There are various benefits of a diverse and inclusive PLN in social media sharing that understands where one is coming from messaging that impacts the community. For instance, social media has enhanced outreach efforts through spreading information regarding a situation, reinforcing interactions among individuals, improving collective action via increased collaborative speed, and enhancing participatory dialogue between supporters and group leaders (Clark and Patricia 56).
Social media also engages in advocacy communication in scenarios where word of mouth communication and decision-making are not enough. Social media will generate a hybrid approach like the informal and formal plans for the influencers and fans. Through social media advocacy programs, individuals can build relationships with others, make the public understand a given persona, provide the audience with a story to tell while helping them narrate it, and choose various success measures.
Social media use in public discourse potentially challenges advocacy communications. Many organizations and groups utilize advocacy to address the environment, criminal justice, education, civil rights, and healthcare (Markiel 8:50). The channel to influence various decisions from the social, political, and economic systems. Social media can easily facilitate civic engagement with multiple advocacy groups through enhancing the outreach efforts and enabling a wide range of feedbacks. Social media is cost-effective and a fast medium of communication as opposed to other channels. It can be used for participation in advocacy campaigns and as a communicative tool for raising various concerns. Therefore, social media has made it easy to carry out advocacy by spreading the word, arranging for campaigns, and acquiring signatures in petitions.
Clark, Jessica, and Patricia Aufderheide. “A New Vision for Public Media.” Media and Social Justice. Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2011. 55-67.
Markiel, Simpson EDCI 338 – 2021 – 02 – 22 MARKIEL SIMPSON. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCSpm1Lx8-A&%3Bfeature=youtu.be. Accessed 22 Feb 2021.