Social media election campaigns have been used in US and other countries during presidential elections. They have been used for activities such as promoting candidates and their work, engaging with the community people and to raise election campaign funds through fund raising programs. However in India, since general Lok Sabha elections in 2014, when Narandra Modi and their party won thumping majority in various states and formed the government at the Center, it has been a game changer of sort overturning all election pundit’s voting predictions and calculations.

No body thought that Narendra Modi – the prime ministerial candidate of BJP, would come like a Tsunami, and win elections, except for the social media election campaigning team working for him and the party round the clock.

No doubt other political parties used social media election campaigns to turn the election results in their favour however the craft with which Modi-led BJP party executed the campaign only shows how the game is played! BJP led party first used social media campaigns in 2009 during general elections however they lost but in 2014 elections they were more effective in using it and the rest is history.

Note:Data taken in Apr-2015

For decades, political parties and their candidates have been spending election campaign funds on advertising such as car rallies, life size banners, leaflets, SMS blast campaigns, Radio blabbering and booking peak TV ad spots to vow voters to remain in their mind. And they have been winning and loosing elections on a routine basis with such online advertising campaigns.

But with growing popularity of smartphones and easy availability of mobile internet, it has forced the political pundits and election campaign strategist to go where they voters’ are: on smartphones and places they visit the most online – social networking portals, micro-blogging platforms and video viewing sites. When winning and loosing elections can be by a single vote, no advertising medium can be taken lightly.

On another side note to show the importance and power of social media, the present Indian Government continues to use social media platforms as one of the communication mediums with the public updating them on important decisions besides creating a window, to interact with the government agencies and departments, for people looking for help with their grievances. According to Twiplomacy, Twitter has become the most preferred platform for governments, foreign ministries, world political leaders and diplomats.

Social media election campaigns

Political parties and candidates must understand that their voters have gone online and majority of their election campaign should be targeted to influence their perception and social media campaigns gives them a platform to convey their messages to laser focused audiences.

With limited time and busy schedules, majority of voters are busy discussing hot topics on social networking websites and expressing their views specially on politics, what the present day govt. and local MLAs should do and what they aren’t doing. Even breaking news are shared first on these social networking platforms these days and then it reaches News channels.

Voters these days are more interested in knowing their choice of political candidate(s) and party online with latest updates from them instead of attending their ground rallies and local gatherings. So long before going to the actual election campaigns, candidates should start talking about themselves and highlights social works they are doing through various medium including their personal website/blog and obviously maintain an active social media presence.

Thus, for candidates, social media platforms are the de-facto medium for influencing their voters and creating a wave of change. If they are left behind in catching up the latest trend in digital marketing, they may risk loosing their next election.

From our monitoring of the last two election campaigns in India, we have been witness to the new game being played out online. The real battle ground for winning elections isn’t limited to rallies and TV ads but has shifted to online platforms. And social media strategies are the most potent weapons which have become a game changer of late. The party that creates the most innovative social media election strategies will be able to influence their voters and thus get more votes.