The document discusses strategies for attracting and empowering political supporters and activists. It provides examples of individuals who became increasingly involved through low-barrier activities like sharing information online, commenting, joining forums, and attending meetings. The document also presents models for understanding how communication can increase political involvement by nurturing interest, building relationships and desire for outcomes, and lowering barriers to participation.

1. Getting them involved:
attracting and empowering supporters
Darren G. Lilleker
(Bournemouth University)

2. “I don’t usually get involved in anything political
but [Change We See] just inspired me. I wanted
to be part of that, to say something positive.
There’s too much negativity, I wanted to show
people what I thought was positive… I took my
camera out and I think I must’ve taken twenty
shots, I even uploaded some under different
names, getting comments back from other
supporters really gave me a boost to get more
involved” (Karen, 34, Nurse)

3. Rethinking Activism
Low High
Involvement
Seek Blog Join Delivering Canvassing
Share Offline
Information GOTV
Advocate
Like Comment Join to Friends
Online
Communication is about nurturing interest, increasing involvement, building
relationships, a community and mobilising

4. The Political Loyalty Ladder
Activists
Empower through connectedness. Build
desire for outcomes; Make outcomes
realisable
Active Advocate
Bring them into the organisation.
Create opportunities for them to be activists
Connected
Forums, groups and opportunities for meets.
Passive Advocate
Welcome and test desire to be connected.
Communicate at various levels.
Information Seeker
Engaging and appealing broad messages.
Have clear idea of the target audience
Hypermedia usage
Prospect
Targeted through Activists and Active Advocates.
Personal Appeals using broad messages.
Market-oriented brand identity

5. Understanding Cognition
The Role of Communication The Impact on Cognition and Behaviour
Creation of Positive
Outcomes from
Involvement
(Expectancy Value)
Positive Outcomes
Creation of Social + Heightened Propensity
Community Spirit =
Norms around support to participate
and alliance +
(Group Think) Low Barrier to success
Demonstrate value of
action and reduce
barriers
(Foot-in-the-door)
Adapted from Azjen’s Theory of Planned Behaviour

6. “I don’t know what I was looking for, just
browsing I guess, I was wondering about the
election and should I vote coz I don’t usually… I
was reading the forum and wanted to answer
this guy so I joined and we got chatting… I never
met him but I thought I would go along to a
meeting next thing I’m on this stand telling
people to vote {XXX}” (Max, 28, Estate Agent)

7. “I don’t know anyone whose had cancer but its
serious like I know, [Mary] liked Wear it Pink so I
wondered what it was, it seemed so easy to
achieve so much, all I had to do was get a ribbon
and it was really cool seeing how many others
had them. I even spoke to a woman on the tube
as we both had one. They do events and I might
go to one next year, its just something I thought
‘yeah’ why not” (Jenny, 22, checkout operator)