Now more than ever social media is becoming an important aspect of a political campaign.
In a recent article by Emily Mertz of Global News, the topic was heavily discussed as a means to reach a younger generation that might not frequent news outlets and television to obtain knowledge on politics.
Patricia Misutka, the outgoing Chief of Staff for Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel, stated in the article, “I would regard social media as a necessary – but not sufficient – campaign strategy. You need to be on social media, but you can’t only be on social media. It’s not at the point yet of being a single means of reaching out to the public, but it’s part of an integrated strategy that a campaign would execute.”
Of course social media shouldn’t be the only facet of a campaign strategy, but it definitely should be an integral part of addressing the public on campaign news. Social media continues to boom, as more and more people look to it for up-to-date information regarding news. It makes sense to consider it seriously regarding any campaign you may have, politics aside.
It would be smart to engage people socially and online. A candidate should have their own website followed by the major social media profiles: twitter, facebook, instagram, etc. You obviously would like to reach as many people possible. Why wouldn’t you take advantage of these resources? It seems kind of silly to not use them and it is good to be as acclimated as possible with the different social profiles. They have been around long enough that they shouldn’t be ignored but rather embraced.
Social media is becoming a social norm and will only continue to increase. It is in the interest of politicians to take advantage of these outlets and to develop a great presence.