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  Fighting Urban Poverty: Social Media Management Tips For Advocates

by Mara Bragdon0509

 

The advancement of technology gave people more means to carry out their advocacies by building an online platform to fight urban poverty or help vulnerable groups in the community. These people present facts & figures, organise outreach events and talk about their thoughts as catalysts for social change.

Having an online platform is not as easy as you think. People should always practise responsibility and avoid having conflicts with their subscribers and followers. It’s definitely not easy. Here are some social media management tips:

WHAT IS AN ADVOCATE?

Let us start by establishing a mind-boggling fact: In Singapore, there is no poverty line because it lacks a clear definition of what it is to be poor. Instead, they declared a fixed income to indicate that a particular family cannot afford their necessities.

What does this fact have to do with defining an advocate? Well, an advocate is someone who will shed light on the harsh living conditions and, sometimes, the hopelessness of urban poverty in the country. They might also add the issue of food security in Singapore because of their connection with each other.

WHAT DO ADVOCATES DO?

 

Advocates-perform-different-volunteer-activities

 

The typical work of an advocate includes going out in the open to learn about the problems of society, organising outreach programs to aid vulnerable groups in the community, and donation drives to encourage people to practise the virtue of giving to the less fortunate. Aside from that, they can also build an online platform (Blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, and a full-fledged website) to present facts about some things.

Overall, their goal is a bit diverse that it includes helping the vulnerable groups in the community and building awareness by teaching people about the pressing problem called urban poverty. What makes it fun is the variety of activities and fulfilment behind it. Imagine being able to put a smile on someone’s face despite you thinking that it is just trivial.

 

ADVOCACIES IN ONLINE PLATFORMS

 

There-is-a-place-for-advocacies-in-the-online-world

 

Advocates can use a Facebook page to share facts and reflections about urban poverty or food security in Singapore, a personal Twitter account they use to fight for a cause, and a website that gives people an overview of what a particular charitable organisation does. Overall, the goal of having an online platform is to build awareness and sometimes gather potential opportunities for their programs.

They also use this to continue their work despite their physical limitations. Some might have corporate duties during the weekdays or other responsibilities to take. Naturally, they cannot go out in the field and fight food security in Singapore, so they resort to online means to carry out their projects.

THE PROBLEMS WITH ONLINE PLATFORMS

 

Here-are-the-problems-of-using-online-platforms

 

Flip the other side of the coin, and you will see the negativity concerning the fight against urban povertythrough online platforms. First, people can think highly of themselves, especially those who run a personal account for their advocacies. They are prone to cancelling or a form of ostracism when a particular person does not align with their views instead of educating them about the matter.

The second problem would be the presentation of facts and figures. People might do them on purpose for their personal gain or negligence because of their unfamiliarity with these things. It is severe because misinformation does not help in solving the problem. In fact, things might even worsen when a person shares dubious things about food security in Singapore.

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT TIPS

 

Manage-your-social-media-pages-to-help-your-advocacies

 

Whether you are an interest page, a local business, or an urban poverty advocate, running a social media page is not easy. You need to have compelling content and a feasible strategy to boot. Here are some online tips for you:

 

#1: KEEP THE PLATFORM ACTIVE

 

Spamming or posting many things at once is a big no-no in the social media management industry. However, if you are fighting for the cause of urban poverty, keep the platform active. You can provide one picture per day or anything that seems organic in the digital world.

#2: BE CREATIVE WITH YOUR CONTENT

Do not appear monotonous, and avoid posting the same thing every day. Be creative with your content by using different forms of media, such as pictures, videos about the figures on food security in Singapore, infographics about urban poverty, and sometimes cross-posting to promote other pages.

#3: ALWAYS BE FRIENDLY AND ACCOMMODATING

Both personal accounts and organisation pages should be friendly and accomodating to their followers. In Singapore, there is no official poverty line, so let people know about this because most of them are unfamiliar with things. Have an open mind, and do not be antagonistic towards anyone who asks about the subject.

#4: DO NOT PARTAKE IN CANCEL CULTURE

Cancel culture happens when a group of people in a platform ostracise or exclude someone because of different views. For instance, people cancel a particular person because they made harmful remarks against vulnerable groups in the community. Educate that person instead of bringing out your pitchforks and bullying them. Remember, hurting someone is not the solution.

#5: EVENTS SHOULD BE CLEAR

An online page that seeks to build awareness on food security in Singapore can organise events and initiatives. When posting about these things, be clear with the venue, schedule, nature of the event, and the rules. It helps you prevent issues with the guests and other problems.

#6: ONLY USE CREDIBLE SOURCES

The issue of urban poverty is hard to explain in less than five minutes to a person who is unfamiliar. People have to resort to making infographics and images representing a small part of the big issue. It can be statistics about how many of the population are suffering from it or the financial numbers that indicate it. Only use credible sources because misinformation has many consequences, not just on you but also the followers of your platform.

#7: DOCUMENT YOUR EVENTS

Add excitement to your content by documenting events. Take pictures during your immersion with the vulnerable groups in the community and urban povertydonation drives to help you gather more exposure. These things also add credibility to your profile as an advocate.

The Best Of You seeks to shed light on the issues of urban poverty and food security in Singapore. If you are interested in volunteer opportunities, contact them and make a change!