Strategic Value: It’s no surprise that one of the best ways to share information and promote your issue is through social media. Whether it’s on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or SnapChat, social media enables you to harness the power of the internet and your existing networks to amplify your message to the widest audience possible.

Logistics: Before using social media to begin promoting your issue or your next earned media event, become familiar with the most popular networking platforms to help plan your social media strategy.

• Facebook A web-based platform available on your computer or mobile device, Facebook is the most widely used social media site. In addition to posting status updates, Facebook allows users to create groups with other like-minded users and post community events.
• Twitter Another platform that has both a website and mobile app, Twitter allows users to post 140-character status updates — a “tweet” — in real-time, and has the added advantage of allowing you to interact with other users by replying to and quoting their tweets.
• Instagram is a mobile app that allows users to post only pictures and videos (with the option to add a caption).
• SnapChat is a strictly mobile app that allows users to send photos and videos that disappear after viewing.

In addition to these, consider exploring other popular social media platforms like LinkedIn, YouTube and Google+ which provide additional avenues to share information about your issue and publicize your work.

Best Practices: Once you’re signed up and ready to begin promoting your issue on social media, remember these best practices for growing your influence.

• Expand your social network by posting regularly about your issue. It will help establish your credibility on the topic, and connect you with other like-minded users who share your passion.
• Use photos and videos in your posts as much as possible to help convey your main message. It will help your posts attract more attention and allow your message to reach more people.
• Use hashtags (#) to follow conversations relevant to your issue. If you’re hosting your own earned media event, create your own hashtag to help allies and supporters follow your story.
• Watch your analytics. If you can, keep track of how your posts are performing, and try to mimic those that perform best to increase your influence and reach.
• Share draft social media posts with your partners and allies to help amplify your message. This is particularly useful to garner additional publicity for earned media events and big announcements.
• To help prevent awkward or embarrassing situations, remember to keep your language and behavior professional at all times when promoting your issue online. A good rule of thumb to follow: Don’t post if you don’t want to read it on the front page of the New York Times.
• Be creative! The best social media users are timely, informative and entertaining in their posts. Live-tweet or live-stream your next earned media event. Create graphic memes that highlight your issue and can be shared via social media. Tag friends in photos of your work and invite them to your next meeting or canvass. Don’t limit yourself!