Social Media
Social Media and Politics
In recent years, social media has become a vital part of political campaigns. According to a study by Pew Research Center, over half of the United States consumes political news via social media.
The boom of politics in social media began in 2008 during the presidential election. Since then, social media has completely transformed the way political campaigns work.
The significance of social media within political campaigns is directly related to the flow of information and the convenience factor. Print media and broadcast television simply cannot compare to the easy and convenient aspect of social media. Rather than waiting for the morning paper or scheduled televised events, interested parties can instantly receive news directly from the candidates themselves.
This direct line of communication between politicians and voters creates a transparent and open platform, creating an honest relationship without having to rely on a third party to deliver the news.
Social media platforms also provide politicians with large fundraising opportunities, as well as increase their social outreach.
Social media is paving the way for political campaigns of the future. Politicians must learn to adapt to the new communication platforms for a successful political campaign.
Ron DeSantis (Florida Governor) Social Media Outreach
During the 2022 Florida Governor's Race, Ron DeSantis captured the nation's attention through his expensive and expansive social media campaigning.
Running for his second term against Democratic candidate, Charlie Crist, DeSantis won the gubernatorial election by a landslide.
Although DeSantis' victory was an exciting win for Republicans, his social media campaign tactics are what made his campaign newsworthy, nationwide.
During the 2022 elections, more than $447 million was spent on political advertising in the entire state of Florida. $72 million was spent advertising the Florida Governor Race and over $54 million was spent on DeSantis' campaign alone.
All of DeSantis' ads went national, attracting a huge audience to the Florida Governor campaign. A majority of his advertisements and campaign announcements were released through his official social media accounts, allowing him to directly communicate and distribute information concerning the race without a third party.
Twitter
Ron DeSantis has an impressive following on his social media accounts. His Twitter account has 3.5 million followers, making it his most popular social media account.
DeSantis uses his Twitter as a daily communication tool to deliver news and updates to his followers. Twitter has become a place for him to actively promote his policies and highlight achievements during his term.
Since 2019, Florida’s record-breaking tax relief for Floridians has saved families nearly $3.3 billion. Families saved on gas, diapers, tools, school supplies and disaster preparedness supplies, helping them in the face of record inflation. pic.twitter.com/PPvCYe2ByF
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) November 3, 2022
It’s Election Day – make your voice heard and go vote.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) November 8, 2022
Followers: 1.6 million
Youtube
18.4k subscribers
521k followers
Overview
DeSantis has a very successful and effective social media strategy. Looking through his social media accounts, it was very prevalent how he makes the people of Florida a priority. During the election term, there were hardly any posts made about voting or the election itself. This is because, during the election cycle, Florida was hit by two hurricanes, Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole.
DeSantis made a point to abandon the campaigning and devote his energy to the citizens of Florida and their needs during the storm, as well as the recovery. This move made his campaign even more intriguing to the rest of the nation. DeSantis' dedication to Florida citizens even caught the eye of President Biden, who praised the Governor's response to the hurricane.
From a shallow perspective of DeSantis' social media, the following speaks for itself. A social media page exceeding a million followers has the ability to attract new faces and expand to different demographics. While it is common to see social media influencers with followers over a million, a politician with a significant amount of followers is unique and intriguing.
DeSantis' social media success is an ode to his dedication to the citizens of Florida. His passion for his state and the people living there is present throughout his social media platforms.
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