When businesses promote a new product, partnership, or deal they’ve been working on, they use various tactics. They post it through diverse social media platforms, optimize their SEO content, and ensure they have a review campaign. Digital marketing can reach all corners of the globe. It assures business owners that their content will reach people that didn’t even ask for it. So, suppose marketing can be used to boost a brand. In that case, it can most certainly be used for digital activism and raising awareness for significant issues. Encouraging leaders and people around the globe to take action to support people in crisis. 

This blog post is about how digital marketing tactics in Ukraine are used to seek public support. We will cover the influence of marketing on digital activism, Ukraine’s approach to using digital marketing tactics, and much more. Read on to see our findings.

Using Digital Marketing In Times Of Crisis

As people who live in the 21st century, we are accustomed to pulling out our phones every few minutes. We are used to looking at Twitter, Instagram, and various other platforms as an increasingly approachable news outlet. We also Google our favorite news outlets or subscribe to their newsletters to stay informed.  Considering that content posted about two minutes ago can circulate the entire globe and become the topic of conversation for the next few hours is incredible. Digital marketing takes a shortcut compared to actual news channels such as CNN and Kron4 by relaying information with the touch of a button. With these tools’ great ease and ability to rapidly reach the deepest corners of the globe, there is no doubt that digital marketing holds great power. 

A rumor about a politician can change your mind about voting for them. Knowing a species going extinct can encourage one to donate to a related fundraiser. An ad can pop up in your feed and influence your decision-making process and opinions about a situation, as The Social Dilemma once showed us. Google knows your behaviors and the kind of results you expect to see from your search. 

This level of influence and immediacy has its positives and negatives. From gaining customers to raising awareness about an issue, digital marketing tactics can provide us with the most valuable resources for speaking up about anything AND everything. It helps amplify people’s voices, but it can also silence them. We must use these tools for good and always remain informed with trustworthy sources.

Ukraine’s Approach To Digital Marketing Tactics

Struggling to survive amidst the violent war with Russia, Ukrainians turn to digital marketing tactics such as Tiktok, Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram to promote real-time footage, relevant hashtags, and fundraisers.

These strategies have contributed to educating people outside of Ukraine regarding this conflict and inspiring a fight for justice. Let’s see how.

Real-Time Footage

Ukrainians have been posting videos of the damage ensuing around them due to Russian violence. From a video of an explosion at a public place to the complete ruin of a city, people have been trying to show others the significant struggles they currently face. With a ten-second video of devastating actions, the general public seems to be opening their eyes and providing sympathy for those impacted in this war. This knowledge also motivates people to learn more about the issue and take action to campaign for those who are fighting for their lives.

Hashtags And Keywords

Those who wish to gain the attention of many people resort to hashtags when posting content about the Russo-Ukrainian War. Using hashtags is like starting a chain reaction. A person may post a picture of a Ukrainian rally and caption it using the following hashtags: #saveukraine #stopwar #peaceforukraine. Someone fighting for the exact cause will likely use similar hashtags. It will keep growing in visibility until people worldwide stand up for the issue. Using hashtags is a common way to reach a target audience. In this case, those who seek to support Ukraine during this crisis. The same reasoning applies to keywords used in search engines like Google.

Ukraine and social media
Screenshot: Randall Smith IG account image

Fundraisers

During the conflict, Ukraine’s lack of resources raises interest in the general public to use some of their privileges in funding Ukraine. Fundraisers have circulated GoFundMe and Instagram; promoting those small contributions goes a long way. Online fundraisers have also raised awareness and have motivated fortunate people to help someone in need.

digital fundraising
Screenshot: GoFundMe website

Results And Takeaways

Overall, digital marketing in Ukraine has proven to be highly effective in informing people about the current situation and digital activism and protesting. From Ukraine relief fundraisers raising millions of dollars to sharing a Tiktok of a Ukrainian person in danger, digital marketing does not fail to engage the world in pressing matters. 

As a result of these tactics, companies have found ways to support the cause and communicate online, encouraging others to do the same and keep shedding light on one of the most challenging situations of the decade. Airbnb offered to house 100,000 Ukrainians. Eurostar provided free travel to London. Starbucks plans to donate royalties from its business operations in Russia to humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine, and many others have stopped operations altogether.

These examples demonstrate that digital activism can be used for good and amplifies voices that need it the most—reaching millions worldwide and encouraging others to take action. The important thing here is to stay curious, informed, and attentive to avoid misinformation that comes your way. We should always try to be on the right side of history. Analyzing and listening to those who need our support in speaking up allows us to accomplish that.

Interested in learning more about digital marketing tactics and how to use them for good? Schedule a complimentary session with us and find out how.

Guest Author: Anoushka Patel