How to promote a European citizens’ initiative with influencers and on social media: practical answers to organisers’ questions

Advertising restrictions, LinkedIn collaborations, platform choices, and managing communications with limited resources

Promoting a European citizens’ initiative (ECI) across several EU countries is a demanding task. Organisers need to reach new audiences, encourage people to sign and coordinate communications across different languages and platforms, often with very limited resources.

During the ECI Forum webinar Influencers and Social Media Strategies for ECIs on 6 October 2026, participants raised practical questions about restrictions on paid advertising, LinkedIn collaborations, choosing social media platforms and organising communications work.

Daniela Vancic from Democracy International and Vlad Adamescu, co-founder of the Romanian political content platform Politică la Minut, shared their experience and examples from ECI campaigns.

Building their answers, the ECI Forum offers additional practical tips to help organisers put these ideas into practice.

 

How can ECI campaigns reach new audiences when paid political advertising is restricted?

Restrictions on political advertising have made it increasingly difficult for ECI campaigns to reach people, beyond their existing supporters, through paid social media promotion. Questions from a participant were: have campaigns found ways to deal with these restrictions? Could collaborations with content creators replace paid advertising? and which other platforms could help promote an initiative?

Daniela Vancic explained that influencer collaborations are not a direct replacement for paid advertising but can provide an effective alternative. Instead of paying platforms to distribute advertisements, campaigns can reach specific communities through creators and organisations that their target audiences already follow.

She cited the Ban Conversion Practices ECI, which relied on organic promotion and content creators rather than paid political advertising.

Vlad Adamescu also explained that Politică la Minut had built its audience entirely through organic content, although politically oriented accounts can face other challenges, including reluctance among commercial brands to collaborate.

ECI FORUM TIPS | Building reach without relying on paid advertising

Lead with curiosity, not political messaging. To reduce the risk of social media platforms restricting a post as political content, frame the message around an interesting fact, a question or a surprising example. A simple "Did you know that...?" can spark interest without leading with a political appeal. Leave the detailed policy arguments and the call to sign for the landing page, where interested users can explore the initiative and take action.

Keep social media messages simple. Introduce one clear idea in each post. Leave detailed policy arguments, proposed legislative changes and technical explanations for the official ECl pages and supporting campaign resources.

Vary the content. Combine explanations, real-life examples, expert perspectives and campaign updates. Repeating the same appeal to sign is unlikely to maintain audience interest throughout a signature collection campaign.

Coordinate organic distribution. Prepare materials that partner organisations, supporters and content creators can adapt for their own audiences. Active participation is more valuable than endorsements that never result in published content.

Check the advertising rules. Educational wording does not automatically exempt content from political advertising restrictions. Platforms may consider the subject, advertiser, destination and wider campaign context. Organisers should comply with the applicable rules rather than attempting to circumvent them.

 

How can LinkedIn collaborations help promote an ECI?

LinkedIn emerged during the webinar as a potentially underused platform for promoting ECIs.

Vlad Adamescu suggested that LinkedIn could be particularly relevant for initiatives addressing issues of interest to professional communities.

Daniela Vancic agreed, highlighting opportunities to involve experts and opinion leaders who already discuss the initiative’s subject. She also mentioned testing a newly introduced collaboration feature, although access to it was limited at the time of the webinar.

LinkedIn offers opportunities for more detailed discussion of an initiative’s objectives and policy implications, particularly when campaigns engage people with relevant professional expertise.

ECI FORUM TIPS  |  Making LinkedIn work for an ECI

Identify relevant professional communities. Look for researchers, sector specialists, professional associations, civil society organisations and other people already discussing the initiative’s subject.

Invite expertise, not just endorsements. Ask a specialist to explain why the proposed change matters or contributes to an informed perspective. A useful professional contribution can generate more meaningful engagement than a generic campaign announcement.

Coordinate publications with partners. Develop complementary posts, mention relevant contributors, and encourage them to participate in the discussion. Test collaboration features where available, but do not make the strategy dependent on them.

Use the comments section. Respond to substantive questions, clarify misunderstandings, and engage in relevant discussions. LinkedIn can help establish the credibility of an initiative as well as extend its visibility.

Try LinkedIn Collaborative Posts. Introduced in July 2026, this feature allows a user (e.g., an ECI campaigner) to publish a single post jointly with up to five experts, partner organisations or other relevant accounts. Once they accept the invitation, the post also appears on their LinkedIn profiles or pages, helping the initiative reach wider professional audiences through organic distribution. For details, check the platform’s instructions.

 

How should a small ECI organise its communications team?

One participant asked whether campaigns should assign a separate person to each social media platform or have one person manage everything. The question also concerned how intensively campaigns should engage on platforms such as Reddit and Discord.

Daniela Vancic acknowledged that a dedicated communications team, including people responsible for influencer engagement, would be ideal. However, many ECIs operate with only a handful of organisers responsible for the entire campaign.

She referred to the Ban Conversion Practices initiative, whose organisers managed an intensive outreach effort despite very limited resources.

The example showed that small teams can achieve substantial results when they focus their efforts and make effective use of collaborators.

ECI FORUM TIPS  |  Organising communications with limited resources

Divide responsibilities rather than platforms. Establish who coordinates messages, produces content, manages partnerships, responds to audiences, and monitors results. One person may cover several functions.

Use a shared editorial calendar. Agree on the main messages, campaign milestones, publication dates, and responsibilities. A simple shared document can be sufficient.

