Audience

You must understand where your audience is to be able to bring them to where you need them to be. How do they feel about your issue? What do they know about your issue? Do they understand why it exists (and persists) and, therefore, what needs to be created or dismantled to address it?

Awareness alone does not lead to social change; it is simply the first step. Audiences need to care. Effective storytelling can lead them there.

Some audiences will stop at caring. They may tell others about the issue, or they may donate or volunteer to alleviate suffering or injustice.

But some audiences will be receptive to understanding why it is the way it is. What are the decisions, priorities, people, and systems that have led to where we are? Understanding the factors that have created an issue enables an audience to see how systemic change could lead to progress.

Again, some audiences may stop there, ideally sharing what they have learned with others. But some will see how they PERSONALLY can take steps to have an impact; they will act.

An even smaller group will want others to join them — they will evangelize and organize and contribute to building momentum.

Your audience will not be homogenous; they will populate different tiers within this audience funnel. Your campaign can either adopt different strategies to move different audiences deeper or you can choose to focus on those you believe could be moved from understanding to action or from action to evangelizing.

How can you know where your audiences are? Survey traditional and social media content, seek out opinion polls, and speak to activists and advocates who can share what they know and have experienced firsthand.