How to target segments online
Following the release of the Britain Talks Climate toolkit and More in Common’s Britain’s Choice report, a number of organisations have used these insights to reach segments online. We have included them here as practical examples to help inspire your own digital efforts.
Please note – due to updates to Meta products, some of the instructional information may no longer be applicable.
Terms of usage: When using the ‘Golden questions and calculator tool’ to carry out independent audience analysis, please note the following conditions on usage:
(1) permission to use is for non-profit purposes only
(2) you must cite the original research using the citation below
(3) you must use all 16 of the golden questions in order to describe the results with the labels of the seven value-based segments of Britain (Progressive Activists, Civic Pragmatists, Disengaged Battlers, Established Liberals, Disengaged Traditionalists, and Backbone Conservatives).
Cite as: Wang, S., Corner, A., and Nicholls, J. (2020). Britain Talks Climate: A toolkit for engaging the British public on climate change. Oxford: Climate Outreach
Case studies 1 & 2: Generating digital leads using Britain Talks Climate framing
Framing developed through research projects is rarely successfully applied in the digital context. This can be because campaigners and communicators are unsure how to translate the insights into this context, don’t know how to effectively test different messaging and framing or attempts to do so don’t yield the desired results and are quickly dropped. Now, more than ever, we need to understand the essential role that digital does and will continue to play in reaching and mobilising new audiences.
In 2021, digital mobilisation agency Forward Action worked with Hope for the Future and Living Streets to generate digital leads using Britain Talks Climate. By testing and optimising Facebook ads designed for different segments, they were able to drive people towards tailored sign-up pages, resulting in over 14,000 new subscribers at an average cost of 83p. In this way, evidence-based framing can lead to higher engagement and diversification of your online audiences. However, it is important that subsequent messaging (via mailout, for example) matches the initial frames that were used to recruit them. If not, you are likely to see drop off, as people are not getting what they expected to see when they joined.
Forward Action have created a “How-to guide” for those hoping to replicate this method. This includes a testimonial from the Living Streets case study.
The case study below, in the form of a video conversation, outlines how Forward Action worked with Hope for the Future to help them engage and diversify their online audiences.
Have any questions or want to know more? Contact Forward Action at hello@forwardaction.uk or see more work from Forward Action here.
In April-June 2022, Climate Outreach and Hope for the Future (HFTF) partnered again to develop messaging to inspire Loyal Nationals to attend local, in-person events. The partnership drew on the work above, as well as research and bespoke analysis from Climate Outreach on how to engage Loyal Nationals. Results of this work are summarised in this slidedeck.
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