To put it simply, social media is a game changer. The explosion of social media in the last 5 years, has revolutionized the digital world and how people communicate, share, and gather information.
As social media continues to transform our personal lives, it has also begun to change the political sphere, and in a
drastic way. Traditional forms of media are becoming obsolete. Television, radio, and newspapers, do not have the same impact they once did.
What we are seeing instead, across the political spectrum, is an embrace of social media, including YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, and a de-emphasis on traditional media.
Politicians must adapt to this new digital environment and capitalize on the opportunities social media presents to engage with citizens in a personal and conversational way.
Social media has permeated every aspect of our lives and has changed our views on celebrity, persuasive discourse, and communicating news. If politicians want to remain on top of the public’s mind, they must ride this new wave of social media and include social media in politics or become lost in the social currents.
Socially Conscious Legislation
Social media in politics pairs well with the nation’s ideals of representative democracy. That is, social media can
connect governing bodies, such as Congress, directly with the American people.
Unlike traditional communication, social media establishes a two-way conversation where the American public can have a direct input and impact on the legislative process.
If congressional representatives use these various networking platforms to create polls, ask questions, and reach out to the public, they can create a truly dimensional conversation with their constituents.
Members can base congressional decisions and votes on the actual input, desires, and opinions of their constituents giving citizens a voice on the House floor for the first time.
American citizens can gain a say in legislative decision making with social media in politics opening a democratic dialogue possible of engaging the nation as a whole.
Social Media Showdown Transforming the 2012 Elections
Obama revolutionized election campaigning by bringing social media to the forefront of his initiatives in 2008. Obama established a social media empire by leveraging 15 social networking sites and employing an email marketing list of over 13 million advocates established through his personal online hub barackobama.com.
As the 2012 elections draw nearer, presidential hopefuls and a growing number of politicians are embarking on similar social media campaigns to draw attention to their political campaigns.
Social media allows candidates to bypass the intermediary of traditional press, engage directly with their constituency, and gain support by releasing their messages on social media platforms.
Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney capitalized on the power of social media to launch his campaignwhen he
Thumbs up to Mitt for using YouTube to announce his candidacy
announced his 2012 run for president through a YouTube video released on Twitter. The announcement sent viral shockwaves through out the web as the American public reacted to Romney’s bid.
In another instance, Governor Perry of Texas criticized President Obama on the social media turf by releasing a video (now boasting over 2 million views) dubbing Obama “President Zero” referring to the number of jobs Obama has created.
While social media does not necessarily translate into winning an election, it is vital to each candidate’s popularity and visibility amongst the public. The future of social media in politics will be sure to pack a lot of punch. In the meantime, it’s sure to stir up controversy amongst “social” Americans.
Now check out where the current GOP candidates stand. Perry also has a prominent third social media presence, LiveJournal, but he forgot his password…Oops.
Facebook Likes Twitter Followers
Romney 1,176,554 163,611
Cain 371,561 164,322
Perry 170,943 103,691
Buchman 459,153 112,341
Gingrich 167,985 1,346,925
Oops!
