Below are tips for advocating on social media during Museums Advocacy Day:
- “Like” and “follow” your legislators on social media. As the landscape of social media is constantly shifting, considering checking if they have an account across platforms (Facebook, Threads, Instagram, X, and YouTube). You can learn a lot about lawmakers’ priorities and interests by following and connecting with them on social media. Use our Legislator Lookup to find your federal and state legislators, as well as their social media account information (where available). Remember to post positive messages about your interactions with legislators and public figures, and to tag them accurately in your posts before, during, and after Museums Advocacy Day.
- You are encouraged to take and share pictures that capture your participation in Museums Advocacy Day, including before and after your Congressional meetings. Be sure to get permission to take and share photos from everyone in the meeting, including any legislator, Congressional staff, and fellow advocates. Note: Live audio/video recording of Museums Advocacy Day programming or Tuesday Congressional meetings is not permitted.
- If you have permission to take and share or post images, be sure to accurately tag the Congressional office and @AAMers in your pictures and posts. To share with AAM, email your photos to museumsadvocacyday [at] aam-us [dot] org with permission for AAM to use these photos in our communications and on our platforms.
- Be sure to share the information on this page with staff or volunteers who manage your social media accounts, and encourage them to use and follow #MuseumsAdvocacy2024 and share AAM’s social media posts throughout Museums Advocacy Day.
- Plan to share the advocacy and issue information and posts (Museum Facts, key policy briefs, economic impact data, etc.) shared in your engagement kits before, during, and following Museums Advocacy Day.
- When posting positive messages about the importance of the museum field and Museums Advocacy Day on social media, be sure to tag your legislators as well as those who influence them, such as chiefs of staff, legislative assistants, and even spouses.
- Always tag your legislators, include your locale, and specify the action item for the legislators. When you can and space allows, include:
- why museums are important to you and your community
- museum facts that support your case
- photos to help your posts stand out
- the district numbers where you are a resident of and your museum is located
- naming well-known local points of interest to help you identify as a constituent
- mentioning local or influential groups to increase the reach of an issue
- Be kind. More often than not, it’s your elected official’s staff who is monitoring and receiving your messages – and you’ll have a much better chance of getting favorable results through kind persistence than negative one-offs.
- Everyone wants good work rewarded, and your elected officials are no different. Reshare their posts and comment on their posts to thank them for their work.