Prepare reusable materials. Develop short texts, graphics, videos, and background information that national partners can translate or adapt instead of producing everything from scratch.

Give national partners clear roles. Local partners can identify relevant communities, adapt messages, maintain relationships, and respond to questions in their own languages.

Review priorities weekly. A short coordination meeting can identify what worked, what needs attention, and where the team’s limited time should be invested next.

 

Which social media platforms should an ECI use?

Participants asked which platforms work best for promoting ECIs, referring to campaigns active on Instagram and YouTube.

Both speakers emphasised that platform selection depends on the initiative’s subject and intended audience.

Daniela Vancic pointed to Stop Destroying Videogames, which reached gaming communities through platforms such as YouTube, Reddit, and Discord. Other initiatives have made extensive use of Instagram and TikTok.

Vlad Adamescu added that online habits and platform preferences vary considerably across EU countries. Even the same platform may attract different demographic groups depending on the national context.

The speakers encouraged organisers to look beyond familiar social media platforms and consider where relevant communities are already active.

ECI FORUM TIPS  |  Choosing and managing platforms

Start with the audience. Identify the countries, communities, and groups the initiative needs to reach, then investigate which platforms they use.

Choose a manageable number of core channels. Regular, meaningful activity on a few relevant platforms is more valuable than maintaining numerous accounts that are less active.

Use existing communities. Campaigns do not necessarily need their own Reddit communities or Discord servers. Participating appropriately in established spaces may be more effective.

Adapt content to the platform. A short video, an expert explanation, and a discussion in a specialist community serve different purposes. Adjust the format and message accordingly.

Test and evaluate. Monitor not only views and reactions but also meaningful engagement, visits to the initiative’s pages and participation generated through each channel.

 

Should influencers explain how the European Citizens’ Initiative works?

An organiser asked whether content creators should explain the ECI mechanism to their audiences.

Both speakers agreed that influencers should not be expected to explain the technical details of the ECI procedure.

Daniela Vancic stressed that content creators are most effective when communicating in their own style and language. Their role is to make the issue relevant to their followers and encourage them to support the initiative.

Organisers should provide the necessary factual information and ensure that interested people can find reliable explanations of the initiative and the signature collection process.

ECI FORUM TIPS  |  Helping creators communicate accurately

Make a personal, relevant pitch. Explain briefly why the initiative matters to the creator’s audience and how it connects to topics they already cover. Refer to a specific post or aspect of their work. Avoid generic requests to promote an ECI.

Start with a simple collaboration proposal. Suggest a realistic first step, such as a short video, a story, or a collaborative post. Explain what the campaign can provide and leave room for the creator’s own ideas. Make it easy to say yes without committing to a long-term partnership.

Prepare a one-page briefing. Explain the problem, the initiative’s objective, why it matters, and what supporters can do. Include a few key facts, useful links, and examples that the creator can adapt.

Allow creators to use their own voice and make sure they don’t distort the message. Agree on the essential facts and campaign objectives but avoid prescribing the exact wording or format. Creators know what resonates with their followers, and their credibility depends on communicating naturally.

Keep the message focused on the issue. Creators do not need to explain the technical details of the ECI mechanism. Their content should make the issue relevant and encourage interest, with a clear link to the official signature collection page for those ready to act.

Build relationships beyond a single post. Keep creators informed about campaign milestones, share results, and offer opportunities for further involvement. A creator who genuinely supports the cause may become a valuable long-term campaign partner.

 

How can online attention turn into actual campaign participation?

During the discussion, Vlad Adamescu described how followers of his channel, Politică la Minut, responded to its promotion of My Voice, My Choice ECI in Romania.

Some followers wanted to help collect signatures locally. Politică la Minut connected them with the initiative’s Romanian organisers, allowing interested supporters to become involved in the campaign.

The example illustrates the importance of connecting online communication with opportunities for practical participation.

ECI FORUM TIPS  |  Turning interest into action

Make the next step obvious. Every campaign publication should have a clear purpose, whether encouraging people to learn more, sign or get involved.

Offer a contact point for volunteers. Interested supporters should be able to find out how to contribute beyond signing.

Connect supporters with national teams. Establish a straightforward process for directing enquiries to the relevant organisers in each country.

Follow up on expressions of interest. A timely response can turn a social media interaction into a valuable contribution to the campaign.

Measure meaningful results. Views and likes indicate exposure, but campaigns should also examine website visits, enquiries, volunteer participation and, where reliable attribution is possible, signatures.

 

Making social media work for an ECI

The webinar discussion highlighted that effective social media campaigning depends on more than the choice of platforms or the number of publications.

Organisers need to adapt to advertising restrictions, work with limited staff, coordinate partners across countries, and make effective use of communities that already exist.

The central challenge is to turn visibility into sustained support and meaningful participation.

A realistic strategy, clear responsibilities, accessible content, and regular evaluation can help ECI organisers make better use of their communications resources.

 

Further reading and resources

For detailed guidance on identifying, approaching, and collaborating with content creators, see the ECI Forum guidance note How social media influencers can help build momentum for your ECI

Join the discussion: What are the challenges of working with influencers and which approaches do you think are most effective?

Read also:

• Why influencers and opinion leaders can make or break your ECI
• How the ‘Stop Destroying Videogames’ ECI went viral — and what you can learn from it
• One million signatures in ten days: how the ECI Ban on conversion practices did it
• Patience, Engagement, Action, Courage, Errors: The Formula that Leads to a Winning European Citizens’ Initiative Campaign