An online petition is purposefully made possible by a concerned individual for the reason that he wants to impact a long-lasting change in a certain aspect of life, community, group of people, society, nation and the whole world on a larger scale, outlook and perspective. 

Changemakers are inspired, driven and innately motivated to rise up to the challenge of making change feasible for they firmly believe that change should begin in one’s self before benchmarking in such a widespread manner that will influence others in the longer run. 

In the point of view of the past generations, creating a petition is highly regarded as a tremendous grassroots strategy that will definitely make the impossible a great possibility in a wider perspective if exerted efforts and an outpour of initiatives come into place in terms of making it a reality, a fulfillment and a dream come true.

The act of gathering signatures is greatly considered a formidable initiative and thrust as it provides the changemaker, an opportunity, to voice out his or her intention of creating such petition and in return, he or she will garner the strength of making it achievable through the number of signatories involved either through his or her family, friends, colleagues, and fellow community members who share the same boat with him or her in fighting and voicing out the essential cause as centralized and emphasized in the petition. 

At present, both in our contemporary and modernized society, online petitions have successfully reached the direction of giving an eventual replacement to the pen and paper version for the reason that it can reach more people virtually in a matter of seconds or minutes, by just sharing it from one person to the other. 

To continue with, as highly suggested by time-tested changemakers alike, the use of a website builder can be of great advantage, if the goal of the change influencer is to begin an online petition, that is geared on the direction of accumulating digital signature, as well as of sharing the backbone of efforts and initiatives behind the online petition, by word of mouth. 

In this article, we will be discussing the different steps, strategies and ways that are involved in the creation of a petition website from the very start of the process, down to the finish line which can be summarized through the performance of an in-depth research firsthand, down to the build-up of a lasting momentum of awareness that is centered on the cause as a whole. Let us begin. 

How to Make a Petition Online and a Petition Website 

1.The changemaker should begin with immense research that will revolve around the advocated cause

The backbone of every petition should root on a clear understanding of the cause that the changemaker is advocating for. 

People are more driven to lend their valuable support, listening ear and whole heart if the researched facts are written in place and in a synchronized manner. 

Thus, it is of utmost importance that the changemaker ventures into a research that includes the opinions and sides of the lawmakers, community members and influential individuals who have a great say on the cause. 

On the contrary, the individual should strategize the inclusion of reliable reading materials and news sources that are highly relevant to the cause. In this manner, a discursive and highly articulated position is depicted on the changemaker at a clearer pace. 

As a precaution, the changemaker should also take into great consideration, the reality that the people involved in the cause are the right match for it, because the loophole might cause him or her to be in the disadvantaged side wherein as a result, his or her cause may not be accommodated, despite the fact that they may be on the same thought and perspective after all. 

In finality, the changemaker must submit his or her petition to the intended recipient once he or she has garnered the expected number of signatories. 

2. The changemaker must incorporate a goal that will be of good match to his or her cause and advocacy as a whole

The main reason why changemakers result in organizing petitions is because they would want to realize a goal in the long run, and that is to address his or her cause on an optimal level. 

In general, petitions are not only ladened on the basis of a complaint but rather, it is geared on a direction that the performed research is in consonance to the attainment of the goal in an accomplished state. 

The individual should take into great consideration that the change wherein he or she envisions should not be existing firsthand, and that it is something new and fresh.

As a matter of fact, if the cause has already been fought and petitioned previously, the end result for the changemaker is that he or she should take a detour in the guise of enforcing his or her petition as barricading hindrances may be experienced in the longer run. 

To continue with, the changemaker must lead the way of finding the appropriate solution that will respond to the incorporated demands of the petition itself. 

It means that the petition as a whole should be characterized in such a manner that it is tripart such as: being concrete, straightforward and quantifiable as a whole. 

On the other side of the coin, the target audience of the petition will never appreciate a proposal that is half-baked in terms of compromise. 

As a response to this unprecedented outcome, the proposal must obtain a dual image that is both direct and transparent by means of writing in an explicit approach both the goals and demands of the petition, in a virtual format that is vivid in a website. 

3.The changemaker must give a name to his or her project and cause as a whole

The changemaker must be reminded that a petition can be easily grasped if a name is given to his or her project and cause, beforehand. 

The following strategies can be incorporated in the pursuit of giving his or her project and cause a name and a trademark as follows: 

1.The usage of active verbs that will entice the changemaker’s supporters in exerting action and initiative that will contribute greatly to his or her cause. 

2. The changemaker must greatly identify the holistic target of his or her petition in totality. 

3.The inclusion of a catchphrase which is in great commonality with a slogan will equate the purpose of the cause as a whole. 

In the realms of selecting a domain name for the petition website, the changemaker must incorporate the great factor that people will absolutely learn the employed message of the cause if he or she makes it a point that the website’s domain name is not in a common denominator to a domain name that has already been used in other websites, so that confusion will not transpire in a larger scale. 

4. The changemaker must pattern his or her petition and website in a design that is strategic by perspective and pattern

A successful buildup of a petition website will greatly follow through, if the changemaker makes it a point that issues are in place in terms of tackling it in a discursive manner, and at the same time, goals are completely identified in totality. 

