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Mia Cambronero, senior campaigner with Avaaz, Washington DC, USA. @mpc27
Stop debating the significance of online campaigning: the general 'clicktivism' debate is actually growing out of date. There is no debate - Gandhi didn’t practice walkivism, Rosa Parks sitivism. Obama won two elections investing massively in online campaign excellence. We should be transforming the dialogue: now that online tactics are built into our toolkit, how can we be even smarter about how to apply them?
Don't underestimate the power of clicks: a tactic where the 'click' can be the central component of the strategy is when you team up with an MP or legislator to filibuster a bill by reading out the names of every person who signs on to support a campaign. This makes every single signature have a direct impact over how likely it is the legislation will be defeated. Lawmakers need that empirical evidence that proves enough of their constituents care.
Embrace borderless digital activism: social media helped flip a number of key countries that were sitting on the fence on a vote in the UN general assembly about recognising Palestine as a state. In the end the final UN count was 138 yes, 41 abstentions and just nine nos - and social media was vital.
Noelle West, director of communication, Invisible Children, California, USA. @noellejwest
Identify the greatest need of your campaign: do you need popular support, do you need cash, do you need to influence three senators in DC to sign onto a bill? Pinpointing the needs can help inform the best ways you should be using social media.
Don’t forget offline: most people thought the Kony 2012 campaign was only an online campaign. But it was the culmination of over eight years’ work raising awareness about Kony and building relationships with key influencers. Two weeks prior to launching it online, we screened the film at 50 locations across the US.
Make people look cool: if you want to build a coalition around your issue you have to inspire people. Show them what is at stake and make sure that it is so compelling that they will have to get 10 of their friends to sign the petition too. Always think, what will this make my supporters look like when they post it? Will they be proud? Will they feel cool? That is what people are looking to do on social media.
Blossom Nnodim, public relations manager and blogger, Abuja, Nigeria. @blcompere
Lay off the big sell: campaigns go viral because they are shared between friends, so they come off as more reliable and authentic. Contrastingly, people don’t like being sold to, so traditional marketing campaigns never penetrate as deeply.
Get a credible champion: the offline drive revolves around the impact made by social media influencers. The offline credibility of Obiageli Ezekwesili has sustained the #BringBackOurGirls campaign and has made the needed shift from mere clicktivism to on-the-ground activism.
Larissa Ocampo, online community manager at One Girl, Melbourne, Australia. @larissaocampo
Remember those behind the digital divide: social media is meant to allow the previously marginalised to be heard. But the world is still divided into digital haves and have-nots, so there will always be people excluded from participating.
Be aware that standing out from the crowd costs money: the challenge is that there are so many issues and causes screaming at us from every feed and screen, vying for our attention and support. In this sense, online campaigns can become costly because you're investing in the mechanisms to achieve cut-through in an increasingly crowded market.
See clicktivism as an step towards activism: a click is the first step for many people into the world of activism. The ease and convenience of online actions (clicks, likes, tweets and shares) can be seen as a reason to dismiss their significance, but if it means introducing the issue to those who would otherwise never be exposed to it, then that is a game-changer.
Brie Rogers Lowery, UK director of Change.org, London, UK. @brie_rl
Use tangible examples in every campaign: always break down a large goal into a small tangible example of an issue for bigger impact. For example the #bringbackourgirls campaign was a tangible and clear ask, helped raise awareness and bring global attention to the missing schoolgirls.
Ify Elueze, petition initiator, #BringBackOurGirls, Bonn, Germany. @evie_prettie
Know that hashtags can inspire policy: #BringBackOurGirls has brought about the safe school initiative for all schools in Nigeria, especially those in areas most affected by insurgencies and conflict.
Aidan McQuade, director of Anti-Slavery International, London, UK. @the_mcquade
Don't neglect traditional media: a hashtag about ending caste discrimination would do little to threaten the power structures in India even if it went viral. Likewise it would do little to embarrass the current UK government into bringing into law stronger measures against this form of discrimination. Traditional media outlets still have more gravitas in setting the agenda on these issues.
Saira O'Mallie, UK campaigns manager at ONE Campaign, London, UK. @sairaomallie
Target the right people: the petition tactic typically falls short when it is not directed specifically at the right people and it is not accompanied by the necessary actions behind the scenes to make sure the target of the petition knows it exists, why and that people in their community will sign it.
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