Using social media to support women beyond International Women’s Day

It's International Women's Day which can only mean one thing - our socials are inundated with social media posts, hashtags and stories celebrating the achievements of women. While this is a good thing, I do wonder how many of the brands jumping on the IWD band wagon are actually champions of women and women's rights or has it become another day to tick off their overflowing social media awareness days calendar? (If you want to read about how big brands were caught out paying their female staff less than men in 2022 while tweeting about IWD read this article).

As social media becomes saturated with IWD content, I think it's really important for us to recognise the message behind and importance of actively participating in and embracing the spirit of International Women's Day beyond the online buzz and beyond 8th March.

International Women's Day is more than just a trending topic. It's is a global movement that goes beyond geographical boundaries, striving for inclusivity, equality and justice for women. This day serves as a powerful reminder of the progress made in advancing women's rights while of course acknowledging the a lot of work that still lies ahead.

The saturation of social media with #IWD posts shows a desire for change and the celebration of how frickin amazing women are and everything we achieve despite the system being stacked against us. However, true empowerment and a true agenda for change goes beyond a hashtag. It's about engaging in meaningful conversations, taking action and creating an environment where every woman can feel valued and  supported to do what they want to do.

How can we do this? We can play our part by making changes to and taking meaningful action through our socials to fully embrace the meaning of International Women's Day not just today but throughout the year. Here are some things to think about:

1. Educate yourself and others: Take the time to learn about the challenges women face globally and locally. Share this knowledge with your online community to raise awareness and understanding. You could share your opinion on Stories or make a Reel about your top three concerns.

2. Amplifying women's voices: Use your online space to amplify the voices of women from all backgrounds and experiences. Encourage and celebrate their achievements, both online and offline by sharing their content, starting a convo in their post comments or sending them a DM to tell them how you relate to what they're sharing.

3. Supporting women owned businesses: Contribute to economic empowerment by supporting women owned businesses. Buying from them can have a direct impact on their success and growth in terms of money and confidence in their brand. IWD is the perfect day to shout out your favourite female brands. Don't forget to tag them in these posts so they know who's out there supporting them.

4. Be inclusive: Have a look at the imagery and language you're using in your posts. Do all the women in them look and/or sound like you? Then there's definitely room for you to make changes to represent all women. The theme this year is #InspireInclusion  - there's a raft of information on the IWD website if you need it.

5. Don’t be generic: IWD has a different theme each year. Instead of churning out the usual generic posts, research what the day is trying to achieve and align your content with that. Follow the IWD guidance on their website or demonstrate how you’re taking action, doing things differently or supporting the cause. Use the IWD hashtags to raise awareness and connect with like minded people.

So yes I do think there's a place for IWD on your social media content calendar as long as you're creating with intent and show an awareness about what the day is trying to achieve. I think it's more important to consistently use your online space and voice throughout the year to take any action you can to bring about much needed change for women's rights in the UK and globally.

I'd love to know your thoughts on this. Let me know in the comments or send me an email.