The document discusses how social media was used by the Yes Equality campaign to engage undecided voters and mobilize supporters during Ireland's referendum on same-sex marriage. It highlights how maintaining a positive tone on social media was integral to the campaign's success and encouraged participation. Statistics are provided that show high levels of social media activity around key campaign hashtags in the lead-up to the vote, which helped build majority support and resulted in Ireland voting yes for same-sex marriage.

1. Beyond the echo chamber:
Using social media to engage with
target audiences
Craig Dwyer – SCI / Yes Equality

2. The
Story of
Yes…

3. The Role of Social Media
Two key objectives:
1. Engaging, educating and informing
undecided voters
2. Mobilising, motivating and empowering
yes supporters

4. Tone, Tone, Tone!
Establishing and maintaining a positive
tone on social media was an integral
part and key success of the Yes
Equality campaign.

5. Persuasion: to win as a minority, you must build
a majority

6. Campaign that people wanted to be a part of…

7. Tools
employed

8. Tools
employed

9. Tools
employed

10. Tools
employed

11. Key Learnings
Communicate and organise locally

12. Key Learnings
Turn the negative into a positive

13. Key Learnings
Encourage supporter participation

14. Key Learnings
Hold up your end of the bargain

15. Key Learnings
Leverage and consolidate support

16. Key Learnings
Integrate social into wider campaign

17. Stats
• Since November #MarRef almost 1
million times.
• Est. 1 Billion global impressions from
467,323 Twitter mentions by 384,002
users in the week leading up to voting
day.
• Yes Equality – Organic reach on
Facebook of 3 Million the week of the

18. #HomeToV
ote• #HomeToVote was used a whopping 117k +times (88k+ on
May22nd)
• 406 million impressions - which correlates to 116k Tweets from
85k users.

19. Ireland Says
Yes!

20. THANK YOU!
Craig Dwyer
Twitter: @DwyerCraig
Email:
craigpdwyer@gmail.com