Republican candidates utilize social media, crucial to their election

Americans will vote this November for President Obama’s re-election or a new candidate. According to Socialnomics, a social media book written by marketer Erik Qualman, Obama’s social media usage drove his success in the 2008 presidential election. The amount the four Republican candidates, currently fighting for their spot on the ballot, utilize social media could play a pivotal role in their election.

Newt Gingrich

Newt Gingrich utilizes Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google+.

Gingrich’s Facebook page, which was both good and bad, has about 275,000 likes. Almost all of his posts contained pictures which is very effective. Pictures, such as charts and diagrams, help viewers to understand a topic better.  The content of his posts either asked for donations or a certain amount of likes. For example: One post asked, “Can we get 1,500 likes?” I hated this! People should like Gingrich’s post if they decide to, not because they feel obligated.

Gringrich’s Twitter, @newtgingrich, has over 1.4 million followers. He uses the hashtag “#withnewt” in a lot of his tweets. This is a great use of Twitter because hashtags organize content, allowing users to search and explore that hashtag and its respective posts. This specific hashtag is more creative than “#Newt2012,” and it’s also reasonably short (which users prefer due to the 140-character limit for tweets). Many of his tweets, like his Facebook posts, asked followers for campaign support via donations or the purchasing of merchandise. For example: One tweet said, “Show your support, and get Newt 2012 gear!” It seems like Gingrich’s social media presence focuses more on receiving financial support instead of political.

Ron Paul

Ron Paul utilizes Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Paul’s Facebook page has about 842,000 likes. His posts were pretty “run-of-the-mill” for a Republican candidate, containing pictures from talks and post about upcoming events. A good chunk of his posts were quite personal. For example: He posted a picture of him and his wife at dinner celebrating their 55^th anniversary. Personal content humanizes a person with authority, like Paul.

Paul’s Twitter, @ronpaul, has about 229,000 followers. His Twitter was a lot like his Facebook, nothing too special. He uses the hashtag “#RonPaul” for the majority of his posts which is, like I stated earlier, a great use of Twitter. Paul had someone live-tweeting during a CNN debate which is convenient for followers who may not be able to watch it on television. The live-tweeting is also a way to spur conversation on a particular topic from an event.

Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney utilizes Facebook, Twitter and Flickr.

Romney’s Facebook page, which has over 1.4 million likes, provides motivational posts. For example: One post said, “Leadership is about taking responsibility, not making excuses.” His posts give viewers basic information on where he stands and what he believes in. A large portion of social media is conveying brief messages which appeal to your audience. Users might stay more interested in his Facebook page than a page with lengthy posts where users might lose interest.

Romney’s Twitter, @MittRomney, has about 326,000 followers. He uses the hashtag “#Mitt2012” on most of his tweets which is, once again, a great tool to use on Twitter. The majority of his tweets are anti-Obama. I wanted to read why I should vote for him, not why I shouldn’t vote for Obama. Between tweets promoting his One Term Fund and reasons to not re-elect Obama, I got sick of Romney’s Twitter.

Rick Santorum

Rick Santorum utilizes Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.

Santorum’s Facebook page, which has about 104,000 likes, contains no personal posts. In other words: it’s pretty darn boring. All of the posts are beginnings of stories and include the links to them. Posts like this are great because they drive traffic those stories, but the Facebook page has no personalization. You have to keep your audience’s interest no matter what social medium it is. I lost interest quickly.

Santorum’s Twitter, @RickSantorum, has around 107, 000 followers. During Obama’s State of the Union address, Santorum tweeted his thoughts on specific points Obama made. If I were a follower of Santorum during this address, I would have loved to listen to Obama speak and immediately read Santorum’s thoughts via Twitter. Although his Facebook lacked personalization, Santorum’s Twitter made up for it. In some tweets he thanked followers for their campaign support. This is a great way to recognize specific followers and show appreciation. Santorum’s Twitter presence for his campaign lacks a hashtag (like all the other Republican candidates have).

And the winner is . . .

After reading my opinions, which Republican candidate do you think utilizes social media the most effectively for his campaign?