Helping Our Voices for Kidney Health Make Themselves Heard

For Members of Congress, social media has emerged as an essential tool for engaging with the public and the constituents that they represent. For Voices for Kidney Health advocates, it can likewise serve as a great way to ensure the people representing you in Congress are aware of the importance of supporting and helping to advance our kidney agenda. 

That's why we just launched our VFKH social media toolkit, intended to give advocates all the information they need to start or deepen their advocacy efforts on Twitter, Facebook, and any other platform where they're active or want to get active. With general tips and talking points on key issues like living donor protection, home dialysis, and increased funding for kidney programs, this toolkit is your one-stop shop for bringing elected officials into the #MyKidneyVoice conversation.

Make the most of your outreach

Here are a few key tips for maximizing the impact of your social media messages directed toward your Members of Congress:

• Mention that you're a constituent. Elected officials want to know that the advocates who are asking them to address certain issues and topics are ones that they represent and that will be deciding whether to vote for them or not in the next election. 
• Be social. Tweet or post at Members directly by tagging their accounts on the platform that you're using. A quick search of the platform you're using will help you find your Members' account pages.
• See what they "like." Different offices approach social media differently, so take note of what and how they tweet or post on Facebook, and what type of messages from others that they choose to amplify (by retweeting or sharing), then work to craft your own messages in that style.
• Demonstrate a willingness to collaborate. It's important to present yourself and your issues in a way that emphasizes you want to work together with your Member offices. This will  give them a chance to show that they're being responsive to their voters and working with them on the issues that matter.

Keep the conversation going

Whenever you post and whatever platform you're using, be sure to use our advocacy hashtag, #MyKidneyVoice. That helps NKF amplify your messages and can help you to track the broader conversation happening on social media around the importance of addressing kidney health and helping those with kidney disease through better public policy. 

Posting about your advocacy on social media is also a great way to demonstrate to your friends, family, and followers that kidney advocacy is important to you and should be important to them, too. It both lets you share your story with those who might not be aware of the prevalence and impact of kidney disease, and shows others how easy and effective getting started with advocacy can be. 

After checking out the toolkit, please make a point of following the #MyKidneyVoice conversation and seeing how our Voices for Kidney Health are making themselves heard.