Climate Science in Social Media: What's Worked, and What Hasn't

Abstract:

A common conception of social media is that the definition of success is a huge number of viewers and followers. While these outcomes not undesirable, they are not the only signs of success.
More important than the size of the audience, is how well that audience follows and in turn, propagates the desired message.
Dark Snow project has been successful in driving a global conversation about the Greenland ice sheet, not by creating huge numbers of viewers and followers, but due to a significant, and highly motivated, following among media gatekeepers, academic messengers, and social media activists.
It's very important that, from the start, the Dark Snow story - that changes in ice sheet albedo may be driving increased melt, was effectively encoded, or "branded", in the project's name - "Dark Snow" - a vivid and easily illustrated visual image.
A simple concept that is easy to describe and understand, but profound in implication, has allowed for wide discussion among professionals in science and media, as well as the general public.