political social media presentation
DESCRIPTION
Social Media has permanently altered the landscape of political campaigns. Learn how you can leverage it for your candidate or cause.TRANSCRIPT
Social Media and Political Reality
RICHMOND CITY
REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE
June 22, 2011
Purpose
• Confirm, refine or explode your notions about Social Media (aka “new media”)
• Discuss Social Media strategies that work and don’t work in political campaigns
Overheard at recent GOP meeting
“I’ve got Social Media covered-- some college students are on Facebook and they’re tweeting for me.”
“I’ve got better things to do than tell people what I had for dinner.”
Consider:
1997: The Internet considered “just a fad”1999: The Internet considered essential for business2000: Dot com bubble burst; tarnished online
reputation2005: Websites considered essential for all
businesses;2005: YouTube.com established2006: Facebook considered just a fad for students2008: Obama engages and energizes base using SM2009: Twitter scoffed at by mainstream media2010: Social Media considered essential for all
businessesand political campaigns
2011: Political uprisings and downfalls directly related to SM
What is Social Media?
“It’s a lot of people saying stuff online.”
“It’s Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube.”
“It’s a way to get millions of small donations.”
Social + Media ≠ Social Media
What is Social Media?
Engagement from the top of the political ladder or any level with grassroots supporters.
Public, personal discourse with people you know and with strangers, generally by common interests.
Networks that enable near real time dissemination of news and opinion (random, 3D call ladder).
Social Media . . . beyond the tube
•Offers a direct relationship with voters, contributors
•Offers voters a way to congregate and express
•Can and does result in action, even while engaged in other activities
#1 reason for Social Media phobia and
avoidanceIt can’t be controlled.
Application of universal principle
“Use it or LOSE it.”
Technology Adoption
© Pew Research Center
Evolution of online engagement
Email and search
Research & Info gathering
E-commerce
Basic online entertainment
Passive Social Media use
More advanced
online entertainment
Active
engagement
with Social Media
Basic
Advanced
© Pew Research Center
Centuries of lessons learned
•Technology adoption precedes understanding of its real power: disruption
•Failure to understand results in economic and political failure
•People who harness the power succeed, often brilliantly
Any size campaign reap rewards
Any size campaign can reap . . . disaster
Political Social Media Strategy
Monitoring and measuring data in Social Media used for these steps
Develop messages for key demographics
Develop & implement visibility strategy
Develop & implement engagement strategy
Start fundraising online
Candidate engages (authentic)
Take advantage of “lucky accidents.”
Key actions
#1 Make message(s) consistent with ALL ads and direct mail; integrate, integrate!
#2 Buy online advertising in multiple channels EARLY
#3 Develop “sub-messages” for groups
#4 Use networks, email, blogs, article comments
# 5Use “pull” not just “push” mentality
Key actions#6 Identify and engage on networks and blogs already attracting your constituency
#7 Use online news releases (2 - 10/week) and photos, photos, photos!
#8 Measure and monitor continuously; address negatives & info immediately
#9 Use SM and online search for opposition research
#10 Directly engage grassroots supporters
Monitor and measure size of your reach; understand which messages are effective and why. Don’t be redundant.
Organize a group (2-5) to meet online, in person
Select issues important to your contacts
Create daily blog posts and share, retweet- use networks
Help with fundraising online
Sponsor events - e.g. “tweetups”
For Supporters: How to engage for
impact?
Key “DON’Ts”
# 5 Be boring!
# 4 Delay action
#3 Ignore constituent online complaint
#2 Limit your channels (or thinking)
#1 Put Social Media in a silo
Social Media Sites/Platforms
•Social networks, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Plaxo and Classmates.com
•Micro-blogging sites, such as Twitter, Tumblr, Posterous, Dailybooth and 12 Seconds•Blogging sites, such as WordPress, Blogger and Blogspot
•Video-sharing sites, such as YouTube, Ustream and Vimeo
•Photo-sharing sites, such as Flickr, Instagram and Picassa
•Bookmarking sites, such as Digg, Reddit and StumbleUpon
Conservative Networks•FreedomWorks’ Freedom Connector: > 100k patriots organizing and taking action to restore freedom in America
•Patriot Action Network: > 88,000 members with state and often local chapters
•Free Republic: unknown size, potentially hundreds of thousands, with state chapters
•Facebook groups, Twitter hashtags, blogs such as Family Foundation, townhall.com, gawker.com
Source: Pew Research Center
Contact
© 2011 The Hardwicke Group LLC
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