We are here at American University - Butler Boardroom supporting Regina Holiday who is featured in:
Robert Fine introducing Dr. Alan Rosenblatt (@CAPAction and @DrDigipol) talking about Social Advocacy at the Center for American Progress.
Talking about using Social Media at the Center for American Progress Action Fund.
Social Media is the driving force fo advocacy rather than an add-on.
Old style advocacy was using email. A closed loop system and no one knew what happened. Did supporters take action. Did the recipients in congress act on emails received?
By leveraging social media everyone gets involved. Everything is in the open and can't be ignored.
Act.ly tracks mentions - the equivalent of a signature.
Also using Facebook pages for members of congress. A constant flow out in the public eye.
Center for American Progress has blown up it's influence model. A whole new group of influencers have come in to play.
Who do people trust?
Academic experts are the most trusted in North America.
Peers (people like us) NGO's and their representatives are the next most trusted.
American Progress has developed multiple brands on Twitter. They have also developed twitter channels for the staff behind the brands.
Social Advocacy can be best used to target a committee, swing voters in congress rather than the entire congress.
Facebook posts stay on the wall longer. Twitter is more transient.
Clicking the Like button is the price of admission on Facebook.
Multiple channels have an additive impact when combined. One channel doesn't have to replace another.
YouTube - Video is powerful. It is a host rather than a channel.
"Viral is a phenomenon and not a strategy".
A word of mouth campaign is needed. If all the signs align it can then have a life of it's own. ie. it become's viral.
