Post on 22-Nov-2014
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DIGITAL MEDIA IN ORGANIZING: THE IBEW EXPERIENCE
The Building Trades Academy April 8, 2014
IBEW Media Department
Lucas Oswalt – Communications Specialist
Erin Sutherland – Videographer/Editor
Alex Hogan – Communications Specialist
GOALS
• Describe how different digital tools can help you achieve your organizing goals
• Design a draft digital media plan in response to a real world scenario
How many of you are on at least one social network?
Do you follow or engage any union or pro-labor social networks?
Have you ever used social media to help your organizing?
What do you hope to get out of this class?
THE IBEW MEDIA DEPARTMENT: WHAT WE DO
• The Electrical Worker• IBEW.org• Video Production• Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest • Media Relations • Training • Archives
CONTENT PRODUCTION
• Breaking news• Interesting features • Commentary/Op-eds • Email blasts • Press releases
VISUAL CONTENT PRODUCTION
• Messages from President Hill (1)
• National Commercials (1, 2, 3)• Video stories • Internal videos (Educational,
COE)• Portraits, stock images• Memes
Memes
DIGITAL MEDIA
• Facebook: 47,229 likes, average reach of 266,000
• YouTube: 381,000 lifetime views • Twitter : 15K followers • LinkedIn 4,907 followers, content
seen by approximately 6,500 users
Why Do We Do All This?What Are Our Goals?
• Engage and educate our membership
• Build a positive brand for the IBEW and the labor movement
• Mobilize members and allies to achieve our organizing/legislative goals
• to sign contractor XYZ • To get 50 new contacts in Anytown,
MD • To ensure passage of prevailing
wage bill at the City Council• Win contract for new condo
development
Drafting a Digital Organizing Plan
1. Define Your Goals
Drafting a Digital Organizing Plan
2. Who is your audience?
• General Contractor • City Council• Non-union workers at company
XYZ• Your members
Drafting a Digital Organizing Plan
3. What content will you need?
• Blog posts/flyers • Videos • Sample tweets/Facebook posts• Photos
Drafting a Digital Organizing Plan
Content Types
• Who We Are• Fact Sheet • Breaking News• Testimonials • Petition/Call to Action
Drafting a Digital Organizing Plan
Developing Content
• Your International• AFL-CIO, IBEW• EPI, Think Progress, We Party
Patriots • Local press• Google
Drafting a Digital Organizing Plan
4. What tools do you need?
• Facebook• Twitter• Web page• YouTube channel
Drafting a Digital Organizing Plan
4. Bring it together.
WEB-BASED ORGANIZING
Why Go Online?
Getting Leads
Best Practice Checklist – 7 Steps
Why Go Online for Organizing?
Having an online presence allows for a
• quick• concise• easy
way to spread your message to a much wider audience.
A site is NOT the end-all, be-all of a campaign…
Getting Leads
On average, most union websites convert one percent of all visitors into organizing leads.
Getting Leads
When workers visit your website, you have only a split second to get their attention.
Getting Leads
So how can we get and keep their attention and interest?
Best Practice Checklist, No. 1
Do you have a “hero shot?”
• A hero shot = ideal potential member
Like this…
… and this.
Impressive…
Most impressive!
Best Practice Checklist, No. 1
Our new broadcasting site has some great examples of “hero shots”, too.
www.ibewbroadcasting.com
Best Practice Checklist, No. 1
Why you need a hero shot:
• It shows prospective members at a glance that they are in the right place and that this is the union for them.
If you were organizing nuclear plant workers, which photo would you pick to be dominant on your page?
A) B)
C) D)
Best Practice Checklist, No. 2
Do you have a clear and direct headline/slogan near the top of the page?
Best Practice Checklist, No. 2
• “IBEW: More than 100 years of servicing Nevada
• “Learn about organizing”• “The union movement can help you!”Straightforward and consise, buuuuuut…
Best Practice Checklist, No. 2
Better!
• “Are you a retail worker who is tired of putting up with a bad manager?
• “Learn more about boosting your career in the electrical trade.”
• “We’re energy professionals. We deserve a voice.”
Best Practice Checklist, No. 2
The role of the headline/slogan:
• It isn’t just to describe your page…
• It’s to get people to read the first sentence of your website copy.
This campaign has gotten it right.
Best Practice Checklist, No. 3
Does your site demonstrate credibility?
• Workers are making a big decision about calling you to form a union. They might feel scared or unsure about what will happen next.
Best Practice Checklist, No. 3
Keys to success:
• Recent posts, updates and clear evidence that someone is actively maintaining the page are essential.
Great example of a DIY website.
Bottom line: Stay current.
Don’t you want to hear from this guy? I do.
Best Practice Checklist, No. 4
Does your page have testimonials?
Easy, peasy.
Best Practice Checklist, No. 4
A little goes a long way…
Here’s a grabber. This woman lays it all out in 11 seconds.
Best Practice Checklist, No. 4
Video testimonials:
• In the 21st century video has gone from a rare sighting to a primary way many people share and connect.
Best Practice Checklist, No. 5
Does your site have case studies/data-driven info?
