Digital activism is actually a fairly new concept that has completely changed the way activism spread around the world. Before there were social media platforms, news outlets and media newspapers were some of the only ways to reach a national audience. Movements like the Me Too movement and Black lives matter were able to spread on these digital landscapes and evolve into major activism ideologies on a major scale because of the digital age.
What is Digital Activism?
Digital activism is a way of using the internet and social platforms to create a rallying effort for important causes surrounding political, social and environmental issues. These could range anywhere from the Black Lives Matter movement to global warming. Using social media as an advantage towards activism reaches out on a global scale because anyone and everyone can become aware of movements. A foundational change in digital activism in the 21st century has been the hashtag. Using hashtags like #MeToo, #Icebucketchallenge, #Takeaknee garnered massive attention through online media and sparked millions of people to participate.
Digital activism and Post Roe V Wade
Since the recent turnover of Roe V Wade abortion access in the US is at an impasse and some states were eager to pass abortion access restrictions. Digital activism has never been stronger since this change in legislation and access to abortion care in states that restrict it now largely rely on digital solutions like Plan C. A small non-profit company called the Abortion Access Front found a way to bolster the SEO ranking of plan C so it is the first result that is displayed using keywords like “abortion Pills Online.” Unconventionally, they used volunteers to organically click on the Plan C website and essentially manually increase their SEO ranking. This in effect will help people that are searching for abortion access in states that actively restrict it, and consider their options. Nonprofits are also bolstering their efforts on paid google advertising for top search results and steer away from Crisis Pregnancy Centers (FakeClinics).
A keyword trend shift that has happened is less about “abortion clinics near me” to “abortion medication.”
SEO rankings are constantly being put down due to Social Account Deactivations. Pro-abortion organizations on social media networks constantly get reported on these sights, and sometimes this leads to the entire pages to get taken down or banned for short durations. This leads to a drop in SEO ranking because all backlinks connecting to their accounts and pages go dark, thus temporarily shutting down their good SEO rankings. Which is why they have to resort to using manual search queries and clicks to bolster their SEO rankings as much as possible.
As of the time I post this blog, Non-Profit Planned Parenthood has the entire first page of the term “Planned Parenthood” completely covered in sponsored and organic queries. They also have top rankings for keywords like “Abortion pill access” and “Abortion Medication”.
Donation Landing Pages
Planned Parenthood and Reproductive Freedom For All have dedicated landing pages specialized in creating that one conversion: Donations. Here is a look at the one for Planned Parenthood. Here is a look at Reproductive Freedom For all. A strategy that both currently employ is using a sponsored google search campaign for their landing pages when you search their respective organizations. Then having their websites below. Decreasing the amount of clutter for users to find these pages is imperative for more donations.
Each landing page is also focused on establishing that one conversion metric for their page, without clutter and either no or minimal re-routes to other parts of their website.
In fact, I decided to donate $10 dollars to Planned Parenthood and the process was simple and easy. No reroutes to other pages, smooth UI for every part of the process, and fast UX every step of the way.
Now more than ever it is imperative that we keep information available to everyone who is unable to access abortion care and support them through each step of the way
If you would like to donate to Planned Parenthood Click Here