RYAN COHN Vice President of Social/Digital Operations

From Grassroots to Grasstops: Social Media for Advocacy and Public Affairs

• Impact of Social Media on Legislators

• Public Affairs Social Media Case Studies

• Memeology

(via Constitutional Management Foundation, 2011)

(via Cate Communications, 5/8/12)

FL 12 Legislative Study:

Public Opinion:

71% gauge public opinion on Facebook

61% gauge public opinion on Twitter

50% gauge public opinion on YouTube

Most Convincing Messages:

Personal Stories – 79.1% Very Effective

Local Impact – 76.7% Very Effective

Case Study: Moms Against CootiesClient: American Chemistry Council

Community Size: 40,000+ members (predominantly composed of women 22-40)

Messaging: Communication focuses on child-oriented disinfection and pro-kid imagery

Results: Embraced by Mommy Blogger community (70%+ positive sentiment); association members view as top outlet for combating opposing thought among moms

Case Study: Moms Against Cooties

Case Study: Healthy PoolsClient: Water Quality & Health Council

Community Size: 33,000+ members (predominantly composed of pool owners)

Messaging: Communication focuses on pool cleanliness and beautiful pool imagery

Results: 35,000+ free pool test strips ordered in 2011; association members view as top method for building a strong audience of consumers and influencers

Case Study: Healthy Pools

Case Study: Healthy Pools

Case Study: SB2442 UF Flagship BillClient: Tampa Bay Seminole Club

Community Size: 15,000+ members (predominantly composed of college students at FSU, USF, and UCF) within a week

Messaging: Communication focused on the negatives of the bill for those involved and gave members the tools and information to contact their politicians.

Results: Campaign led to major media mentions in the Gainesville Sun, Tallahassee Democrat, Florida Times-Union, and Florida Tribune. After significant pressure by group members, the bill was successfully amended to include all necessary parties.

Memeologymeme ( /ˈmiːm/; MEEM)) - "an idea, behavior or style that spreads from

person to person within a culture."

How to create effective infographics: http://www.epolitics.com/2012/05/07/anatomy-of-an-effective-online-infographic/

BONUS ADVICE

Katie HarbathManager, Public Policy at Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/katieharbath

50 People In Politics You Should Follow On Facebook – Huffington Post, 5/7/12

• We've found that photos get 2x the engagement than just posts with text.

• Posting between 9PM and 10PM will get you the most engagement.

• If you do post text, use no more than 250 characters.