Throughout class discussion and assigned readings, we have learned that new communication technologies widely influence how candidates campaign today versus in the past. The influence the Internet and social media now have on political campaigns is massive and it carries tremendous weight and influence over the electorate as well. As “the Internet ranked among the top sources of campaign information” for the “first time during the midterm elections of 2006,” the use and leverage of such mediums and networks by political candidates has only grown since as the opportunities for campaigns to reach specific audiences have been targeted through this relatively new campaign strategy (Political Campaign Communication).
I decided to look at the social media platforms vice presidential candidates, Tim Kaine and Mike Pence are using for several reasons. I want to see how they are using it and analyze further what the use of may or may not being doing for their campaigning alongside the presidential candidates. Part of my reasoning for this is because we have also discussed so much in class the importance of social media campaigning with millennials specifically.
Tim Kaine
Facebook: @timkaine || 209,428 people like this page
Twitter: @timkaine || 386,000 followers
Instagram: @timkaine || 66,200 followers
Mike Pence
Facebook: @mikepence || 807,287 people like this page
Twitter: @mike_pence || 477,000 followers
Instagram: @mike.pence || 177,000 followers
If the above number of followers each vice presidential candidate has determined the outcome of the election, Pence would surely win alongside Donald Trump. However, what does this really mean? Does it mean that one candidate is just better at using such platforms? Does the engagement truly affect the election? It will be interesting to see what the outcome tonight is and consider this after the winning ticket is determined.
Looking at follower amounts, Pence has well above the number of followers Kaine has on each social media platform. However, in the grand scheme of things, it is important to point out that this isn’t that many people at all considering the number of people registered to vote in the United States. If social media is used to target millennials more so than other audiences, is that who mostly follows these candidates? Studies show that Twitter specifically has changed the landscape of the campaign. However, other studies show that millennials are using Twitter less than other platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram so why do you think the candidates have more followers on Twitter than Instagram? Do you think that these followers are mostly millennials?
Sources:
http://www.cio.com/article/3125120/social-networking/how-social-media-is-shaping-the-2016-presidential-election.html
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jefffromm/2016/06/22/new-study-finds-social-media-shapes-millennial-political-involvement-and-engagement/#4e789b8915de
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/r-kay-green/the-game-changer-social-m_b_8568432.html
http://www.socialmediatoday.com/social-business/adhutchinson/2015-08-12/facebook-instagram-snapchat-most-popular-networks-among
I think you raised a valid point about the effect of social media on political campaigns especially the 2016 presidential election. Although Donald Trump’s tweets have received most of the attention as far as political communication through social media, it will be interesting to see how the vice presidential candidates’ followership numbers correlate to final election data concerning Millennials and other age demographics.