Social media provide a place for us to connect with local supporters and create relationships that make people more conscious about the movement to amend the Constitution. Hundreds of millions of people are using social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram, so including outreach in these arenas will help spread the word about your event and increase visibility in an important way.

Keep in mind that phone calls, emails, and other direct communications are still the most effective way to reach people in your community. But using social media in conjunction with these other mediums can help create a buzz about your event that will expand your reach to wider audiences, especially younger audiences.

Facebook

Using your personal Facebook profile or public Facebook page, you can create an event page that allows you to invite everyone you’re connected with on Facebook. This page will be the home base for giving people the details people need and getting them excited about your event.

1. When? Insert the date and start time of your choice.
   
   
2. What are you planning? Use a catchy title, provocative question, or funny pun to make your event memorable. For example: Create Real Democracy, Challenge Corporate Rule!
   
   
3. Where? Sometimes it's not enough to just put a street address, make sure people know that you’re making the extra effort to host the event because you really believe in this cause. If the event is at your house, add your street address and any other instructions in the event description, such as where to park, what it looks like, or how to call your apartment to be buzzed in. You might also add a line like: “At my house, because I want to be there when this gets started!”
   
   
4. Who’s invited? Select guests from your list of Facebook friends – invite people even if you know they can’t attend; they may know someone they can tell about the event, they can share the event to their personal Facebook profile, or they send more invites to the people from their own list of friends. Check YES next to the boxes for ‘Show the guest list on the event page’ and ‘Non-admins can write on the wall’. The more people who appear as "going" or "interested" in the event, the better for the event's turnout! 
   
   
5. More info? YES! Always include more info to let folks know why you’re throwing this event and what you hope to accomplish. A link to the online action page can be helpful, but your personal statement is always more powerful.
   
   
6. Add a photo! An event photo is often the first impression people have for your event and can grab their attention quickly. Use one of the images we’ve created or make your own perfect picture.
   
   
7. Shorten the URL. A shorter URL is less likely to be lost in translation from one post to another. After you’ve created the event, use a URL shortener like TinyURL or Bit.ly to create a shorter, more manageable URL for your invitation. Some services will allow you to customize the URL to better distinguish the event.
   
   
8. Share your event! Expand the audience by targeting existing groups that have similar audiences or issues of concern. Find the Facebook pages for local nonprofit organizations, the city council, PTA, political science association at your college, etc., and post a link to your event on their wall. Customize your message to suit the group's audience.

Don’t forget to include your local news organizations – tell them why this action is newsworthy and important to their readers! For example:

• PTA: Parents are critical players in the fight for fair politics. Please come to a house party to hear Move to Amend's message about gearing up to take on Citizens United, the Supreme Court ruling that allows corporations to spend unlimited money in our elections. http://bit.ly/example [link to your FB event]
  
  
• Newspaper: Got a scoop for you – citizens in our town are getting together to plan a take- back of our democracy. Come on over on Nov. 9 to find out how Move to Amend is helping lead the people into battle for our government. http://bit.ly/example [link to your FB event]

Drill down to your inner circle and make a personal appeal to those closest to you. Send a personal message to a handful of your closest friends, those who you believe will support your event by attending, inviting others, or helping you in some other way. This message should be personal so they know it’s coming from you, not from a faceless organization. For example:

Dear friends: you know I wouldn’t clean my house unless I had a very good reason. We all have a good reason, so I’m spiffing up the place and inviting you to a house party on November 9 to talk about how corporations are taking over our elections. Because you’re my friend and because I know the combination to your secret lair, I’m asking you to do two things for me:

1. Please send this invitation to YOUR closest friends and ask them if they want a) government for the people or b) government for the corporations – anyone who answers A is invited to the party on November 9.

2. Bring your soapbox to my place on November 9 to hear a message from Move to Amend about gearing up to take on Citizens United, the Supreme Court ruling that allows corporations to spend unlimited money in our elections.

Twitter

Twitter is a fast-paced platform that requires messages to be short and to the point. Use Twitter to drive traffic to your Facebook event by piquing the interest of those who follow your tweets. Starting conversations is helpful if you can commit the time to keeping them going.

1. Keep it brief: Send a tweet letting people know about the event and include a link to your Facebook event. Use hashtags to make it easier for people to find messages connected to the event. Example: Join us tomorrow to hear more about the movement to #EndCorporateRule! Plz RT!
    
2. Target Audiences: Identify people and groups you want to invite to the party and send tweets directly to them offering a personal invitation.
   • “Hey @nikki4cc, party at my house on 11/9 is just your thing—talking about taking on #MoveToAmend! Details: http://bit.ly/example [link to your FB event]
   • #RestonPTA – you’re all invited to one of the most imp mtgs of the year for parents http://bit.ly/example #MoveToAmend.

Use the following tweet examples and write your own tweets. Make sure you are sending tweets at various times of the day, and feel free to repeat tweets that may have reached morning readers but not those who log on at night:

• The fight for democracy begins on Nov. 9 at my house. http://bit.ly/example
• Corps depends on power of $$, but democracy depends on power of the people who will party on Nov. 9. http://bit.ly/example #MoveToAmend
• 2012 elections begin on Nov. 9 at a party to plan a take-back of our government and democracy http://bit.ly/example #MovetoAmend
• Chips, dip, revolutionary democracy planning. You know, just another Nov. 9 at my house. http://bit.ly/example #MoveToAmend
• If you’re not outraged, come to my house on Nov. 9 and find out why you should be http://bit.ly/example #MoveToAmend.

Related Resources

• Social Media 101 (April 2013)
• Facebook for Affiliates (Sept 2016)
• Tips for Event Outreach