Last year, we released our inaugural Digital Influencer Report, which demonstrated the impact of digital tools in running a successful advocacy campaign. In our second annual report, we found that not only is digital advocacy important, it’s mandatory. This is clearly evidenced by examining the impact of digital advocacy during the final two weeks of the 2018 legislative session, also known as “End-of-Session.”
The use of #CaLeg, the most popular hashtag for sharing general policy and political comments, news and discussion about the California Legislature, continues to grow. Use of #CaLeg increased more than 100 percent during the 2018 End-of-Session as compared to the rest of the year. More than 10,100 tweets used this hashtag in that time period, an increase of almost 14 percent compared to the 2017 End-of-Session. It’s used by a number of influencers including legislators, advocacy groups, trade associations and the Capitol press corps.
Despite the increase in the use of digital advocacy and activity around #CaLeg, there are still a number of organizations and campaigns who are not embracing digital advocacy as an essential tool to educate lawmakers on key issues. At the start of a two-year legislative session with a social savvy Governor as well as new lawmakers, those organizations not already engaging in digital advocacy need to start immediately or risk being left behind.
The bottom line is digital engagement is no longer optional and choosing not to participate is a losing strategy. Read more about why in the 2018 Digital Influencer Report. You can download the full report for free here.