Presentation by Emilie Aries

New Tools for Advocacy: Efficient Online Organizing Emilie Aries, Middle Coast LLC Today’s Goals } 
Explore how we can become more efficient and effective
online – and identify what’s holding us back
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Share best practices for organizing on Facebook, Twitter
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Think critically about how we measure what’s working vs.
what’s wasting our time
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Review recent online organizing examples from a RI
progressive coalition
How can new media help our organizaAons? Why does it matter?
} Add
legitimacy & professionalism
} Magnify your message
} Capture attention of press
} Recruit volunteers and interns
} The Google Effect
} Fundraising
} Direct grassroots advocacy: online petitions, email
campaigns, etc.
What are the challenges in our way? } 
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TIME!
Proficiency with the tools
Organizational culture
Internal communications structure
Unsure whose job it is/how to delegate the work
Belief that these tools don’t pay off
Fear of spamming supporters
GeDng the most out of social networks 5 Simple Principles
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Understand your audience
Listen, talk, and converse
Be smart about building your page
Leverage coalition partners
Always ask: “How will this grow the organization?”
1. Understand your audience FACEBOOK
TWITTER
1-3 posts/week
}  Authentic, casual voice
}  You = Page; They = Fans
}  Multi-media!
}  Share links to interesting
content
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1-3 tweets/day
Succinct, not abbreviated
You = Feed; They = Followers
News-oriented
Think of tweets like headlines
Link for more detail.
Users spend
1. Understand your audience A
SECOND
scanning
your posts.
1. Understand your audience Acknowledge it.
Accept it.
Work with it.
2. Listen, Talk, and Converse FACEBOOK
} Variance
is key
} Ask questions/for action
} “Like Us,” “Please Share”
} Comment on and promote others’ content
} Use all the post editing Facebook allows
KEY: Share compelling, timely content
Examples: Facebook Examples: Facebook Examples: Facebook 2. Listen, Talk, and Converse TWITTER
} Learn
the lingo
} Ask “Please RT”
} @At-Reply for public exchanges
} Use #hashtags
} Shorten links (bit.ly)
} Twitpic
} Take part in Follow Friday #FF
} Livetweet!
KEY: Share compelling, timely content
Examples: TwiOer
3. Be smart about building your page FACEBOOK
}  Keep basic info brief
}  Include key links
}  Know your photo strip
}  Pick featured likes
}  Use your profile pic wisely
}  Edit your tabs
Example: Facebook Example: Facebook 3. Be smart about building your page TWITTER
}  Choose a professional, simple background
}  Feature your website URL
}  Shorter the handle the more room to tweet
}  Edit your thumbnail
}  Keep it simple
Example: TwiOer
4. Leverage coaliAon partners } Run
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online campaigns together
FB event administrators from every coalition partner
Share a hashtag around a specific campaign
Share data from your successes
} Develop
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the content you want; ask for “partner sends”
Stagger your sends
} Mention
them in your content - link to them! Request the
same in return
} Don’t
forget, the old media loves new media
4. Leverage coaliAon partners: Examples 4. Leverage coaliAon partners: Examples 5. Ask “How will this grow the organizaAon?” } 
Will this broaden your base?
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Online contests
“Please share” // “Please RT”
Tag friends / @-Reply
Viral content
Will this deepen your supporters’ involvement?
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Ask a question
Get feedback
Request direct action
Strengthen lateral relationships
Solicit creative content
Think of the ladder of engagement
Accountability: Using metrics to track your progress } 
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Why?
How?
Who?
REMEMBER! BASELINE PRESENCE is important
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Some is better than none, even if you’re unable to Tweet,
Facebook, or update your website as often as you like.
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Utilize best practices to avoid wasting time – but don’t
avoid new communication vehicles altogether.
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Experiment
More resources } 
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Mashable
New Organizing Institute
Netroots Nation
Emilie Aries
[email protected]
Real-­‐world example: Ocean State AcAon
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Using Facebook for Rock the Boat 2011
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OSA Page announcements
Event Page invitations and announcements
Coalition Partners = Event Page Admins
Always linked back to ticket-buy page on site
Silly multi-media reminders
At start of event: posted photos and reminder
After the event: posted photos & tagged supporters
OSA: Using Facebook for Rock the Boat 2011 OSA: Using Facebook for Rock the Boat 2011 OSA: Using Facebook for Rock the Boat 2011 OSA: Using Facebook for Rock the Boat 2011 Real-­‐world example: Ocean State AcAon
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Using Twitter during the 2011 budget debate
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Live-tweeting at journalists
Promoting our friends and their amendments
Quoting our opponents
Using the hashtags we saw journalists using
Our tweets were covered by 2 political journalists the next day
OSA: Using TwiOer during the 2011 Budget debate
OSA: Using TwiOer during the 2011 Budget debate
OSA: Using TwiOer during the 2011 Budget debate
OSA: Using TwiOer during the 2011 Budget debate