Page 8 - Randle Communications - 2017 Digital Influencer Report
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#SB54
11 STRATEGIES (1-3)
Engage on the platform
Given the prevalence of lawmakers on social media, most policy and political debates will
occur at least in part on social media, regardless of whether an industry or organization
chooses to engage. Competing for newspaper and broadcast coverage is not enough to
showcase support or opposition for an issue because when an organization ignores Twitter,
they create a vacuum that can be filled by an effective digital campaign from the other side.
In the case of SB 54, limited advocacy on social media by the California State Sheriffs'
Association (@calsheriffs), a well-regarded organization, meant SB 54 proponents controlled
an overwhelming majority of the narrative on Twitter. That vacuum allowed them to
potentially reach more people organically, without any competition against their position.
Maximize third-party support and opposition
SB 54 enjoyed the voices of third-party advocates on social media and it demonstrated their
grassroots support. Many agree that a long list of support or opposition in a committee
analysis and a healthy line of supporters in a committee hearing make a difference. The
virtual engagement across Twitter serves the same purpose, as social media increasingly is a
signal about the public’s opinions for or against policy. Social media helps organizations
maximize traditional coalition building by creating an easy point of entry for activation.
Create and sustain momentum
The consumer social media strategies most of the public are familiar with don’t work when
dealing with California’s statehouse.
While it may make sense in a consumer campaign, tweeting once or twice a day will hardly
make a difference in an advocacy campaign because your message will be swallowed in the
real-time, 24/7 Twitter world of the 121 (Senate-40, Assembly-80 and Governor-1) where
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