Have you “liked” anything today? Tweeted? Pinned? These now common words in our lexicons were once foreign to most, especially to organizations engaging in advocacy. Now, nonprofits who don’t use social media tools as part of their mobilization efforts are missing out on a critical mass of voices to add to their movement.

First, let’s back up: what is advocacy? Is it about raising your voice on an issue that affects you, your family, or your community? Is it protesting? Is it standing up for a cause you believe in? Advocacy is all of the above and more. It can be done in person, through the written word, and in complete silence. It can be a formal meeting, an education session, or a march down Fayetteville Street toward the NC General Assembly.

Now, how does one become an advocate? Do you sign a petition? Meet with elected officials?

More and more, organizations are shifting our focus into the realm that can no longer be ignored: the online sector. Over the last decade, nonprofits are harnessing the power of online engagement to draw in new voices for a common cause.

But, is all that glitters gold?

Some have dubbed online advocacy is the lazy version of promoting change. In the same breath, this method is more efficient, faster, and robust than the “old school” advocacy techniques. Think of those folks standing outside of grocery stores, asking you if you will sign a petition to protect X. Or, those phone calls you receive during dinner time, requesting you to contact your elected official on issue Y.

Both of these approaches, as well as many other non-digital advocacy methods, are critical to push forward new policy, to improve our quality of life, and to engage citizens on issues that matter to them. Digial advocacy doesn’t (and shouldn’t) replace these types of grassroots efforts. Instead, it should enhance that work done on the ground and open the floodgates for a new wave of advocates to raise their voices. What do I mean by digital advocacy? It is truly such a vast field of opportunity that it can be difficult to capture it in one blog post. When I refer to digital advocacy, I’m talking about taking action in an online sector – whether it is on social media or on a website. It can encompass signing an online petition; sending an email to an elected official or key decision-maker; posting a call-to-action on Facebook; tweeting your followers about an upcoming opportunity to provide feedback on an important community issue; and this is just the tip of the ice burg.

The next question: does it work?

Yes, it does and has. In my opinion, the number one advantage of digital advocacy is its visibility. Yes, it is easy (and arguable mindless) to add your name to a petition supporting clean water in North Carolina with a few keystrokes. However, your name is now publicly committed to supporting that issue. Paper petitions can be lost or destroyed. Your digital footprint? Much, much more difficult.

And think: when you share on social media that you signed a petition, there’s a good chance that one of your friends will mirror your advocacy. With each share moving forward, the snowball effect is mind-boggling: in a world where decisions are made so quickly, it becomes even more imperative for organizations to get out in front of issues first (and fast). You are helping to fuel that process by engaging in online advocacy. So, pat yourself on the back.

We’ll talk more about the benefits and drawbacks of digital advocacy in future posts. What has your experience been engaging with digital advocacy? Does it make you feel that you are taking part in civic discourse, or is it simply another request that gets dropped in your Inbox trash?

Want to share your thoughts about digital advocacy? Contact Katie Paulson, Online Engagement Coordinator, at katie@nclcv.org to be a guest blogger for a future post.