Voting in 2010. It’s just not what it used to be and we’d better get used to it.
This is the first time social media has had the potential to affect and influence voters on a large scale. I can’t wait to see what happens!
That was then…
Since the date for the General Election was set for May 6th, we, the people have been subjected to the usual torrent of above the line, below the belt communications tactics of the UK’s main political parties. Huge billboards showing the airbrushed Cameron, an unflattering image of Brown or a butter-wouldn’t-melt Clegg. This is all traditional and to be expected with every election. But does it do much to increase the number of dormant or non-voting electorate?
No, not really. Not these days anyway. It may be only 5 years since the last election but that’s a millennium in media terms. The world has moved on. A multi-media approach is an obvious and sensible way to communicate with your target audiences, but despite global awareness of the power of social media, and all the help available from the digital agency world, the current warring parties have done a variable job in getting it right.
In fact, I would wager that many potential voters within the 18-24 year old age bracket do not feel hugely inspired to vote as a result of seeing these billboards, TV party political broadcasts or direct mail shots. Door to door canvassing anyone? Ted and Joan driving their Ford Focus down the road with a speaker attached to the roof yelling “Vote Tory!” You won’t convert the kids like that I’m afraid.
This is now….
So what is needed is a platform on which this age group are already conversing. Enter, Facebook.
This is precisely why one of our clients, The Electoral Commission, is embracing social media and has created a Facebook page providing information on voting, incorporating a registration form and providing that perfect platform for ‘customer’ engagement. This allows members of Facebook in the UK (over 23 million of them) to interact with The Electoral Commission and, perhaps more pertinently, each other. They can register their intent to vote via a custom built tab within the Facebook page. With numbers of voters waning in recent elections, particularly amongst some crucial socio-demographic groups, facilitating the registration process (necessary in order to vote) with a form on a Facebook page can only help matters.
A lesson learned
Of course you shouldn’t jump on the social networking bandwagon for the sake of it. Here’s a great example of our client looking at the challenges they are facing and using the most appropriate medium to help them.
The Facebook platform allows our clients to connect with their target audience in a way that, pre-2005 was unheard of. Facebook ‘Fan’ Pages provide an online space where you can converse and share content with your customers and encourage them to share that content with each other. Organisations can gain feedback on existing products/services or source ideas for new ones through this two way conversation.
Facebook Targeted Adverts allow us to specifically target a particular demographic with your message. This works on a Pay Per Click basis with copy and images customisable to each segment.
Facebook Applications can associate your brand with tools, games or functional applications for use by Facebook users. As the use of these applications spreads, so to does the name or brand of your organisation.
Democracy is about power to the people. And social media concerns people. So what social media platforms offer is a way of further empowering and enfranchising the UK public. It’s great that The Electoral Commission have embraced Facebook and it will be very exciting to see how the rest of the pre-election build up plays out offline, online and particularly within the social media environment.
