The original target for membership has been met (just about). The Facebook group now has 10,000 members after just over two weeks of existence. Membership contribution has been significant, with 164 wall posts, posted videos and dozens of links to newspaper stories.
The group has been covered, or mentioned by, TV3, the Irish Times, the Irish Examiner, the Irish Independent, the Belfast Telegraph, the Evening Herald and the Daily Mirror.
I have run an extensive advert campaign to achieve higher membership, and as far as I can tell from the stats, it has been highly successful. Membership growth (these are ballpark figures taken towards the end of each day). The invited numbers are also estimated, as Facebook does not show number of invites once it passes 6,000.
November 12: 255 members, 1,760 invited
November 13: 1,012 members, 5,534 invited
November 14: 2,122 members, 6,000+ invited
November 15: 2,987 members, 6,000+ invited
November 16: 3,815 members, 6,000+ invited
November 17: 5,685 members, 6,000+ invited
November 18: 5,900 members, 6,000+ invited
November 19: 6,850 members, 6,000+ invited
November 20: 7,120 members, 6,000+ invited
November 21: 7,450 members, 6,000+ invited
November 22: 7,567 members, 6,000+ invited
November 23: 7,900 members, 6,000+ invited
November 24: 8,100 members, 6,000+ invited
November 25: 8,464 members, 6,000+ invited
November 28: 8,938 members, 6,000+ invited
November 29: 9,245 members, 6,000+ invited
November 30: 9,400 members, 6,000+ invited
December 1: 9,500 members, 6,000+ invited
December 2: 9,700 members, 6,000+ invited
December 3: 10,000 members, 6,000+ invited.
To my knowledge, this makes the group that largest ever Ireland-specific single issue group ever. As you can see, in the first week of the campaign, 1,000 people were joining per day.
Furthermore it has led to people who joined the group going on to organise events off their own bat, inspired by events organised by the admins. Shauneen is organising a candlelit vigil for the Dáil on December 10th at 6.30pm. On foot of that vigil, a member in Cork is organising a similar event there. Another one in Limerick is also in the works.
Blogging has its place in campaigns like this one, and so does Facebook. But you have to say that Facebook is a great tool for this particular type of cause – and no doubt we will see a lot more like it in future. I guess the question is – where is this use of technology leading us, and second, how can the blogosphere contribute?
Comments
4 responses to “Cervical cancer Facebook groups hits 10,000 members”
Gavin, I’ve been thinking about how this could be tied into the local and European campaigns along the lines of the doorstep challenge that I mentioned in early 2007 for the general election. Essentially that easily printed off material would be made available for people to download and used to challenge canvassers for candidates on their own doorsteps and to extract solid commitments that they can be held too.
Say do something like people asking candidates if they would be recorded via the voters mobile phone and that clip then be uploaded to youtube or similar. Basically, get them on the record as being opposed to the withdraw of the vaccine and then hold them to it. How can the cllrs exert more pressure on the Oireachtas? By making them say they will not vote for any of the current members of the Seanad from the government parties come the next General Election. It’s just an idea.
Top work, mate.
I think some of those ideas were pitched around before the last election Dan? I’m not sure – but interesting stuff nonetheless.
Thank you Niall too.
I had pitched the idea on irishelection before the last general election but it really went nowhere from there.