Twitter the Next Political Tool?

Twitter is taking the white house by storm. This week President, Barack Obama posted his first tweet from the official @POTUS Twitter account.  Although the president is not new to Twitter, having prior tweets sent through the official White House account, this is the first time he is tweeting solo.

He was welcomed to Twitter by not only a record breaking 1 million followers in five hours, but also playful jabs from Bill Clinton and FLOTUS, Michelle Obama.

Twitter is becoming a very popular platform in the political world where different politicians and prominent public figures use it to promote their campaigns as well as interact with voters. Michelle Obama uses the @FLOTUS account to promote her healthy lifestyle, #GimmeFive campaign. She also uses it to start conversations with the public about living healthy and family activities.

The 2016 presidential candidates have also taken to social media such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to announce their decisions to run and help promote themselves to voters. Such as Hillary Clinton, who announced her candidacy through Twitter. She is using this social media platform to interact with voters and show the public what her campaign is all about.

Politicians on social media have opened up questions regarding the role social media plays in politics and its influence on voters. Is it a good and effective tool to use?

The overall consensus is yes! Social media such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube allows for direct contact with voters. Politicians can speak directly with voters in what seems a more personal manner and the voters can respond directly. Social media is also free advertising. This can be especially important for local elections. Many politicians have taken to posting their commercials on YouTube, which is free and can be viewed by anyone with internet access.

Social media has allowed for like-minded voters to come together and have their voices heard. This can help political campaigns by tailoring messages to different demographics and groups. Also, this allows for easy access to the publics opinion, which is crucial to know during a political campaign.

Perhaps the most important reason why social media is used in politics is because it is hip and allows access to younger voters. Gaining the votes of the younger generations is very important to politicians and can change the tide of the election.

By reaching out to young voters by using the platforms they use most, politicians can find out the wants and the needs of the young voters. It will be interesting to see the role social media plays in the 2016 elections!

Written by Olivia Marrali from Rebecca Adele PR & Events