Action for Renewables – Connecting with the digital audienceRenewableUK Annual Conference, November 2014

Who are the digital audience?

• 73% of population go online every day• 36 million people in UK are online - 52% of men online,

and 55% of women use social networking• Younger you are, more likely to be social networking –

93% of 16-24 year olds use the web for social networking, 11% 0f 65+ (but more of latter group getting online)

How do they consume digital media?

• Facebook – (still) king in the UK. 31 million users, highest 25-34

• YouTube – 19.1 million unique visitors per month (59% music)

• Twitter – 15 million, up 50% in 18 months. (Half readers not do’ers)

• Linkedin – c.10 million]• Pinterest – 2 million (major grower)• Instagram – 150 million global• Plus.. Snapchat, vine, WhatsApp, flickr, reddit, tumblr,

ask,fm, buzzfeed, forums like mumsnet…

Why does digital matter?

• Because newsprint matters less – Sun dropped below 2 million for first ever last month.

• Mirror – below 1 million. Mail 1.6mn, Telegraph 500k, Times under 400k, Guardian 180k, Independent 61k.

• Attitude of newspapers in the UK on climate and wind• With digital you get to choose your content exactly:

Action for Renewables approach on digital – choosing the platform

• You can’t be across everything!• Look for your target audiences – who are you trying to

attract and where do they hang out?• What are you trying to make your audience do?• Look at your resources – how much can you feasibly do?

• Facebook, twitter, web

What happens when you’ve identified your platforms? – Proactive posts

• Engagement = good, relevant content at the right time• content calendar, measure success of different types of

posts• When is the right time –

FB – 1pm-4pm, Twitter – M-T 1-3pm

• And not when they’re out having fun! FB – weekends, before 8am, after 8pm, Twitter after 8pm, Fridays after 3

• Find a way to schedule posts

Timing is everything!

Reactive work

• You will have constraints dependent on resource• Graphics on news stories work well• On twitter pick up key hashtags or tweets about positive

elements – more likely to find your possible campaigners then

Building a community. Facebook

•Initial very stylised campaign to try and draw in supporters•Moved now to different style graphics •Encourage your supporters to like and share – especially given facebook’s changes•Advertising may be worthwhile.•Is it as valuable going forward?

Twitter

• Mix up campaign posts with interesting facts or news stories

• Seek retweets from influential bodies or individuals – greenpeace, Bianca Jagger

• Spread your tweets throughout the day/week – 5 minimum per day.

• Look for good times to tweet – e.g. during question time, marches etc.

• Links get higher engagement• Less than 100 characters – make it easy to RT.

Website and email

• Aim for the A4R campaigns across social media to get people to join the database

• Website will be where your strongest supporters are • You need to encourage repeat visits• Forums can be best way, but need moderating• Blogs – mixed experience• Campaigns – set time for them to run, comms strategy

around them, and let your supporters know how they progress

• Have a limited number running at any one time• Make the action simple – the easier the better

Current campaigns

Conclusion

• Decide who your audience is and what your REALISTIC resource limitations are.

• PLAN – content calendars and posting tools• Measure – find the content your audience likes best.• Be ready to react when necessary/able• Maximise the opportunities – digital should sit alongside

media and public affairs.