Politicians seem to rely on traditional news outlets, speeches and debates rather than going to the platform where everyone is: social media.
Politicians may fear that overusing social media might give them less credibility from a professional perspective. However, current trends seem to indicate the exact opposite.
According to the Pew Research Center, social media is one of the strongest ways to spread information and appeal to the public during political seasons in other countries, despite U.S. pushback.
Recently, in an attempt to reach out to the 335.7 million users on X (formerly Twitter), Elon Musk hosted a virtual interview with former President Donald Trump on the platform.
However, the livestream was plagued with technical difficulties that led to a myriad of delays and glitches. If Trump and Musk had better prepared for their social media interview, it could have been a very successful maneuver to reach out to their supporters on a platform they use every day.
Politicians should also be using the endorsements and platforms of already established social media users to gain more public exposure. YouTube Comedian Theo Von has hosted Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders on his channel and discussed personal and political issues with the public figures, getting the word out to viewers.
Most successfully, Kamala Harris has utilized social media, especially TikTok, for her presidential campaign. Two TikTok accounts are run by the Vice President and her team: Kamala Harris and Kamala HQ have 4.6 million and 3.8 million followers, respectively.
She has hopped on numeroustrends on the app, such as a viral video of her discussing a coconut tree and her place in society, the trend of Charli XCX’s “Brat Summer” and referencing pop star Chappell Roan. These trends have brought Harris’ name into public consciousness and prompted Gen Z influencers and regular users to express their support for Harris.
The use of social media as a source of politics and news is on the rise in America, especially for younger Gen Z voters, who use it as their main source. This trend is sure to continue as the use of the internet skyrockets and Gen Z takes its place in society. By figuring out how to capitalize on this as soon as possible, politicians can find increasing success.
Though the Left appears to be more effective at using social media than the Right currently, both parties have an audience online with open ears. By utilizing these platforms successfully, politicians can get an even wider reach to the public than through traditional news outlets, which could ultimately secure their elections.