As an advice for the changemaker who is a certified first-timer in the aspect of creating and building petition websites, he or she must consider the encapsulated effort of using a template rather than a site itself, as a warm-up. 

On a larger scale, website templates are widely available over the Internet, and these are originally created by authorized and reliable designers who professionally pursue such thrust as a career, as a means of adapting to the needs of the changemaker who uses the customized website templates to the fullest extent. 

As an additive feature, the changemaker is also encouraged to encapsulate the use of a color scheme that will serve as a representation of his or her cause. 

A color scheme will serve as the direct implication of the message that is being conveyed by the cause itself and in the longer run, the changemaker will benefit from it in a longer run as his or her petition will be fully supported by its target audience, so to speak. 

In addition, in relation to color scheme, it is also advisable that a color psychology will be adapted by the changemaker, as a backbone philosophy and origin in creating the petition website, in terms of addressing the need to strategically select the colors that will impact the website, in the point of view of the people who will support the cause by means of being signatories. 

A color psychology is adapted in order to imply the feelings of optimism, empathy, solemnity, hope and urgency for the benefit of their supporters who are readily willing to support the cause of the petition in totality. 

5. A changemaker should make it a point that his or her website homepage gives a clear, direct and tremendous message in bringing out the meat of the petition’s cause

The homepage of a website will serve as its mirror in entirety for the reason that it will serve as a reflection of the whole petition that is centralized on the creation of the website. 

The homepage will entail the very first impression of the website thus it is very essential for it to be characterized in an informative and inspirational premise, so that people will be both persuaded and enticed to sign the petition. 

Below are the needed inclusions of a petition website homepage as follows: 

• A set of images that will portray the problem. 
• A description of the issue that is both concise and clear which is also incorporated with the mission and goals of the petition website. 
• A CTA or call to action that will gear on prompting persuasively the individuals and users of the petition website to sign using the relevant form provided for. 

It is more advantageous as well for the changemaker to make his or her petition website both easily searchable and understandable as this will open the opportunity for the website to increase in user flow and navigation. 

The more site visitors that the petition website will garner, the higher inclination will be pushed in terms of gathering signatures for the petition as quickly as possible. 

6. The changemaker should display the statement of purpose of the petition website for informational purposes

The statement of purpose of a specific petition website will serve as the direct outline of the mission and goals of the cause itself, wherein the petition originates. 

A thorough explanation of the problem, partnered with a proposed solution will be of great importance in the uplifting of the context of the petition website, which will lead in effect to encouraging potential signatories to support the cause as a whole. 

As an advice, interconnected facts and straight to the point information should tell a logically ladened story in terms of conveying the message of the petition so that it will be both interesting and catchy, in the eyes of the signees and users concerned. 

In finality, references should be cited by the changemaker in the petition website so that credibility is of the essence in the guise of promoting the cause in an optimal level. 

7. The changemaker should create a distinct form that will incorporate the signatures of the signees, who will support the petition as a whole

The changemaker can consider the creation of any of the following forms, for the purpose of gathering signatories as follows: a signature database and a spreadsheet. 

The signatory form serves as the heart of the petition website, thus it is important to create either of the two options mentioned above, in a systematic, detailed and complete manner. 

A signature database should include the following sections: the name of the signatory, the signatory’s email-address and  the signatory’s comments. The main purpose of a signature database is that it should serve as a collection of the individuals who have signed the cause as a means of support. 

On the other hand, it is much easier to import a digital file and to export a specific data into another intended location, if a synchronized spreadsheet is used. This is done in order to prepare a compilation or a printed submission of the gathered data, should the need arise. 

8. The changemaker should focus on spreading the cause as a word of mouth

Nowadays, it is easier for the changemaker to inform his or her website users about the cause of his or her petition, due to the great contribution of SEO. 

SEO greatly contributes to the petition’s website in terms of searchability and engine optimization. 

In addition, the incorporation of a social media marketing strategy will also impact the necessity of spreading the cause on an optimal level, so to speak. 

Furthermore, the use of social media platforms will greatly contribute to the familiarity of people of the cause encapsulated in the petition, which in the longer run, will raise awareness and interest on the perspective of the user in totality. 

9. It is a good motive that the changemaker incorporates the wide usage of social sharing tools so that the initiative of making the cause of the petition widespread will be attained completely

The most crucial and tedious aspect of making a petition is Social Sharing. Thus, it is important that the changemaker should make great use of social channels, as well as of the website’s social share buttons so that the followers of the changemaker’s supporters will be engaged, persuaded and inspired to sign up and support the cause, wholeheartedly. 

10. The supporters of the petition website should always be updated in terms of what needs to be done, what is going on and what are the certain developments of the petition

The changemaker should be well-versed on the aspect of how essential it is for their supporters to be greatly involved, in terms of being on the loop, as well as on the progress of the petition, in totality. 

In addition, the creation of a blog, organization of a webinar and the conduct of a vlog,  that will support the petition website is also admirable, as well as the inclusion of supplementary resources will lead to the direction of gaining additional supporters, in the online community of the website, respectively. 

It is the hope of the writer of this article that individuals who will come across this article respectively will be motivated, inspired, and driven to promote his or her cause by means of creating a petition online both virtually and maximally.