure about your tone, the best advice would be to keep it short, lean on stats, and include an achievable call to action, such as reading more with a link to a longer article or writing your MP. This allows your followers to interact with the topic and suggests a positive action they can take - reducing the feeling of helplessness.
Our final tip: execution, what channel, when and how should you post? With social media, timing is key. Make sure you post at a time and on a channel appropriate for your audience, such as Sunday evening on Twitter when people are more likely to be ‘doomscrolling’.
There is also a play-off between being proactive and reactive. Do you have the time to spend on social media platforms, taking the opportunity to leverage your message? Being reactive, such as sharing and commenting on breaking news, can lead to more viral moments and better engagement with your audience, but this requires investment. Alternatively reading the news, digesting and sharing it at a relevant and consistent time each day is a good way to keep topical but not spend too much time scrolling.
In summary, we all have a voice, and social media is a fantastic tool to be influenced, but it is also a tool that can drive influence. Curating your opinion and sharing it, or advocating for others is one way we can reveal the truth and demand for more action on target climate change.
The world is getting hotter - and we need society to step up and take action.
Contact lydia.richmond@purposeunion.com to find out more.