Program on the Environment

The online world has increasingly become a space in which information on any number of topics is shared, argued, and learned about. In the last few years, a term has arisen to describe the inaction of engaging with crucial topics with a simple like or comment: clicktivism. When information is shared online, people engage with the tools they have been given- the ability to like, comment, and reshare. However, many are left wondering what their next steps could be towards making change. I wanted to know what would move people beyond an Instagram post- and onto an article or deeper conversation with their peers. I decided to create an experiment by sending out a randomized survey, in which I tested out four different combinations of caption lengths and tones with the same visual. I wanted to see what impact captions have on a post, and what engagement and further action they might cause. I also worked with the Program on the Environment as their social media intern, where I conducted literature reviews on the value of social media for college advertising and worked towards increasing student engagement with their array of social media accounts. How my findings apply to social media work and digital activism depends on what the desired outcome is. Every part of online posting, including writing effective captions, is an important piece of the puzzle to successful environmental communication online.