How Movember Is Changing Social Media

Every November, men around the world grow a mustache — a “Mo” — to raise funds and awareness for men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer. The global campaign is driven largely by social media, online awareness platforms and a mobile app.

Individuals grow mustaches and mobilize friends and family to donate online — through a “Mo Space.” Movember dominates social media chatter during November, and mentions of “prostate cancer” and “getting checked” increase, suggesting that Movember does in fact mobilize men to see a doctor. Aside from encouraging men to be proactive about their health, the 2011 Movember campaign raised more than $120 million for men’s health research.

Beyond Facebook and Twitter, the Movember campaign also utilizes a mobile app and viral videos to take fundraising to the next level.Check out the video below to see Movember’s Impact on Awareness.

The Movember movement has social media at its core. The website has social profiles for each ‘Mo bro’ and an interactive space to show off your handlebar. Movember is using the social media platform Promoveo for scientists and other interested parties to share data and research to drive break throughs in men’s health, one of the first of its kind. Although these platforms have aided the cause, notoriety has occurred due to Movember’s dominance on Twitter and Facebook. All with the help of viral videos (supported by heavyweights like Google Chrome), excellent content and good hash-tagging, of course. However, it is the everyday Facebook and Twitter posting of those taking part that has really helped spread the word.

All this social activity is great but haven’t we all clicked ‘like’ on a charity Facebook page and never done anything else about it? Charities face this issue everyday: exposure is great but action is better. Well, Movember seems to be bucking this trend. An infographic produced after last years efforts looked at the reach of the campaign and has shown that not only was Movember mentioned in over 900,000 online conversations but there was a massive increase in people talking about going to get checked out at the doctors. According to www.sport.monash.edu.au 90% of people who take part in Movember take time to think about men’s health issues when they otherwise wouldn’t.

So why has this charity campaign been so successful? Movember has tapped into the primary function of social media- to share human experiences. Facebook, Twitter and other platforms have let Mo-communities grow by uniting people in their efforts to aid a good cause, and excellent content has given the campaign solid groundings. Movember has achieved the ultimate goal for charities who use social media campaigns- they have turned social interactions into real, physical actions. Their return on investment can be measured not only by the thousands of online conversations but by the men heading to the doctors in part thanks to the power of social media.

Source – [Immediate Future], [Mashable]