Digital Activism & Success Strategies for Non-Profits
Channel: Jessi Lee Mraz
Date: 2011-11-15

Abstract:
Many Non-Profit organizations around the globe aim to influence social change and improve communities. A method these activists can use to help educate others about their message, mobilize their communities and cause social change is digital activism. 

Digital Activism uses digital communication tools to achieve goals of social change. Successful social change campaigns often incorporate creativity and interactivity with a meaningful message for the community. 

Let's explore successful strategies for digital activists: 
1. Have goals and assess outcomes. Organizations must develop a strategy to achieve their goals, conduct research and assess the outcomes of the campaign efforts to succeed in their digital activism campaign.

2. Provide incentives to bring supporters in & give them a reason to stay. Consider the user's experience and play with digital tools & social media to make communication personal and meaningful. 

3. Reinforce traditional means of activism. 

4. Mobilize & inspire your followers. Communicating the organization's message and inspiring your followers to mobilize behind that message is by far the most important element of a digital activism campaign. 

Clearly, digital activists face many challenges including, but not limited to: Internet user passivity, authenticity, online security, and information overload. These are all very real hurdles activists face, but they are not impossible to overcome. 

Understand that your successful digital activism campaign will be comprised of personal sacrifice, great discomfort & wonderful learning opportunities. You will also need brilliant creative thinking to light the fire of social change. 

References: 
Gladwell, Malcolm. "Twitter, Facebook, and social activism : The New Yorker", NewYorker.com, October 4, 2010. http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/10/04/101004fa_fact_gladwell?currentPage=all.

Lopez, Suzanne. Personal Communication, November 13, 2011. Suzannelopez.com 

Schneider, Lee. "Occupy Wall Street and Digital Activism 3.0." HuffingtonPost.com, November 13, 2011. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lee-schneider/occupy-wall-street-and-di_b_1006376.html 

Shirky, Clay. "YouTube - ‪PdF 2010 | Clay Shirky: Rethinking Representation‬‬‬‬‬‏." YouTube.com, June 11, 2010. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2GyPniW2eM.

Stein, Laura. "Environmental website production: a structuration approach." Media, Culture & Society 33, no. 3 (April 1, 2011): 363 -384.

York, Jillian. "The False Poles of Digital and Traditional Activism." JillianCYork.com, November 13, 2011. http://jilliancyork.com/2010/09/27/the-false-poles-of-digital-and-traditional-activism/