By Laura Stupple
Today we see Donald Trump become President of the United States following the election that shook the world.
It seemed strange at first that a man with no political experience who was completely slated by the media should win. However, in the days and weeks that followed the 2016 election people started to acknowledge the role of social media in his win and consequently the power it has to connect and influence.
It only takes a visit to Donald Trump’s twitter page to see how crucial social media was to his campaign.
With over 20 million followers and an engagement rate of 300%, Trump expertly used platforms such as these as a vehicle for his voice. It was a voice that many disagreed with, however, there is no denying that it was engaging, jaw-dropping and spoke directly to the people.
Not only was his engagement rate three times higher than Hilary Clinton’s on his personal accounts, the way that news spread across social media generated a lot of attention for him.
We now live in an age where news spreads fast and reaches further which seemed to work to his advantage.
Social Media is a dominant source of news and whereas previously a newspaper or television ad may reach a certain target audience, social media manages to reach everyone in a matter of minutes. This meant that whether you agreed with Trump’s stance or not, it became very difficult to get away from him.
Digital culture shaped a decision which comes to fruition today. Trump’s campaign was strongly supported by his social media output which changed minds and grabbed people by their heart strings.
Although often factually incorrect, his content was emotionally charged and gave his audience a window in which to view their future president in full transparency.
Social Media is powerful and could work for your business as part of an integrated marketing strategy.
Waypoint is a Winchester marketing company specialising in delivering marketing strategy, content development and lead generation. For more information please get in touch or call 01962 862760.
