2016-05-31
There are many ways to help the Greens at this election. Some volunteers knock on doors, hit the phones and deliver letters. Helping promote the Greens online is another way of getting involved, and it makes a big difference!
We don't have the big advertising dollars of the major parties, but we have you. Social media is a highly effective way of reaching voters, and we have solid evidence that seeing positive social media about the Greens changes votes.
With this election on a knife's edge, every vote will count! Here's how you can help the Greens online:
1. Change your profile pic
Voter research has shown that one of the best ways to persuade someone to vote Greens is simply for them to see that their friends are. By changing your profile picture and saying you'll vote Greens, you could change real votes — and the outcome of this election.
We've made a special tool to help you do that. Just choose the text you'd like on your profile, upload your favourite photo of yourself and then save the result for use as your new profile pic everywhere!
2. Hashtag, hashtag, hashtag
Use #Greens16 whenever posting about the Greens on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. This helps us amplify the Greens' message.
3. Support each other
Did you see a great #Greens16 post online? Share it! Use the #Greens16 to find and support your fellow Greens supporters online. This helps us build stronger supporter networks.
4. Check your privacy settings
Can only family and friends see your Facebook posts? Is your Twitter and Instagram account available to the public, or set to private? This will affect how far your posts can reach online.
5. Be positive and avoid spamming
Focus your posts on what's great about the Greens, but try not to spam your followers!
6. Use available resources
Use official Greens election material and link back to the Greens policies where possible.
7. Pictures still say 1000 words...
Get snapping! Engagement is much stronger when images and videos are used, and best of all, it increases the chances of Facebook showing the post in people's news feeds.
8. Play nicely
Always be courteous and polite — as an unofficial online ambassador for the Greens, you are on the front-line of how people view the party.
9. Stay involved
Respond to comments and questions if you feel comfortable — but don't respond to trolls or abuse.
10. Get outside the echo chamber
Sometimes we're so comfortable chatting with our fellow Greens supporters, we feel like everyone agrees with us, but it's not true, sadly. Out there in the comment pages of mainstream newspapers and blogs, political conversations are occurring every day. Check this web site for the latest launches and latest news so you know what the facts are and what the best web addresses are to use. When there's a big story trending about us, we'll often add pages to help explain what's going on — you can generally find those at the top of the magazine. Then take a deep breath (some people out there can be rude!) and wade in to the deep end. Calmly explain the Greens position and link back to the web site whenever you can.
Take it further
Want to step up and volunteer with the Greens on social media?
[Photo credit: Got credit]