Ahead of the 2020 election, Twitter’s CEO Jack Dorsey is working hard to augment the social media platform’s reputation. In a recent conversation with TED’s Chris Anderson and Whitney Pennington Rodgers, Dorsey loosely suggested that Twitter’s team is working to create more accurate engagement on the platform.It matters that conversations about honest social media practices are happening ahead of the general election because successful political campaigns happen on and offline. We at 2TON know that from experience. Two years ago, 2TON CEO & Founder Ryan Boylston ran for public office for the first time. He beat the incumbent.
We know a thing or two about running a successful political campaign.
To start, Ryan didn’t become Commissioner Boylston overnight. When Ryan ran for office, he had been living in Delray Beach for more than 13 years and managed to grow a successful business in that time. He sat on boards. Got to know everyone from the Atlantic High School football team to local entrepreneurs working to find solutions. Delray residents knew if they needed a copy of the city’s masterplan, they could go to Ryan’s Downtown Delray Beach office and retrieve one.
Voters know the difference between someone who is actively engaged in the community and someone who is using the community to get to a public office.
Though Ryan was the ideal candidate, he was going up against an incumbent. How did Ryan beat a sitting commissioner who was running for re-election? Digital strategy and social media.
Digital and social media will kick your political campaign up a notch.
Let’s start with building for digital:
- Whatever you communicate to voters IRL (in real life) has to be communicated online
- Hire a designer who moves away from the busy campaign ads – go for clean assets
- Your designs should be consistent, simple, easy to read/neat, and forward thinking
- Budget for YouTube, Google, and social media ad buying
- Use video, GIFs, and pictures with intention
- Everything should tell a story
Now on to social media:
- Using social media accounts for your campaign is all about connecting with voters – don’t be boring
- There will be voters who only come to know you via social media, bring them on the campaign trail with you – live stream debates and HOA meetings, for example
- Any announcement or important claim that you make IRL should also be made on social media
- Build a social media team who can keep an eye on posts and who are members of groups relevant to your campaign
- You will encounter people who don’t like you and they’ll make it known all over social media – stay on message, block when you have to, and don’t take it personal
If you’re thinking about using digital and social media to win an election, you’re already on the right path. We know a thing or two about winning political campaigns, let’s talk.
