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Amplify Your Outreach

Social Influence

Get up to speed on the impact of social media and how you can use it for your advocacy.

Get up to speed on the impact of social media and how you can use it for your advocacy.

Social media has revolutionized the way elected officials connect with their constituents. Instead of waiting for a poll to be released, an elected official can simply monitor a 'hashtag,' attend a 'Digital Town Hall,' or lead a 'Twitter Chat' to gauge how voters feel about issues. A large number of congressional offices even employ social media managers to monitor your comments throughout the day. Of course, there is always the question of whether these social platforms can be used effectively with all the noise. Do they actually change votes in Congress?

"80% of Congress went on to say 10-30 posts would be enough [to get their attention on an issue]"

The good news is that a recent Congressional Management Foundation study, entitled #SocialCongress 2015, asked congressional offices how many posts it would take to grab their attention, and 35% of them said less than 10 posts! 80% of Congress went on to say 10-30 posts would be enough. The key, however, is not getting lost in the noise.

Before we dive into the different approaches to using Facebook and Twitter, let's learn a little more about how they work in Congress.

Facebook

Every congressional office is on Facebook, and they typically use their page as a way to share information with their constituents. While some of these Facebook pages allow you to post comments, a good number of them have also turned this feature off. If you are able to comment on your Member's page, feel free to use this as a tool to speak directly to their them.

The best posts are short and respectful. Make sure to identify yourself as a constituent and as an attorney. This can easily be done by saying:

“As an attorney in your district/state…”

Also, try to include a picture or an infographic. Not only does this make your post more engaging, but it actually scores higher on the Facebook algorithms. In other words, your post will be seen by more people and for a longer period of time if you use a picture, video, or link.

If you cannot post directly on your elected official's page, don’t worry. Facebook is still a great place to connect with them in other ways. You can always post on your own wall and tag their account in your message. This is also a good way to let your network of friends and colleagues that you care about an issue, and it gives them a chance to bolster your perspective by 'liking' or sharing your post. You can also use Facebook as a good way to see what your Member is commenting on at that time. You can see upcoming events that you may want to attend, and get an idea of how they feel about issues. That way, next time you reach out, you know exactly what is on their minds at that time and where they stand.

Twitter

Twitter has become one of the primary ways elected officials communicate. Twitter is a great way for them to release press statements, photos, and other news items to the media, their constituents, and the general public all at once.

Of course, it is also a great way for individuals to rally around an issue and reach Congress with one, solid voice. To speak to your elected official, simply include their Twitter handle in your tweet. A Twitter handle is the name of the account and will begin with an @ sign. Once you include their handle, they get a notification and will sometimes reply back.

You will also want to include a hashtag (which is a phrase with no spaces and begins with the # sign). Hashtags allow people to search for other tweets using that hashtag, and they also do a great job of branding your message since they show as a bright blue on the website. Here, your strength is in your numbers, so using a common hashtag will help you show a united front. Make sure to coordinate with other legal professionals on a specific time, date, and hashtag to strengthen each other’s efforts. Hashtagging your district is also a great way to identify yourself as a constituent. This will let the congressional office know you are a member of that community.

An example tweet might be:

.@JaneDoe please support #Justice4All and co-sponsor H.R. 899 #WA-8

If possible, try to always include an image. 280 characters is not a lot of space to get a message across, and an image is worth a thousand words. Check our Social Media Center for photos, infographics, and videos you can use in your own posts.

For more information, contact Eric Storey, the ABA’s Director of Grassroots and Digital Advocacy, by email or by calling him at (202) 662-1770.

 

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