Like every other previous election in India, the General Election 2014 was the same, except its modes of campaigning. Yes, the role of the social media platforms played a very vital role in disseminating the messages, organizing the party workers & volunteers, and spreading the political opinions from heart to heart. The people in India did know about the immeasurable power of the social media; however, there was some doubt in some corner of the hearts of the voters about whether the role of social media in political campaign would bring any apparent difference. And, the results of the 2014 General Election cast away all the doubts of the people. Today, every voter in India, unanimously and openly accepts the pivotal role of the social media platforms.
Irrespective of the age group, today, every politician desires to bring about the immense fortune in his political career by running the election campaign through social media platforms. However, mere desire is not enough. One needs to learn the tricks of the trade of using the social media as the mode of the election campaign.
The social media and politics go hand in hand in modern days. But the questions that often arise are – ‘What is the best social media platform to use for the election campaign? How should one decide which one is the best?’ Yes, it is certainly a matter of grave concern, and the answer to it cannot be given in the shortcut. However, it is advisable that one should use the one on which he is, and will remain active to interact with his friends, fans and followers. Opening an account and initiating an election campaign on the platform you cannot remain present may affect your campaign in an adverse manner. Again, you cannot think of using the platform which you do not find comfortable and convenient to use. Using the Twitter without knowing it nuances will render you no positive results. On the contrary, it may prove to be quite debilitating. Not only will the future fans and followers will be out of your reach, but also the present fans of yours will leave you.
Choosing a particular platform is a matter of personal choice; however, it is desirable that you make your presence in the most popular platforms such as the Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr etc. These platforms are considered to be highly popular and more than 7 out of ten internet users have their presence on these social media platforms. Interacting with your fans and followers at a personal level, you can build and strengthen their trust in you. Though, the presence in more than one social media platforms is desirable; one should avoid temptation of being everywhere or on all platforms.
Running the election campaign through the social media platforms is certainly indispensable; however, it should not be the sole mode of campaigning. You should use all the other traditional and modern ways to win maximum number of voters. Again, if you are not well versed in using the social media, you should access the support of the experts without any hesitation. The social media marketers or the election campaigners can do the needful to assist and guide you in using the social media in the best possible manner.