Using TikTok for Political Campaigns: The Emerging Influencer Marketing Tactic
A short video streaming app, TikTok, has gained significant traction as the global youth population continues scrolling it for entertainment.
This app thus gives an opportunity to politicians and governments worldwide to address the most pressing issues of the time while targeting the general public, which remains unaddressed using conventional social media outlets.
In the 2020 US presidential campaign, candidates from both sides used this platform to share their views on different social issues.
During the Black Lives Matter movement uprising, TikTok played an important role in amplifying the issue and attracting people from different sectors of society to join the campaign from all around the globe.
The widespread popularity of this video streaming app can be gauged from Emmanuel Macron, France's president, having an official TikTok account which he uses to get in touch with his followers.
Although TikTok banned political ads in 2019, the lack of transparency in advertising and loopholes in the oversight of influencer marketing still provides political campaigners a favorable playing field to shape elections in an unprecedented manner.
The rise of TikTok also paved the way for influence marketing, where Instagram in the past was the sole authority.
As the global youth rush onto this platform, what are the prospects for politicians in TikTok? Let's see.
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TikTok has gained traction due to its distinctive political campaign method as you can win voter within 15 seconds timeframe.
Relying on Creative Visuals that Stand Out
The outbreak of technology is saturating TikTok as well, just like other social media apps. However, the room for a campaign on TikTok is still greater than other platforms, as the app is still gaining ground in political circles.
Since TikTok does not allow political ads, any campaign-related content would be promoted unpaid.
However, it is pertinent to note that creative content is likely to stand out of the crowd in TikTok, which makes it essential for campaigners to embrace fully creative designs.
TikTok-ers mostly do fifteen-second small video clips, and these clips are the reasons why people are using this platform in big numbers.
Essentially, you have to grab people's attention in those fifteen seconds. Banners are considered to be the best practice for political campaigning on TikTok. Banner ads could allow summing up the whole message in one frame that could otherwise take a long time to display in a video.
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Teaming Up with Influencers to Win Voters
Since the ban on political advertising, influencers on TikTok have moved into the political spectrum.
Such influencers occupied considerable space in the political circles of Instagram and are gaining ground on TikTok now.
This is one of the easiest ways to promote your ticket on this platform. Teaming up with influencers and sticking with them long-term is the solution for many campaign worries.
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Embracing Data Analytics for Continous Improvement
Results analysis is perhaps the most important step when using social media platforms for political campaigning.
This will provide you with the statistics of your current standing and help you identify the loopholes in your marketing strategy.
Once you have measured your flaws, you can work to heal your political campaign.
Result analysis should be performed using modern data analytics techniques that will help you get insights into your strategy.
Looking for Trendy Topics
Social media platforms, especially TikTok, works on trends. Following certain trends could help you in boosting the performance of your account and reach more and more audiences.
These trends are mostly musical and dancing steps that can be easily performed. Young people mostly develop and spread these trends that often reach the global platforms.
Having a keen eye on these trends while making videos on them could be a great way to attract more voters to your campaign. By going creative, you can also be a trendsetter who can impress people in vast numbers and hence win votes.
Not Relying on TikTok Alone
People often tend to leave one social media platform when they find a new one. For example, many Facebook users have now turned toward Instagram or Twitter.
Every platform has its specific set of characteristics and categories of the audience. Leaving other platforms while diverting the whole focus on TikTok is also not an answer.
Final Thoughts
Many progressive candidates all around the United States are using this social media app to connect to people and attract them with their political views.
TikTok took a significant place in the political campaigning of progressives after Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made a huge breakthrough with her Instagram live sessions.
These progressives include Joshua Collins, who ran in the Democratic primary to replace retiring Representative Denny Heck. Joshua was even called the "TikTok candidate" by political pundits.
The progressive caucus uses it to attract those voters and donors who generally do not go for traditional politicians.
Many progressives have found this platform easy, cheap, and efficient compared with other social media platforms.
