incorporating diversity, equity & inclusivity into your conscious brand’s social media strategy
DEI (Diversity, equity & inclusion): what is it, why does it matter & How can you incorporate it into your social media strategy?
I recently attended two fascinating DEI webinars, one within The Green Marketing Academy and one with 3P Insights, and wanted to share some of the elements that stood out to me with you. I also included practical recommendations I often mention in the masterclasses I teach students & professionals on Social Media & Ethics as well.
What is DEI?
DEI stands for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. The eXtension Foundation Impact Collaborative defines each term individually as follows:
- Diversity refers to people’s “race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity nationality, socioeconomic status, language, (dis)ability, age, religious commitment or political perspective.”
- Equity promotes “justice, impartiality, and fairness within the procedure, processes, and distribution of resources by institutions or systems.” It’s important to note the distinction between equity and equality. Equality is the acknowledgment of the disparity in resources and opportunities individuals experience. On the other hand, equity allocates additional resources to ensure everyone can achieve the same outcome, regardless of their privilege and power differences.
- Inclusion ensures people of all diverse backgrounds are welcome and have a seat at the table. This involves giving all employees the power to weigh in on important decisions and participate in development opportunities.
However, as the US Chamber of Commerce mentions in this article, DEI takes on yet another meaning when all three words are used together: “DEI involves creating a place where everyone is welcome, supported, and has the resources they need to grow and thrive regardless of identity, origin, or difference in circumstances.”
Why do diversity, equity & inclusion matter?
DEI is particularly important for conscious brands that place ethics at the core of their brand values.
Having a niche / key target audience is a normal and important element of marketing (trying to speak to, and connect with, everyone generally leads to a diluted communication strategy). However, intentionally or unintentionally excluding certain people is a whole other issue and one that needs to be a top priority for business owners when it comes to internal processes, such as recruitment, suppliers/production conditions, partner selection, etc. AND customer-facing aspects of a business, including product features, services, and marketing/communication.
What can ethical & sustainable brands do to incorporate more diversity, equity & inclusion into their social media?
I have been working in marketing for the past decade and in social media for 8 years, yet I am learning more about this every day. As I learn, this list will continue to grow but, for now, here are a few of my favorite tips to get you started:
- Check to see if you have an ethical social media strategy already in place, from how you engage with your community to the content you create.
2. Make your content more accessible.
Two places to start? Adding captions / sub-titles & image/video descriptions (in the alt text for instance), and using easy-to-read fonts and contrasting colors in your graphics. This website/graphic contrast checker can help.
3. Favor diversity and inclusion!
- Feature diverse people in the photos, videos, gifs and illustrations you use (in terms of gender, skin color, physical ability, sexuality, age…). Same goes for emojis (namely in terms of gender & skin color). Here are a couple of inclusive stock photography websites you can check out: https://nappy.co/ and https://www.sheboldstock.com/ for photos featuring Black and Brown individuals, https://affecttheverb.com/collection/ for photos and illustrations celebrating BIPOC individuals with different types of disabilities, and https://diversetechgeek.com/sources-free-lgbtq-stock-photos/ for LGBTQ+ stock photo links.
- Avoid cultural appropriation & black-washing (for instance in terms of gifs you use, word/expression choices, music & audio in reels…)
- Be open to feedback. It’s a learning process – create a safe space & actively ask for feedback
Here are a few more resources filled with great tips to keep you going on your DEI journey:
- ARTICLES ON CULTURAL APPROPRIATION: What is Cultural Appropriation?, via VeryWellMind, 10 Examples of Cultural Appropriation You Never Thought Of, via Reader’s Digest, and 12 Culturally Appropriative Words and Phrases To Stop Using Today, via Yoga Journal.
- ACCOUNTS TO FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM: Simone McNish, whose talk for The Green Marketing Academy was incredibly enlightening and provided most of the stock photography resources above, and Sim Does DEI.
Incorporating greater Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion into your business strategy is a learning process and a journey. Be kind to yourself and don’t give up! The effort is more than worth it!