What is your “Like” on Facebook really worth? Motivational Speaker Derrick Feldmann has written two books on the subject of social movements and how they become successful, and will be heading up the session “Social Activism: How to Ignite a Movement” in SXSW’s SXgood track.

The side of activism we typically see is through social media, which presents one of the more impulsive ways for believers to support their cause.

The good news is, thanks to modern technology, there is a lot more opportunity for impulsive support, says Feldmann, not only with Facebook, but volunteering impulsively or attending a cause event.

“The issue with that though is that it’s very easy, especially for millennials, to remain in a space of impulsive activity,” Feldmann said. “So there’s always a huge argument as to whether any of the digital awareness building that is done will ever amount to anything.”

What supporters of a movement have to do is move from being a “believer,” as Feldmann says, to a “belonger.”

With so many opportunities to become involved, Feldmann sees many millennials participating, but these activities don’t necessarily move them to doing even more.

Feldmann has been conducting a study called the Millennial Impact Project which looks at the ways in which millennials give and become involved with movements. The research is in partnership with the Case Foundation and has been an ongoing project since 2009.

“We are the most comprehensive and longest-running study around the millennial generation social and cause issue engagement,” Feldmann said.

The study has found that millennials need a combination of online and offline tactics to really get them engaged and taking action.

Feldmann says technology and social media has allowed organizations to move the millennial faster to a different level of involvement than before.

“(It allows them to move) from a belonger of a movement to truly believing in it, to truly becoming an owner of that movement in their own personality in some way,” he said.

One way to do this is to make the millennial feel that they have more power in the situation. If they feel they can personally help the organization overcome an issue, they will be more likely to get involved.

“(We) need the elevation of the individual to propel it forward in any way they can,” said Feldmann.

A movement needs as many supporters behind it as it can get, but digital involvement isn’t enough, he says.

Many grassroots movements take years to get off the ground with hard work and dedication, and need much more behind-the-scenes action and organization than many realize.

A viral hashtag can be helpful, but doesn’t have the longevity of a movement that was established beforehand.

“The only way some of these movements ever got out to movement status is when their founders went out and said, ‘I don’t want you to just like the things that I do, I want you to help me,’” Feldmann said.

The greatest thing about technology is that is allows a greater opportunity for organization and gathering more followers, he says.

“In order to create a sustained and ongoing movement (and get) more and more people around it, you’ve got to move away from just trying to go viral and getting a ton of belongers. It’ll fizzle out quickly,” said Feldmann.

A movement needs aggressive activists, not passive ones, to pull together and pull in even more people who share their belief.

Feldmann says at the panel he will further discuss some of the foundational qualities of successful movements, as well as several stories about what made other successful movements.

His study, The Millennial Impact Project, can be found at themillennialimpact.com.