How Brands Can Address Social Issues on Social Media in 2022

For starters, when approaching social issues as a brand or business, it’s important to make it very clear where you stand. If you find that your values or beliefs as a company align with a cause or social issue that is currently present in the news or social media, then take the time to speak out about it. And be consistent in your stance on things, rather than wavering back and forth out of fear that everyone might not love your content. Rather, hold true to your stance and present room for discussions to occur (if they’re healthy conversations). Because when it comes down to it, the first step in showing your support for a cause begins with speaking out. Other ways to take action would include setting up a way for donations to be made possible or amplifying voices that may otherwise be overlooked or unheard. Here are a few other ways you can help shed some light on social issues.

When it comes to social media, there are endless ways to take action that go far beyond performative acts. While some big brands will change their logos on certain months or present a particular image simply because they know it will be well received by their consumers, taking action is what makes the difference. And the good news is, there are endless ways to make a difference through the internet. Taking advantage of the fact that there are plenty of resources and connections at our very fingertips means that you can very easily make a real difference and be an example for your followers. For instance, almost every social media platform allows you to input information and a link in your bio. Whether you’d like to include some useful resources for people to view or read, petitions to sign or a donation link to support a cause, your impact can be pretty limitless. Whether your band is entirely around bringing forth some type of change or you simply want to make a difference, there are various ways you can approach it. For example, here’s one creator (so.informed), whose entire Instagram is dedicated to not only making a change, but providing their viewers with more information so that they’re, well, informed. Within their linktree, there are petitions and resources to donate to, their website, and other socials. It has everything a viewer might need in one spot and is a tactful way of utilizing their link in bio. Additionally, this creator also has the fundraising for their most recent cause front and centre on their page.

When looking at this account, it’s pretty clear that they have consistently approached important social issues within their content. Although, as a brand, your entire image doesn’t need to be formed around social issues, it very well can be. One of the other great things this account shows as an example is breaking up the important issues with their “Good News!” days in which they highlight something good that has happened. Because constantly addressing social issues and what’s happening in the world can be heavy, this is one way an account can choose to bring a little bit of light to their content.

Before creating content on social issues, ensure you’ve done your research. This might go without saying that you shouldn’t necessarily speak to important issues if you don’t know the whole picture, but be sure you’re fully aware of the situation first. Whether you want to go ahead and use some of the resources posted by other creators (like the one mentioned above, for example) or access information through books or the internet, ensure that you’ve researched the topic you’re going to post about before you do.

When choosing the platform you’d like to address social issues on, it’s more about how to approach it than whether the platform is made for it. When it comes down to it, any platform can be made for it and by implementing different content, you will also actively be diversifying your profile. This provides an accurate representation of what your brand is about and ultimately begins opening the floor for conversation.

However, if you are planning on selecting specific platforms, it’s probably best to focus on your efforts on creating change on a few accounts where you think your voice will have the greatest impact. For example, suppose you have a large following on Instagram because your primary audience is in their early to late 20s. In that case, this platform will be the best to focus on (and likely TikTok). Because hashtags on TikTok or Instagram allow topics to be found more easily than, say, on Facebook, your content will likely fall in front of people who are also looking to create change. By creating hashtag campaigns, for example, you can easily boost engagement and drive brand awareness while conveying the intended message. Hashtags are powerful tools, so definitely ensure you’re using them to your advantage.

Here is an example of many important and impactful hashtags in one post, as this account welcomes the new month. This shows that even a more lighthearted post about the start of June can still cover important topics and open up a conversation for followers to feel welcome and heard.

Not everyone will love what you have to say. That’s the first thing to keep in mind. Sometimes, people might make hateful comments simply because they can. As a brand or business taking on important social issues, it’s important to amplify the voices of those who are also trying to make a change rather than those who will try to bring things down. For example, commenting back to those who are being receptive and want to continue the conversation towards social change is a good place to start. Encourage more people to speak, but try your best to make it clear that hatred will not be tolerated (especially if the social issue revolves around dismantling it). Additionally, getting feedback from your audience about what they want to see is good. How do they want big companies to start approaching certain issues? What do they want to see you (or companies like yours) do?  Knowing the best practices for your social media accounts starts with being aware of who your audience is and what they have to say.

When activism takes place, emotions are bound to run high. People so desperately want to make and see change happen, so it’s inevitable. This is why it’s important to listen to your audience. Perhaps, though your intentions are pure, posting something in the middle of a disaster is not what people need, and it will be seen as more performative than actually intended to help. Maybe instead, taking a step back and using your platform to share or repost what other people have said is better than creating your own content at that moment. See what your audience is saying and really listen to them in the face of social issues and go from there.