I spend basically all my time thinking about what moves people to act. Weirdly,
By Elesheawilliams · September 29, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
I spend basically all my time thinking about what moves people to act. Weirdly, I ended up learning more about what doesn't.
In our sector, the stakes are real. Behind every post is a petition we hope gets signed, a donation that funds the work, or someone finding out about their rights.
That's exactly why it's worth experimenting. Here's 3 approaches I tried that didn't work and why.
1. Fluffy hope with nowhere to go.
'Together we can build a better world' is a lovely thing to write but doesn't do a lot. There's nothing wrong with saying it, but hope without urgency is just fluff. Think about how you scroll - neutral content gets consumed and forgotten later. Content that engages the viewer gets engagement.
2. On the other side, endless doom.
Yes the devastating stat gets views. Saying the world is burning may go viral, but post that every week and your brand becomes somewhere people go to feel helpless, and eventually they'll stop going altogether. Despair doesn't mobilise people, it exhausts them.
3. Talking to yourself.
Your audience probably doesn't care about your campaign - YET. We're so focused on launching our campaigns and our petitions that we don't stop and think about the entrypoint for someone who may have no idea about the issue in the first place. Your job is to give them a reason to care and give them something valuable while you're at it.
So what does work? Honest stakes, a clear ask, and a reason for the audience to believe their action matters. A feed that's build around your audience, first.
What would you add to the list?