You’ve heard about this cool new thing called Social Media.
Maybe you’ve heard that all the cool campaigns are using it.
Maybe you’ve heard that Barack Obama successfully leveraged Social Media in his run for the Presidency in 2008 and want to know how he did it.
While you may or may not be a candidate for President at this moment, you are looking to incorporate Social Media into your political campaign.
Before you do that, you should know how Social Media can benefit your campaign efforts.
#1: Engage With and Activate Your Base
The real draw of Social Media is the ability to directly communicate one-on-one with your constituents. Social Media is for having conversations and sharing information. People LOVE having direct access to their representatives/future representatives. They especially like it when they ask you a question using social media and get a real response!
#2: Help Shape Your Message
Active listening and monitoring is your greatest weapon in Social Media. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “Listen twice as much as you speak,” and Social Media is the place to do that. If you’re running for local office, type in the name of your town into the search box on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or LinkedIn to find conversations about what people are feeling and thinking in your town and use it to craft your campaign message.
#3: Know What’s Working in Real Time
Did you just put out a new campaign ad on Youtube or in traditional media? Want to know how successful it is and what people feel about it? Ask your followers. Using the same search method as above, search for your name to learn what people are saying about you. Is it largely positive or negative? Do people even know you or your campaign exist?
Do not go into Social Media blind. You need a real, actionable plan. Political Social Media is much more than just “tweets” and “likes.” It’s about engaging in conversations that will bring you more volunteers, more donors, and turn out more voters.