Television used to be the most important Political Campaigns tool for political parties. Voters’ decisions were influenced by what they get to know about the candidate and the political parties by watching speeches and debates on television in their living rooms.
Now the potential voters are turning online to learn about issues, events, and candidates. People want quick ways to catch up on what is happening in the election front. Online video is giving them what they want. It is revealed that people are watching millions of hours of content on YouTube related to political parties, candidates, and issues.
Why YouTube for Politics?
YouTube became the perfect platform for discussion for politicians with the voters. We have seen in the 2008 presidential elections, YouTube played an essential role in reaching the target voters and convince people to vote for the right candidate.
YouTube is one of the most significant video sharing sites. People access millions of hours of content on YouTube. Political parties with any size of a budget can use YouTube as it is cost-effective and if used in the right way,
All voters irrespective of age turn to YouTube to learn about political moments. People under the age of 35 years of access to content about the political candidate on YouTube. Candidates running local or national elections can meet voters in micro-moments over YouTube.
Political Ads and Video Content on YouTube
YouTube can bring engagement to the messages of candidates. Another reason why YouTube is important for political candidates is that people believe that the content on YouTube is authentic.
Or at least it seems like that. When a video is recorded in which the facial expressions, gestures, etc. of the candidates are visible, it adds credibility. People love to share the videos with their friends when they are transparent.
YouTube can effectively reach the target audience. Most of the millennial are the primary audience on social media platforms such as YouTube, and thus political parties and electoral candidates are concentrating on reaching the Millennial via YouTube.
Online video is now the central part of any political campaign. However, one has to be very careful in using it as a small mistake can lead to damage to the reputation, and the damage will be significant as these go viral quickly. Having a dedicated digital team helps in avoiding such mistakes and maintains online reputation management.
Advantages of using YouTube for Political Campaigns
YouTube advertising for political campaigns is the best alternative to television and is the important platform for getting the message out. Advertising rates on television are very high.
On YouTube, it is possible to target the right audience in the right areas. It is possible to measure the campaign success on YouTube with the available tools.
This helps in ensuring that the money invested is not wasted. Another advantage of political ad campaigns on YouTube is its ability to reach voters on the phones.
YouTube allows political candidates to interest directly with the voters. Voters also can easily interact with them through live streaming or other virtual events.
The same message might not be effective for different age groups of voters. Candidates can use the analytics tools to target the videos with customized messages.
Tips to use YouTube for Political Campaigns
YouTube videos can use in many ways to further the political campaign. Supporters can be made to spread the message to their social networks, and another advantage is to reach a wide array of people. Here are some tips for leveraging video for political campaigns.
- There are many reasons why political campaigns should be on YouTube. YouTube can be used as a listening tool to obtain feedback or reviews
- Finding the target audience is the most important thing to do. Focus on the supporters. Choose them as your YouTube influencers to spread the political image to an audience who is not yet on your side. Define the role YouTube is going to play in the political campaign.
- YouTube videos can use as a great way to explain ideology. YouTube videos can be easily integrated with other social media sites. These can be shared on other social media platforms or can be embedded on websites or blogs. YouTube helps reach a wider audience.
- In the beginning, try to engage people in discussions. Choose the video content topics based on current trends and relevant to the issues faced by specific constituencies.
- Encourage viewers to comment and share their views. Provide them with additional links that help to understand the issues or ideology more clearly.
- To make the YouTube political campaign more active, be active on the platform.
- Begin the video campaign on YouTube long before the election season starts.
- Choosing the right platform is essential. Define the personal brand and carry this over your YouTube presence.
Political parties are now aware that to compete with their rivals, they have to invest in digital marketing and online video. In recent times, we have seen political parties using digital marketing for their campaigns and defeated their opponents.
YouTube is the best platform for it is cost-effective, allows reaching millions of potential voters and to keep connected with them. The future is all set to witness several changes in politics due to the use of YouTube.
Digital marketing using YouTube transformed how political candidates are interacting with the voters. Digital marketing using YouTube is also increasing the electoral participation which is an excellent thing.
Ways to Start a YouTube Political Marketing Campaign
The internet and video marketing had attracted the various brands, products, marketers, advertisers creators, writers, vloggers, bloggers, retailers, movie actors and actresses, space and research, sports, events. Individual short films and much more and now for the political campaigns since 2008 with the success of Obama’s campaign on YouTube platform. In the year 2008, US President Barrack Obama got succeeded with the YouTube campaigns in smart ways, and how many other politicians are targeting the video giant YouTube platform for their political campaigns. Here are some ways to start a YouTube political campaign efficiently.
Be active and know what you need
All you need the best quality digital camera and an online YouTube account and simple editing software to start your campaign. Use metaphors to attract the audience and helps the subject to provoke the emotions. Pick an issue and try to get people’s attention towards it. Raise the people’s voice towards the issues and participate actively.
Don’t ever forget your audience
Know about the people’s top concerns and worries and act in your style. If you don’t have sufficient time to create a video, go for others to get help.
Go with good script
Target the best issue in the present public and on televisions and act on the subject and ask people to connect with you to talk about the specific topic. Don’t over-promote yourself and make it more natural and careful about your speech and emotion in public.
Edit your videos efficiently
Go with the excellent editing of your footage, which makes your video interesting for the audience. it also helps in better file compression and helps you to make your video easy to upload.
Share and promote your video
Upload your video to YouTube and share the platforms and promote it. Interact with the audience on the video you have published and also to maintain the relevant blogs for better exposure.
