Whether you’re joining a protest or organizing one, texting can be a powerful way to organize and mobilize. However, like anything else, texting is best used when used correctly. This guide will help you understand some of the reasons texts are sometimes misunderstood, and how you can avoid these situations. We’ll go over why it’s important to be concise, when and how to use emojis and gifs, as well as why some texts might be perceived differently than others.
Hopefully, this article will help you find a nice middle ground between texting for convenience’s sake and making sure your message is delivered in the way it was meant to.
First, we need to define this type of message
So, what is a political message? In short, a political message is sent by anyone running a political campaign to people that have subscribed or opted into that list. Examples include reminders to vote, information on campaigning opportunities, and opportunities to volunteer.
When are political texts applicable?
Due to people’s differing levels of awareness on certain topics, some political messages might be perceived as more appropriate than others. Generally, anything you do to educate and inform is okay as long as it doesn’t explicitly endorse one side over another.
How can you avoid pitfalls when texting about politics?
This article is not intended to be an exhaustive guide for all political texts; instead, we will suggest some tips on how to best use these topics in your texts and maintain consistency with your overall brand image.
Be concise
Don’t waste space with unnecessary words or phrases. Instead, focus on providing the necessary information. This is especially important when trying to engage your audience or inform them of an opportunity to take action. Avoid becoming too verbose to the point where it would be over-wordy and uninteresting.
Keep it brief and go straight to the point. Try not to ramble on! If you have a lot of text to send out, ask yourself if there’s really that much information that everyone needs to know at once? It can also help you keep your text brief if you prepare your message ahead of time and edit it down as you need it.
Pay attention to the metrics
This is a great way to keep track of how many people you’re reaching, and even help you evaluate your message’s effectiveness. For example, if your unsubscribe rate suddenly increases you have done something to upset your subscribers. Alternatively, if a call to action works better than expected you may opt to send this message to more subscribers.
Test, test, test
It can be difficult to figure out exactly what goes over better than others, but it’s best to start small and build up your marketing campaigns. You can take notes on what does and does not work for you, and then use this knowledge when you start sending better messages in the future.
As with anything else, be consistent and keep your audience in mind. If your followers know what to expect from you, then chances are they will be better prepared for your texts. Having a plan before you send a message will help you avoid sending messages that, while well meaning, are not appropriate. When it comes to texting about issues that are important to you, the best rule of thumb is to act thoughtfully and responsibly.