On World Teachers Day 5 October, the IEU utilised a dramatic social media tool called Thunderclap to celebrate the day and call on teachers wherever they were to join their union.
Through the publications and communications team, the Union galvanized 236 strong supporters and with their help reached 428,364 people across the world, which resulted in 1749 clicks on our website.
What does this mean?
Using social media and Thunderclap, the IEU was up there on World Teachers’ Day celebrating teachers globally, heightening the Union’s profile and message as well as calling on teachers to unionise.
Thunderclap is a crowd speaking platform that helps people be heard by saying something together. It allows a single message to be mass shared, flash mob style, so that it rises above the noise of social networks. In this case, Thunderclap blasted out a specific timed Facebook and Twitter message "Happy World Teachers’ Day! Get support and advocacy: Teachers deserve our trust and support to be the best they can be http://thndr.me/j1Jg1h".
Reach out and grow
Thunderclap can be used at minimal cost for maximum advantage; it allows the Union to contact many who may not be attracted by our traditional message. That is, it can help join up new members from the social media generation that the Union doesn’t currently connect with in a meaningful way, to engage with those teachers and support staff who are happy to click and sign a petition or donate to a cause but less likely to join an association or union. This strategy meets those people half way and converts clicks to memberships.
With members’ help, the IEU looks forward to using this social media initiative to recruit during significant events, particularly World Support Staff Day and World Teachers’ Day each year. Look out for the next Thunderclap, join us on Facebook and Twitter now.