Social Media for Politics

This is something I wrote several months ago for a candidate who was looking to make his campaign digitally social. It has more of a bullet points & notes feel to it than my normal writing does, but I like to break out of the mold sometimes. 😉

Image by Young Digital Labs

General Rules of Thumb

The most important thing about any social media is quality writing. I would bet on a good writer who had never touched a computer over any tech savvy person who barely got through Comp I. It’s just a new medium–all the good writing rules (remember your audience. Be interesting. Etc..) still apply.

Talk to people, not at them. It’s a conversation, not a commercial. This is why social media’s buzzwords are words like “engaging” “connecting” “conversation” “relationship” “sharing” and so on.

People are smarter than we give them credit for. One of the myths of SM is that it has to be short, that people won’t read longer statuses or notes. Not true. If it’s written well people will read it.

Ask whoever does your webpage to add “Share” buttons at the end of each webpage. I personally have liked the ‘Add This’ service. This enables anyone to share that webpage to any social network site. It’s easier than running out and finding individual buttons for Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, etc..

Which sites?

Everyone, and that’s only a slight exaggeration, is on Facebook. A page there is necessary.

A lot of tea party activism and networking is on Twitter. I personally do not care for Twitter (140 characters?! Guaranteed to shrink your brain and cause ADD!), but do a lot on it because that’s where the conservatives are (besides FB). With Hootsuite it’s easy to manage both FB & Twitter, so you might as well go with both. But please don’t link your accounts.

When you get to the point that you have commercials made, YouTube is a great place for them. And it’s easy from there to post them to FB & Twitter. If you have a good video editer (one of the many skills I lack, alas.) you can post nicely edited stump speeches and townhall and candidate forum highlights.

Beyond these three, all others are optional. There are other awesome sites—Google+, FourSquare, and Flickr being 3 of my favorites. But I haven’t found anyone on these sites who wasn’t on FB or Twitter. Go for the biggest bang for your buck, because that’s all you’ll have time for. Unless of course you hire Magic Bottle Marketing in which case I highly recommend adding Google+ to your social repertoire!

Guilt Free Social Media

Moose as captured by OakleyOriginals on Flickr

I like to make people happy. I like to see them laugh. So imagine my dismay when in what has been a perfectly relaxed conversation I bring up Google+ or blogging or Twitter and the person looks like a dog caught being naughty. Apologetic excuses for how often they post or whether they’re even participating start tumbling out. “NoI’mnot and IknowIshouldbe but Ijust <awkward pause> haven’t been able to get into it that much butIhearit’sreallygreat.” It almost makes me regret bringing it up.

Here’s another scenario. Some of my friends don’t have a lot of time for personal use of social media so I’m always happy to see that they’ve posted something new. I know it’s a big deal for them to get to sit down and send a message out to us and I’m honored that I get to read it. What does it say 75% of the time? “Sorry I haven’t been on much.”

And then I scream at my computer screen!

Seriously, is that all you have to tell me?! Why did you bother posting then?!

Note: this blog post pertains only to use of social media for personal reasons. None of these apply to a business’ use of social media.

If you have been feeling bad about neglecting your blog or favoring one network over another or not trying the new kid on the social block, today is your lucky day.

I am hereby declaring your emancipation from social media guilt!

Yes! This is your get-out-of-jail-free card! If anyone ever tries to guilt trip you you can point them to this page! Here’s why you shouldn’t be guilty.

1. Relationships are what matter

As long as you’re still communicating with your family and close friends in some manner, why do you have to do Facebook or any other social network? And not all relationships need communications on minute happenings.

2. Networks are a matter of preference

Not even businesses need to be on every social network, so why should you? If that’s just your thing (ME! That’s my thing!), fine. If not, don’t let my activity make you feel guilty! That’s certainly not why I do it! Find a network that you enjoy and that works for you and just stick with it.

3. Social media should be fun!

Picture by ADoseOfShipBoy on Flickr

 

You have enough work already! Communicating with friends should be a pick-me-up and not a chore!

So, there you go! Enjoy your new-found freedom and let’s party!