When it comes to the type of content you put on social media, there is often this pressure to make sure it’s perfect. That it looks great or the video has great animation. But the truth is, people respond to people. Authenticity in your communication is key. You can often build a stronger connection through a shaky live-stream than a highly polished video IF you are honest and doing something interesting for your cause.

Similarly, more and more people are turning to video. There are free and simple editing softwares out there and most smartphones take decent quality video. Just make sure you keep it steady and that it is quiet enough to hear the speaker. Failing that, use photos!

If you follow the bullet points below you can generate a bigger attention for your messages.

1. Use the social network that is popular in your region or among people you want to reach. It’s not always Facebook. Maybe Twitter, YouTube or Instagram? In some cases politicians and or journalists are more active on Twitter, or if you run a consumer campaign it’s best to try Instagram.
2. Post regularly, check when your audience is active. Make sure you react to developments as they happen, better to give a quick comment than a perfect response the next day.
3. Carefully select what you post, give people a reason to discuss and share your content. Ensure it’s: relevant to your audience, helpful, entertaining.
4. Join Facebook groups which have topics relevant to your cause in order to engage in discussions with like-minded people and to get a sense of what people respond to. Or build a community and create your own Facebook group that targets this specific issue, invite people to contribute their own ideas!
5. Interact on a regular basis and avoid one-way communication: social media is all about discussion! E.g reply to other people’s posts, even if it doesn’t @mention you. Follow your allies and make sure to retweet/like their posts.