You’ve got a TikTok account or post on Instagram reels and love talking about research, science or something geeky.
Fitness influencers have it easy because everyone wants to be fit and healthy. They’ve got a positive message that everyone wants to hear.
However, what if you work in an area that’s not as sexy?
For instance, you might want to talk about climate change.
Nobody wants bad news
The first problem you’ve got is that climate change is A Bad Thing. Nobody wants it, in fact, we’d rather never talk about it again.
Yet, it still exists.
Climate change is also a HUGE issue that spans every part of our lives. It’s about food, transport, energy, fashion, holidays and more.
Therefore it’s a depressing, all-encompassing issue that presents a huge challenge. From a communications perspective, this is a hard sell.
First mistake: Telling people they’re going to die, or that the planet is being ruined.
People do not buy into negative messages, they only create fear, which is not an effective emotion for a content creator to use.
Research has shown that positive messages are more effective when building a movement.
Second mistake: Reporting the negative consequences of our activities.
There is a huge amount of data regarding the negative impact of our activities. It is tempting to tell people how much CO2 their flight to Spain releases into the atmosphere, or how much CO2 is the result of eating a piece of steak.
These statistics induces anxiety, guilt or shame in people who want a holiday, or fancy a steak. Again, these are negative emotions.
The storytelling trick
We understand that climate change is a depressing issue that is so large that it’s hard to wrap our minds around it.
You need to drill down into the subject until you find a reference point that people can relate to positively.
For example, you want to talk about climate change on social media.
Great, now decide what part of climate change is important to you. Let’s use the example of food.
We know that food is responsible for a large proportion of greenhouse gases. However, that piece of information is still too big for people to engage with.
Now you need to do some research to find something smaller within food and climate change. Find a specific piece of news, research or data about food and climate change that you want to talk about.
For example this article about cell-based meat. We know that cell-based meat has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, so it’s an important piece of information when talking about climate change.
You’re nearly there.
Now you need to think of a common behaviour or activity that links people’s lives to cell-based meat. For example, eating a hamburger.
Therefore, hamburgers are the subject that you can use to start a conversation about cell-based meat. People enjoy eating hamburgers, so you are immediately establishing a point of connection that brings positive emotions.
Because people enjoy hamburgers, they are curious about any news that might have an impact on them.
Most importantly – you are telling people how they will enjoy hamburgers in the future, rather than spreading doom and fear about climate change.
Use your platform to spread positive messages and create curiosity – this is how the biggest creators in the world have grown.
Learn more by downloading my free ebook and joining one of my masterclass webinars!
Gavin is a consultant, writer & content creator helping people learn about our global food system. Every month his food policy TikToks and food waste challenges reach millions, helping people understand where their food comes from and how to use it more sustainably.
He also helps organisations around the world tell stories about food. He’s written in national titles and consulted on sustainable food systems for organisations across Europe, including the European Commission and WWF. His background in photography took him across Ecuador and Colombia chasing down the world’s finest chocolate and coffee for National Geographic and Huck. He’s spoken on TV and radio in the UK and US, and been featured in the national press, alongside titles as far afield as Mexico, Japan and Kazakhstan.
