New Media for Campaigners Sue Fidler Charity Web

New Media for Campaigners Sue Fidler Charity Web Consultant 15 th November 2008 Sue Fidler

• What is campaigning? • What People are doing. . • How to: • Tools Sue Fidler

Campaigning Sue Fidler

A campaign is intended to mobilize public support and use democratic tools such as lobbying in order to instigate social change. Sue Fidler

Uses of Campaigning. . • single issue focus • gaining a voice • changing opinion • changing behaviour • collaborative opportunities • community building • community participation Sue Fidler

Benefits of e- Campaigning: • online presence • 24/7 365 • beyond local into national and international • cheap communication • user generated content • gives supporters a voice • allows supporters to interact how and when they want Sue Fidler

Sue Fidler

What people are doing… Sue Fidler

Sue Fidler

How To… Sue Fidler

Before you start: • do we need to campaign? • what needs to change? • how can we change it – is campaigning the right tool? • can we raise the issue? > awareness > alignment > engagement > action • who is your audience? • where are they on this issue? > petition > email MP> protest > rally Sue Fidler

Questions to ask? • do you have an audience? • do you have a subject? • have you planned the process • have you got the tools? • have you agreed terms? • what level of Transparency? • how will you manage reporting? Sue Fidler

Needs to be: • clear message • obvious call to action • a range of activities • petition • email Local Council, MP, PM • meetings • rallies • volunteering Sue Fidler

Needs to be: • targeted at your audience… • younger audience – youtube, myspace, bebo etc • middle aged – facebook, youtube, blogs • older – sagazone, blogs Sue Fidler

In- or Ex-clusive? • methods used • physical barriers (e. g. inaccessibility of ICT) • attitudinal barriers • financial barriers • language barriers • cultural barriers Sue Fidler

What are the risks? • Moderation • how much? • how heavy? • what rules? • what resources? • Brand management • how will you manage critics? • how will you monitor the web? Sue Fidler

Key points • clear message – brand/title/images • to the point - precise • detailed explanations • clear call to action • report back on success Sue Fidler

Key areas to address • get beyond the "usual suspects” • choose appropriate tools for the audience • all views can be included • flexibility in how people can respond • accessible information • language used must be inclusive • images must reflect diversity • feedback to respondents Sue Fidler

Before you think about the tools you might use… Think about who your audience are and where they are on the ‘activism’ ladder. Sue Fidler

Things to think about for a new campaign: • purpose • objectives • audience • actions • tools - which fit audience and actions! Sue Fidler

Tools Sue Fidler

Website/microsite • URL • design/branding • content: • who/what/how • updates/news/keeping it fresh Sue Fidler

Email • cheap • easy • instant delivery • instant response/reporting • drives traffic to website • builds relationships • offers choice Sue Fidler

BUT… • don’t use outlook or other desktop tool – you need email broadcast system • make sure it is compliant – DPA, unsubscribe • make it clean and simple • only ONE call to action (sequential not parallel) • do you have the names, or where can you get them? ? ? Sue Fidler

Sue Fidler

SMS • message on posters, fliers, PR • supporters text keyword to shortcode • either • text back with next steps • text back with link to website or WAP • cheap (£ 100 to set up 8 p per outgoing SMS) • gets right to audience • young people and people on the move Sue Fidler

Image Gallery • organisational or public • held on website • public can upload their own images • usually moderated • gives great visual or campaigning and issue Sue Fidler

Sue Fidler

Discussion Forum/Chat Room • online discussion, normally by thread/subject • can be moderated or not • can be open or closed • can be web based or emailed to participants • allows user discussion within a subject • free online software – yahoo, google, etc • proprietary – sits on your site Sue Fidler

Blogs • blogs (web – logs) are online journals/diaries • updated on a regular basis • personal story, message, rant • some allow responses/comments • public lists or private spaces • free online versions • proprietary – sit on your site • RISK – if not moderated, you have to trust the blogger Sue Fidler

Sue Fidler

Podcast • short audio file • downloaded from website by user • regular/automatic – daily or weekly download • ad-hoc/manual – downloaded when user finds • user needs listening software (itunes, doppler) http: //www. podcastingnews. com/topics/Podcast_Software. html • creative software list http: //www. podcastingnews. com/topics/Podcasting_Software. html Sue Fidler

Video or Vodcast • short video film • held on website • literally ‘click to play’ • offer broadband or dial up speeds • compress video into small download • no cost of distribution • global availability 24/7 Sue Fidler

Video or Vodcast • Youtube is set to overtake the BBC as the most visited entertainment site • 80% of UK internet population have initiated video streaming Sue Fidler

Sue Fidler

Community Sites • online communities • allow people to create a profile • offer blogs, video, images, email, forums • networking individuals and groups • Facebook, My. Space, Bebo Sue Fidler

Sue Fidler

Resources • Who • How • When • On what (web platform) • With what – Email, survey tools etc • Budget Sue Fidler

Bringing it all together: Planning is key • Who • Aims • How • Outcomes • Actions – reactions • Resources Sue Fidler

• ICT Foresight - Consultation and campaigning in the age of participatory media http: //www. ncvo-vol. org. uk/publications/publication. asp? id=3458&terms=hansard • Is your campaign making a difference? http: //www. ncvo-vol. org. uk/publications/publication. asp? id=8612 • The 21 st Century Volunteer- A report on the changing face of volunteering in the 21 st Century http: //www. nfpsynergy. net/includes/documents/cm_docs/2008/2/21 st_century_volunteer. pdf Sue Fidler

• E-campaigning forum http: //fairsay. com/networks/ecampaigning-forum http: //fairsay. com/networks/campaigning-tool-pool • NCVO – campaigning http: //www. ncvo-vol. org. uk/campaigning. asp • Charity Web Forum http: //tech. groups. yahoo. com/group/charitywebforum/ Sue Fidler

New Media of Campaigners Sue Fidler Charity Web Consultant sue@suefidler. com www. charityemail. co. uk www. internet 4 charities. org. uk Sue Fidler