Slacktivism describes online activism that requires little effort and CAN, without marshalling the right strategies, fail to create real social change. Examples of slacktivism include “liking” a cause on Facebook or retweeting an online petition. While these actions are simple and require little involvement, in the hands of a good organizer they do have the potential to make a difference. In this session, we’ll explore how to move your online community from the slactivism to activism. Takeaways - Learn why slacktivism is an important step in engaging people more deeply in a cause - Gain insight on how to amplify the impact of your campaigns by bringing newfound slacktivists to the next level of engagement - 11 organizing principles to inspire your online community

1. Organizing Better with the Social
Web
My Charity Connects 2012
Boyd Neil
National Practice Leader
Social Media + Digital Communications

2. 2
2012
eNonprofit
Benchmark
Study
h7p://www.e-­‐benchmarksstudy.com/

3. 3
2012
eNonprofit
Benchmark
Study
h7p://www.e-­‐benchmarksstudy.com/

4. 4
2012
eNonprofit
Benchmark
Study
h7p://www.e-­‐benchmarksstudy.com/

5. . . . And what of it? 5
! Social web now integral to non-profit and social organizing
! Twitter has taken over as a conversation and connection tool
especially internationally
! But . . . a tendency to think in terms of traditional success measures
(additions to email lists etc.)
! Moving from connection to engagement and action is the challenge
. . . Organizing online is a core competency for non-
profits and advocacy groups

6. How we do it:
1. Understand social dynamics
2. Draw from historic and
current organizing principles
6

7. 7
Dr.
Giorgos
ChelioEs
(gchelioEs@nus.edu.sg)
CommunicaEons
and
New
Media,
NaEonal
University
of
Singapore

8. Online organizing doesn’t change
how people make decisions to
participate – or not
1. Personal approach best for
recruitment
2. Knowing that “someone like me” is
on social platform (trust)
3. Personal invitations/direct support
help people get started
4. Understand needs, then help meet
those needs encourages
participation and ongoing
involvement
Neighbourhood
Forums:
(from
an
evaluaEon
of
E-­‐
Democracy.org
Inclusive
Social
Media
project)

9. Social
parEcipaEon
conEnuum
Connec&on
Engagement
Influence
Ac&on
9

10. What
social
web
acEvism
can
do
Create
Educate
Organize
Courage
to
Act
Act
10

11. Organizing Principles
Organizing principles
1. Contain anger | find ideological balance
2. Make action choices straightforward, obvious and easy
3. Connect everywhere
4. Use social tools to organize groups (We used to call them ‘cells’)
5. Give people offline connection and action opportunities
6. Identify local network leaders . . . And empower to self-organize
7. Personalize the relationship
8. Facilitate peer-to-peer opportunities
9. Provide incentives for offline action
10. Create content that rocks
11. Celebrate successes
12. Manage organizing like a political campaign

12. Organizing Principles
Organizing principles
1. Contain anger | find ideological balance

13. Two
reasons
this
doesn’t
work:
1. Moves
away
from
core
organizing
message
2. SubsEtutes
anger
for
argument
13

14. Organizing Principles
Organizing principles
2. Make action choices straightforward, obvious and easy

15. Four
reasons
this
works
1. Offers
calls
to
acEon
+
peEEons
2. Educates
on
what
it
means
to
engage
3. Urges
you
to
imagine
something
different
4. Makes
it
easy
15

16. And
this
works
too
.
.
.
For
the
same
reasons

17. Organizing Principles
Organizing principles
3. Connect everywhere

18. Three
reasons
this
works:
1. Displays
and
repeats
evidence
of
mulEple
pla]orms
2. Uses
visual
pla]orms
3. Has
mulEple
points
of
access
for
connecEon

19. Organizing Principles
Organizing principles
4. Use social tools to organize groups (We used to call them ‘cells’)

20. 20

21. Organizing Principles
Organizing principles
5. Give people offline connection and action opportunities

22. ‘App’ It
22

23. Organizing Principles
Organizing principles
6. Identify local network leaders . . . And empower to self-organize

24. Three
reasons
this
doesn’t
work:
1. No
place
to
idenEfy
yourself
as
willing
to
lead
an
acEon
2. No
infrastructure
for
self-­‐
organizaEon
of
groups
3. Doesn’t
educate
within
the
context
of
organizing
But
this
does
.
.
.
24

25. Organizing Principles
Organizing principles
7. Personalize the relationship

27. Organizing Principles
Organizing principles
8. Facilitate peer-to-peer opportunities

28. Three
reasons
this
works:
1. Begins
from
your
own
story
2. Makes
starEng
your
own
peer-­‐
peer
campaign
straigh]orward
3. Defines
progress

29. Organizing Principles
Organizing principles
9. Provide incentives for offline action

30. Site offers:
1. Game-style ranking
2. Personal invitations to
events
3. Special training/
education opportunities
30

31. Organizing Principles
Organizing principles
10. Create content that rocks

32. We can learn a lot about creating great content from 32
internet memes . . . They operate in affinity spaces and are
characterized by
Dr.
Giorgos
ChelioEs
(gchelioEs@nus.edu.sg)
CommunicaEons
and
New
Media,
NaEonal
University
of
Singapore

33. TACTICAL
TOOLKITS
AND
GUIDES
Drawing
by
Numbers
10
TacEcs
Message
in-­‐a-­‐box
Mobiles
in-­‐a-­‐box
Security
in-­‐a-­‐box
Info-­‐design
guide
Maps
for
advocacy
Online
advocacy
guide
ONO
films
Digital
Survival
Guide
33

34. Numbers
with
‘narraEves’

35. Good Data Visualization 35
! Have a storytelling ! Context is critical
disposition in data – Give us the ‘so what’
assembly ! Create the story from
! Less data, more story the data . . .don’t jam
(but collect it all) the data into a story
! Focus on opportunity ! Highlight actionable
not data pimping data

36. 36

37. Organizing Principles
Organizing
principles
12. Manage
organizing
like
a
poliEcal
campaign

38. THE
H+K
ADVOCACY
PANEL
Features
+
Dynamic
CRM
+
Mass
Mailer
+
Event
Management
+
Fundraising
+
Advocacy
&
Petitions
+
Share
/
Tell-­‐a-­‐friend
+
Legislative
Outreach
+
Social
Networking
+
Canvassing
+
File
Uploader
+
API

39. Boyd Neil | @boydneil | 416.413.4626 | www.boydneil.com
39