Influencer Activism on Instagram: Do's and Don'ts

Social media is a place for people to share their interests and values. Many influencers develop a sense of community on sites such as Instagram, by standing up for what they believe in and to generate awareness for a cause. 

Activism online may pique your interest and you’re wanting to get involved to inspire others around you. If you feel uncertain about what to do, where to start and how to post, we share some essential do’s and don’ts for influencer activism on IG. 

Do’s

To be a change in the world you need to be equipped for how to go online and advocate for what is important to you. Remember, being yourself is the first step and the rest will come as you go. 

• Be genuine 

When it comes to advocacy you want to ensure you’re truly supporting a cause. Your followers will be watching to see how you are being supportive and does it genuinely mean something to you. 

• Remain consistent

Once you begin talking about what you feel is important to share with your community, you need to remain consistent throughout your Instagram feed. One post may not have as much of an impact as it would if you were to continue posting.

Find new ways to share your content, maybe that means making a series of Instagram stories to highlight new information on the cause. For more tips on creating content at home, check out this blog!

• Provide resources to guide users 

Always provide more resources so your followers know where to go next if they want to keep learning more. By referencing organizations in support of a movement or linking resources helpful to the cause, you provide the next steps to get others involved.  

• Partner with organizations supporting the cause

Organizations and nonprofits are always looking for ways to connect further with communities out of their reach. By searching for ways to partner with them on events they host or new ways they’re tackling advocacy virtually, you can be a part of that chain reaction. 

• Tag other thought leaders and activists  

Tagging prominent activists within the cause will amplify its importance while pushing past the immediate geographical boundaries that surround you. This will strengthen the community and continue the conversation.

• Interact with users

Keep the dialogue open. As an activist and influencer, you hold the responsibility of opening the platform for your followers to also express themselves in a safe space. Be sure to take the time to participate in any ongoing conversations within the comments. 

Don’ts

As an influencer activist all eyes are on you, social media reaches millions of people and you want to ensure when someone finds you, they feel invested in staying on your account and learning more. Here are some absolute don’ts:

• Give false information

A key factor in activism is building credibility online. In a world where false information spreads like wildfire, you should ensure what you say and share is backed by fact. This will gain the respect of your followers and lead them to interact with you on the subject. 

• Get into social media arguments

It can be easy to slip into a thread of arguments when people are passionate about something. It’s important to remember that users may disagree with whatever it is you are advocating for— always be respectful and use the opportunity to educate instead.

• Don’t be performative

Hopping on trends just because everyone else is doing it can risk coming off as disingenuous.  Don’t advocate falsely because you feel the need to, but because it is true with your intentions. As they say, practice what you preach.  

• Don’t give up 

Most importantly, don’t give up. It’s okay if you aren’t sure how to express how you feel, to say the wrong thing or to change your opinion once presented with new information. Being able to get comfortable with being corrected, further educating yourself and growth is important!

If you’re wanting to establish connections with brands that fight for the same causes as you, we can help! Statusphere has an exclusive network of content creators that are paired with brands to collaborate with on campaigns. If you’re interested and want to know more, contact us!