A social media thunderclap is a device where a single message is sent out to the social media contacts of everyone who signs up. So if you follow me, @markavery, on Twitter, or if you are my friend on Facebook, then you will get this message at 09:30 on 12 August:
‘I want to see an end to raptor persecution in the uplands. Criminal activity needs to be stopped #Inglorious12th’
This thunderclap was set up by my mate Finlay Wilde and currently has a social reach of over 5.5 million! Wow!
If you haven’t signed up yet, then please do, if you’d like that message to get as wide a publication as possible – you can do that by clicking here and following the instructions (which aren’t that difficult but some seem to find them difficult!).
There are almost four weeks left to sign up – I wonder how high the social reach might get by the Inglorious 12th?
It’s always interesting to see who has, and hasn’t signed up. Findlay has shared with me some of the facts so here are some of them:
Supporters with over 100,000 followers:
@Asamsakti 1.26m
@phil500 354k
@Protect_Wldlife 292k
@iwanrheon 273k
@natures_voice That’s the RSPB’s Twitter handle! 265k
@RSPCA_official 241k
@SnowCalmth 212k
@chrisgpackham @190k
@georgemonbiot 185k
@Lionheart0075 155k
@natalieben 141k
@seasaver 134k
@wildlifetrusts 115k
Notable individuals:
@johnsauven John Sauven, Director, Greenpeace UK
@craigbennett3 Craig Bennett, Director, Friends of the Earth
@GreenKeithMEP Keith Taylor Green MEP
@mike__clarke Mike Clarke, RSPB Chief Executive
@martinrspb Martin Harper, RSPB Conservation Director
@Patrick_Barkham Journalist
@steveormerod Prof Steve Ormerod, RSPB Chair of Council
@DerbyChrisW Chris Williamson MP
@B_Strawbridge Brigit Strawbridge, environmental campaigner
@MollyMEP Molly Scott Cato, Green MEP
Other notable supporters:
@BCA1967 Buxton Civic Society
@Birdwatchextra Birdwatch magazine the UK’s best!
@DerbysWildlife Derbyshire Wildlife Trust
@RaptorPersScot Raptor persecution campaigning website
@RaptorPolitics Raptor website
@RareBirdAlertUK Alerting you to rare birds
@Team4Nature Wildlife campaigning for the people
@WalesGreenParty
There are two figures that one tends to look at with these things – how many supporters (over 1000 is very good) and social reach (over 5m is very very good). Everyone who has a social media account can make a contribution. Adding your support increases the supporter number by the same as did Chris Packham or George Monbiot so please do. but I’m sure Findlay will be aiming to get some more big hitters to sign up too.
So, come on county wildlife trusts, National Trust, many RSPB accounts (after all, your main account, your chair, your CEO and your conservation director have all signed up already) – let’s see your support please.
And it’s noticeable that only a single MP, Labour’s Chris Williamson has signed up so far, although the Green Party is very well represented with a former leader (Natalie Bennett), two MEPs (Molly Scott Cato and Keith Taylor) and the party in Wales.
I’ll update you on progress.
[registration_form]
Thanks so much for all your support with this Mark. Could I also add that you can sign on more than one social media account. So, for example, you have 2 twitter accounts and a Facebook account, you could sign up on all 3 and reach out to all those followers. Cheers, Finn.
And of course when the day comes, remember everyone please to retweet and add relevant hashtags like #Countryfile, #Landward, #Springwatch, #Autumnwatch, #NaturalWorld etc. Any sort of nature audience which tends to get read by people sympathetic to the campaign who might previously not have been aware of it.