Girls Who Code Social Media Strategy Proposal
Case Study
This is a project associated with my graduate program at Quinnipiac University, May 2025.
About Girls Who Code
Founded in 2012, Girls Who Code is a nationwide nonprofit working to close the gender gap in tech and computing. Through Clubs, Pathways, and GWC Labs, they offer in-person and virtual coding programs for girls and non-binary individuals aged 8–18, proving that careers in technology don't have to be male-dominated.
To date, they've served over 600,000 young people with 200,000+ alumni and 6,000 club locations across the US. In early 2025, they launched Five By Five: a bold initiative to reach 5 million participants by 2030, with social media playing a central role in getting there.
Social Media Audit:
Where GWC Stands today: Girls Who Code maintains a consistent presence across five major platforms with strong brand visuals, but engagement rates sit well below industry benchmarks, and Five By Five campaign branding is largely absent from the feed.
Campaign Strategy:
Three Initiatives to Amplify Five By Five: To close the gap between GWC's current engagement and the Five By Five goal, three content-driven strategies were proposed — each designed to generate authentic participation, community, and reach.
#CodeYourNameChallenge
A viral TikTok and Instagram challenge inviting people of all backgrounds to film themselves coding their own name. Participants tag GWC and use the campaign hashtag, generating organic UGC for the official pages to reshare. Collaborating with women in STEM, like Aisha Bowe or Melanie Perkins, would spark early momentum and inspire younger audiences.
Weekly Member & Alumni Spotlights
Short, story-driven posts on Instagram and LinkedIn showcasing real GWC members and alumni, their coding journeys, projects, and career paths. These posts humanize the organization, build community, and demonstrate program impact in a way that resonates with both prospective students and potential donors.
Bi-Monthly "Mini Tutorial" Webinars
Free live coding sessions hosted by GWC college members or alumni, recorded and repurposed across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram Reels. These webinars provide continuous learning year-round, keep members engaged between programs, and generate a steady stream of authentic video content across platforms.
Campaign Objectives:
40%+ increase of engagement rates on Meta platforms by end of 2025
Reach 2.5 million participants by July 2027, the Five By Five halfway point
Grow TikTok following to 20,000 by January 2026
Conclusion:
Social Media as a Force for Good
Five By Five is an ambitious goal, but a reachable one. GWC already has the brand recognition, the mission, and the community. What's needed now is a sharper social strategy that meets audiences where they are and genuinely invites them in.
By leaning into challenges, authentic storytelling, and platform-specific best practices, Girls Who Code can convert followers into participants, donors into advocates, and viewers into the next generation of women in tech. Quality over quantity, human over automated, community over broadcast — that's the path to five million.