Webinar, 'Role of influencers and social media strategies in ECIs'

Social media influencers and content creators can help European Citizens’ Initiatives (ECIs) reach new audiences, build trust and mobilise support beyond existing networks. Their involvement can be particularly valuable for campaigns working with limited budgets and small teams.

Missed the live session? Watch the full webinar recording above to learn how to identify relevant influencers, build authentic relationships with content creators, and develop effective social media strategies to increase the visibility and impact of an ECI campaign.

In this webinar, experts from the European Citizens’ Initiative Forum and an experienced political content creator shared practical advice and lessons from successful ECI campaigns. The discussion explored how organisers can engage influencers across countries, collaborate on social media content and mobilise supporters with limited resources.

What this webinar helps you understand

• How to identify relevant influencers and content creators for an ECI campaign
• How to build authentic relationships that encourage creators to support an initiative
• How to engage influencers without large promotional budgets
• How to use collaborative posts and other social media features to increase campaign visibility
• How to adapt communication strategies to different national audiences and social media platforms
• How to organise systematic influencer outreach and encourage creators to share campaign messages

Participants heard directly from:

• Daniela Vancic, Lead European Policy and Advocacy at Democracy International, who shared lessons from successful ECI campaigns and practical recommendations for identifying and engaging influencers.
• Vlad Adamescu, co-founder of Politică la Minut, a Romanian social media initiative explaining politics and public policy to an audience of around 200,000 followers. Vlad shared the perspective of a content creator communicating political and European affairs to younger audiences.

The webinar was moderated by Paola Zamboni, European Citizens’ Initiative Forum Team.

Key insights from the discussion

• Prioritise relevance over reach. Engaged audiences and trusted voices matter more than follower numbers.
• Think beyond political influencers. Lifestyle creators, gaming communities and local voices can help reach new audiences.
• Build authentic relationships. Creators who believe in your cause are more likely to provide meaningful, lasting support.
• Work with limited budgets. Start with smaller creators, local networks and collaborative posts to increase visibility.
• Be strategic and persistent. Personalise outreach and adapt your approach to different platforms and national audiences.

Webinar agenda

• Welcome and introduction by Paola Zamboni, European Citizens’ Initiative Forum Team
• The role of influencers in ECI campaigns
  • Why influencers matter and how to identify relevant creators — Daniela Vancic [Minute 04:59–11:01]
  • Using collaborative posts and mapping influencers across countries [Minute 11:01–15:37]
  • Working with influencers on limited budgets [Minute 15:37–19:24]
• A content creator’s perspective — Vlad Adamescu [From minute 19:50]
  • How content creators build trust and engage audiences
• Interactive discussion and Q&A with participants
  • Building authentic relationships with influencers
  • Choosing social media platforms for different audiences 
  • Organising influencer outreach with limited resources 
• Closing remarks

Questions answered in the webinar

• How can ECI organisers identify influencers who might be interested in supporting their cause?
• Is it possible to secure influencer support without paying for promotional content?
• How can campaigns encourage influencers to support an initiative beyond a single post?
• Which social media platforms are most effective for different ECI audiences and topics?
• How can small ECI teams organise influencer outreach across several EU Member States?
• Can artificial intelligence help identify and map relevant influencers?

Further reading and support

Explore these resources to learn more about influencer engagement and successful ECI campaigns:

• ECI Forum guidance note: How social media influencers can help build momentum for an ECI campaign
• ECI organiser story: How Stop Destroying Videogames went viral and what you can learn from it
• ECI organiser story: One million signatures in ten days: How Ban Conversion Practices did it
• ECI organiser story: Why influencers and opinion leaders can make or break your ECI
• ECI blog post: How to promote a European citizens’ initiative with influencers and on social media: practical answers to organisers’ questions 

The European Citizens’ Initiative Forum offers free support and practical guidance for organisers, including guidance notes, webinars, training materials, campaign examples and the Ask an Expert service for legal and campaign advice. Register on the Forum to exchange ideas with others and explore the resources available to help your initiative succeed.

Platform: Webex

Language: English