When the campaign manager texted me, “this campaign is over,” I had a bad feeling.
The campaign didn’t literally end then and there, several weeks before Election Day. For all that I knew, It carried on as though nothing significant had happened. The only word I got was that the candidate had done something foolish on Facebook.
But the campaign manager had experience and good judgment, and I never forgot that text message. Particularly after the campaign formally ended in an unexpectedly lopsided defeat.
One rash evening on Facebook probably didn’t account for all of that.
Or did it?
But looking back, it probably wasn’t just one incident, either.
Recognize the Risks
Your campaign shouldn’t necessarily avoid all risks, in all things. If you’re relatively unknown and running in a low-profile local election, saying little and lying low all the time is a good way to ensure that no one ever finds out who you are or what you stand for. But you should evaluate risks and apply caution where the odds of something going wrong are against you.
And you shouldn’t be surprised to learn that the odds of things going very wrong increase on social media, particularly Facebook and Twitter. These are platforms on which content can “go viral” quickly. And whether it’s human nature or algorithms, embarrassing or upsetting content seems to blow up at warp speed faster than the clever comments about your co-worker’s new Labradoodle.
Some candidates thrive in that environment, but what works for a political celebrity facing hyper-partisan, nationalized elections, is not a model for your local campaign. People probably don’t already know what they think of you, or even who you are. If their first impression is rudeness or recklessness that can be very difficult to change. Nuance easily gets lost online. Or perhaps more accurately, it doesn’t exist online.
First Do No Harm
You should actively try to avoid heated arguments on social media. Better yet, don’t start them. Remember that all arguments can turn nasty more easily online than face to face, so be careful about what you post. Twitter has no edit button, but even when you can edit or delete a post, social media users can be very fast to save screen captures. As a result, anything could become public even if it’s a “private message” conversation. It’s often the case those so-called “private” communications will become public and will do so at the most inopportune time to your candidacy.
A good guideline is that you should avoid posting in haste, always.
Remember, this goes for more than just your campaign accounts. Be careful on personal accounts, and at least consider some cleanup of the past before you launch a campaign. Ask close allies and surrogates to represent the campaign to review their social accounts also. Even in a larger city, politics can be a small world, and other people know who is working with whom. You want to promote your message, not answer questions about a supporter who screwed up, either online or off.
Smart Use of Social Media
Despite the risks, your campaign doesn’t need to foreswear social media entirely. You should probably be present on at least one social media platform, in fact. Facebook has an enormous user base; Twitter is popular with journalists and the politically engaged. Some local candidates find a Facebook page more indispensable than a web site.
Once you have a presence set up on social media, though, there is safety in not using it, or at least using it relatively little. You don’t have to be 24/7 even if the platforms are. Make sure that your campaign account has all of the basics in place: your name, what you’re running for, the election date if it’s a primary or special election, your photo, and campaign logo. Get that done and posting only occasional updates is a safe and savvy choice.
It’s okay to engage more frequently with social media if that comes naturally to you, however, or if you can delegate to someone very trustworthy. Just keep in mind that these platforms can be good places for a campaign to be visible, but not so good as places to interact. If someone really wants answers on a complaint, e.g., don’t hesitate to suggest another forum for the dialogue such as a phone call.
What to Share
If you have an active campaign up and running, simply documenting it can provide ample social media content. Share events, share yard sign sightings, share endorsements. If you spend the evening canvassing a street, tell followers that it was great to talk with that neighborhood.
The occasional break from campaign content can be appropriate. Pet pictures or cooking experiments can make you more relatable as long as they’re authentic.
By all means post more substantive statements, as well. Put some thought into these, rather than shooting from the hip, and try to emphasize the values at issue rather than personal criticism of any individual. Don’t be afraid to be repetitive in this regard, because your campaign should have themes, and express them regularly.
The best campaign social media strategy of all is to develop a good campaign communication strategy, and fit social media to it rather than the other way around. Join ElectionContender.com for experienced help painting the bigger picture.