Advocacy Influencing: An Exploratory Study on Social Media Influencing for Social Change in the Philippines

Abstract

This study explores the role and effectiveness of social media influencer marketing in advancing children’s rights advocacy in the Philippines. As digital platforms become increasingly central to non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the strategic use of influencers—both celebrities and community-based advocates—has emerged as a key component of development communication. Anchored in behavior change communication theories and social influence frameworks, this research examined how three major NGOs—Save the Children Philippines, Plan International Pilipinas, and World Vision Philippines—utilize influencer-driven campaigns to promote child rights, increase public awareness, and mobilize support. Using a qualitative approach that included desktop research and key informant interviews, the study found that organizations select influencers based on alignment with advocacy values, authenticity, and community relevance. Influencer engagement extend beyond visibility and awareness raising into policy advocacy, field immersion, and audience-specific content creation. Popular platforms included Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and livestreaming tools like Kumu, with storytelling, co-created messaging, and interactive formats used to sustain audience engagement. While influencer marketing has demonstrated value in outreach and community resonance, the findings also underscore the challenge of impact measurement and tracking long-term behavior change. The study findings also reveal the emergence of other influencing factors and types of influencers. Recommendations include further study into a more deliberate use of baseline data to enhance the effectiveness of influencer strategies in the development sector. By bridging digital reach with participatory communication, direct correlations may be made in using social media as a transformative tool in promoting social development goals.