• Comcast: “They deliberately tried to trick us”
• Sears: “I can now work with a little more security”
Best Practice Checklist, No. 5
Two approaches:
• Emotional triggers
• Analysis/rationality
• Good = having one or the other.
• Better = having both.
Best Practice Checklist, No. 5
Emotion + reason = better messaging
Best Practice Checklist, No. 6
Are you asking people to “JOIN” or “ORGANIZE?”
Best Practice Checklist, No. 6
Union staff use terms like:
• “Organizing a union”• “Membership Development Department”• “Organizing drives”• “International Rep”• “ROC”• Etc…
Best Practice Checklist, No. 7
What happens if someone contacts you online after hours?
• The majority of visits to “join” pages occur during the weekend of after 5 p.m. on weekdays.
Best Practice Checklist, No. 7
A solution: e-mail auto reply
• The best thing to send is valuable information, not just pleasantries.
• What could you send them?
Hi, Thanks for your interest in the IBEW. I look forward to talking with you about how you can help make your workplace better for you, your co-workers and your families. Did you know the IBEW is at the forefront of green technologies – especially solar? Check out this dynamic video of our members in action. Our office reopens at 8 a.m. Monday, and I will give you a call then. Thanks again, and I look forward to speaking with you. -Joe Joseph Strummer, IBEW 999 Organizerjr@IBEW999.com, 202-485-5555
Best Practice Checklist, No. 7
www.wordpress.com
IBEW activists have used this with great success:
Organize Sitel Asheville
The St. Louis Powercast
Excellent Free Website Resources
The Takeaway
• Persuasion
• Start the conversation
• Know your audience
SOCIAL MEDIA FOR ORGANIZING
Three Tips on Using Facebook 1. Engaging with members, allies and the public (Be your own media!)
Three Tips on Using Facebook
Different types of Facebook pages:
• Locals, councils, etc.
• Organizing pages
• Campaign pages
Post frequently – and make it engaging
Quality content
Tell your members
Three Tips on Using Facebook
Three Tips on Using Facebook
2. Put Pressure on a Company
Three Tips on Using Facebook
3. Facebook Ads
Ad Goals
• Post Engagement
• Clicks to External Website
• Facebook Page Likes
This ad targets 300 users: who live in the United States
who live within 50 miles of Wilkes-Barre, PA
between the ages of 18 and 60 inclusive
who like electrician apprentice, journeyman electricians, electrical construction, foreman, electrician, journeyman wireman
Ad Goals
• Experiment with different ad copy
• Close up face photos get good responses
• Microtarget
Ad Goals
www.facebook.com/advertising
Ad Goals
• Targeted by keyword, location
• Can appear on Google searches and on websites
• Pay per click
• www.google.com/adwords/how-it-works
Tips for Twitter
• Use hashtags (#verigreedy, #lu #ibew)• Live tweet events• Follow people you want following you –
press, elected officials, allies• Press releases• Get allies on board (sample tweets)• Use the tools – hootsuite.com,
TweetDeck.com
The average Facebook post is viewed by 16% of fans
An average IBEW email is viewed by 40% of recipients
Some Email Tips
• Get a CRM – and use the tools (www.salsalabs.com)
• Petitions • A/B testing• Don’t spam• Share news/content• Short and sweet
Text Messaging
Text IUPAT to 48728• On Thurs. Mar 27 child care
providers are headed to Springfield to stand up for timely pay & CCAP! Call the MRC at 866-933-7348 to save your seat on the bus
• Don't forget--membership meeting TODAY! 3/20, Prentice conf room L, 6:30am-9am, 11am-1:30pm, and 2:30pm-6pm. Be there to win on wages, safe staffing, and more.
Text Messaging
SMS Program $$$$
• Revolution Messaging, Mobile Commons, AT&T Messaging Toolkit
Free SMS
• WhatsApp, Gmail chat, Apple iMessage
VISUAL MESSAGING
Why Visuals are Important
• Creates a memorable impact• Draws attention• Doesn’t just tell, but shows
Opportunities for Visuals
Rally/local union events
Organizing campaigns
For Print/Web publications
Bargaining updates
Showcase projects
Technology Makes it Easy
• iPhones/smartphones
• Affordable video/still cameras
• Social Media publishing – Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo
Photo Tips
• Good light• Focus, focus, focus!• Look for action • Get close• Context• Quality v. quantity
Do this:
NOT this:
EXAMPLES
GROUP SHOTS
Do this:
NOT this:
ACTION
QUALITY v. QUANTITY
Video Tips
• Use a tripod/hold still
• Good light
• Look for action
• Quick soundbites
• Short, simple
Say NO to Vertical Video
• News organizations cannot use this footage
• Poor quality, very unprofessional• Verizon picket line – Westchester County
Good Use of Mobile Video
• Exposé style video
• Basic quality, but highly effective• Verizon sends untrained workers into the
field
Send a Message to Members
• Simple, yet effective
• Keep membership up-to-date• IBEW Local 37's Business Manager Updat
e
IBEW MEDIA DEPARTMENT
media@ibew.org
(202) 728-6057
@ibew
facebook.com/IBEWFB