Election season here in the U.S. is heating up, but managing your online reputation is something that doesn’t end, even when the final votes are cast. Here’s what we can learn about social media from some of the Presidential frontrunners and Representatives looking for your vote in the 2020 Election.
Have two-way conversations with constituents
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman elected to Congress, knows a thing or two about this. So much so, that she was even asked to teach a class to her colleagues about using Twitter effectively while in office. Agree with her politics or not, she’s a great example of using social media to be truly social.
She engages with other politicians, organizations, and most importantly, her constituents regularly through Twitter. She also made waves earlier this year by posting an Instagram Live while eating popcorn in her unfurnished DC apartment.
Coin a catchy hashtag or catchphrase
Donald Trump did it in 2016 with ‘Make America Great Again’, and Democratic Presidential candidate Andrew Yang is doing it with his #YangGang. Creating a memorable catchphrase helps with name recognition, and also helps you resonate better with your audience.
Donald Trump’s catchphrase was simple and nostalgic, while Andrew Yang’s hashtag demonstrates his fun, quirky persona. He keeps this theme consistent by regularly cracking jokes on social media, posting fun videos, and creating his own spinoff of the President’s phrase: MATH, or ‘Make America Think Again’.
Explain every vote
Many thought the end of Representative Justin Amash’s career was imminent after his Independence Day announcement that he’d be leaving the GOP to become an Independent. However, he seems to be doing better than ever, and plans to seek re-election in 2020.
Before the attention shifted to his Party, he was most well-known for explaining every vote on his Facebook page. He is a great example of a politician who is open with his constituents, and wants them to feel truly represented, similar to Ocasio-Cortez’s approach. Whether it’s explaining every vote on Facebook or showcasing your platform on Twitter, social media can be a great place to show voters what you really stand for.
Make your supporters feel valued
Democratic Presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren does a great job with this. She’s made it a pillar of her Twitter strategy to share videos of her calling donors whenever she can. This helps put the spotlight on her supporters, and prove that she’s paying attention to them and the issues that matter most to them.
She’s also made a name for herself as the candidate you’re most likely to get a selfie with. Warren has stuck around after campaign events for hours to snap a photo with anyone who wants one. This helps establish trust and camaraderie between her and her supporters, but also generates tons of free, organic social media impressions.
Act more like a human
He’s one of the most controversial figures in politics these days, but there’s no doubt that he excels at speaking more like a human than a politician. He uses Twitter as his main communication channel and does everything from sharing memes to insulting his opponents (which we don’t necessarily recommend.)
Either way, President Donald Trump’s rise on Twitter has taught us that humanizing your brand is a great way to reach an audience who feels that politics don’t typically represent them. So maybe you’re not going to upload an offensive video, but you might try sharing a funny meme or something lighthearted that your audience can relate to.
Chances are, if you’re thinking about winning over voters on social media, you should also be concerned with the rest of your online reputation. Search results are one of the first places voters will turn to when evaluating a candidate, so it’s important that they’re representing you and all that you stand for.
Marple can help. We send you a notification every time a new search result pops up about you on Google, so that way you can take a look at what others see when they search for you. From there, you can mark the results positive, negative, or report them for removal. And in addition to regular Google search results, we also take a look at image and video results so you’re always on top of things.
Whether you’re running for office now or in the future, Marple will have your back. Sign up for free right here.