Political Digital Advertising Campaigns: What You Need to Know about Political Ads
Political Digital Advertising Campaigns: Everything about our world has gone, or is going, digital. There is no stopping the power of ‘digital politics,’ if we may use that made-up term. The power of reaching out to the voting public through digital advertising has proven its importance over the decades, but more so during the covid-19 Chinese virus crisis.
From rallies and campaigns to debates, speeches, and opinions, everything seems to have gone digital in 2020, even where politics is concerned. Let us dive right into the thick of things and explore this powerful ever-evolving field.
Political Digital Advertising Campaigns
It is an accepted fact that money well invested in digital campaigns for politicians is money well spent. Our tips will come later, but for now, here are some ideas about digital ads and political campaigns that may encourage you to dive deeper into this success-centric field.
- At any budget level, these funds can create maximum impact for the campaigns.
- Small budget campaigns can strategically target voters based on particular issues instead of spending big to address all topics under the sun.
- Your political content will benefit from attention even via something as simple as running a Facebook ad campaign.
- Complete digital planning for political campaigns comes under the purview of professional political consultants. Hiring one or a team of them is often a step in the right direction.
- Target particular news sites on which to run ads, especially local news. This increases your pull with people directly in your constituency range.
Candidates have often resorted to hyper-focused targeting, but this is not always a good idea. The last thing you need is to omit potential new voters by focusing on too specific a niche.
Current Political Advertising Landscape
A glimpse at the latest political ad news will reveal much by way of how far this idea has come.
- Every competent political strategy relies on digital advertisements to help carry its message to a wider voting audience.
- Even with the economy taking a hit in these uncertain virus-ridden times, political ads for campaigning seem to be going strong.
- Social media has been caught in the crossfire, with accusations being leveled against giants like Facebook that they are generating bias in elections, not just in America but worldwide.
- This has not stopped the influence of adverts, though, which seem to be swelling regardless, especially via television and other media platforms.
Many a political campaign statistic has been listing how much this or that candidate is lagging in their digital ad reach and interaction with voters. This itself proves just how significant this media outreach option has proven to be for politicians and their staff.
Best Digital Channels for Political Campaigns
From traditional to unconventional, campaigns for politics depend on a core set of digital channels to communicate their candidature’s message to voters and do it swiftly and smoothly.
Website:
This has often remained the go-to option. A clear and content-rich website can do half the work for you, to say nothing of how well it eases voters into learning more about your campaign, all in one online place
Multi-Platform:
This is a spread-out of your ad campaign overprint, TV (critical), and digital platforms.
Digital Campaign Supporters & Fundraising:
The name explains itself. This ‘mode’ or approach has been in effect since the beginning of politics, so to speak.
Social Media:
These days, this is an obvious must-have on any political campaign ad expenses roster. Recommended platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Tumblr, etc.
Videos:
We mentioned YouTube above, which plays a crucial role in video content for political campaigning. You can more readily convince viewers to become voters through a crisp and attractive, info-rich video. Don’t forget to provide donation links/buttons.
Software:
There are so many out there now, software that is. To help with political campaigning, ‘programmatic advertising’ has been a winning choice. Political staff use algorithms and machines to purchase display space for their candidate’s adverts.
Tips for Running a Successful Political Digital Advertising Campaign
- Cutting right to the chase is the best way to get started with tips for political ad campaigns.
- Understand Digital Ad Laws for Political Campaigns
- A keen understanding of this concept is crucial to helping you win an election.
- Digital privacy, cybersecurity, anti-hacking tools, transparency, anti-corruption… These are some of the keynote factors that feature strongly in global digital advertising laws
- Depending on where you are running your political campaign, you need to brush up on these laws. Make sure you do not find yourself halfway through a good campaign only to come under fire for wrongful practices
- Your expenses for political ads should not be a ‘private’ file but should be open to public approval. In short, let it be known how much you’re spending for your digital ad campaigns and where the money is being invested.
- The previous point is even more valuable in regards to fundraisers.
- Different regions have varied digital ad laws, so be sure to get a team or individual learned and wise in these aspects. The last thing you need is to be called out on something unethical at a crucial stage in your political campaign.
- Choose Platforms to Launch Your Political Ad Campaigns
- Money can run out! Remember this before you even sit down to craft a digital campaign for your political candidate.
- This makes choosing the right channels and online platforms for your campaign(s) more important than you might have assumed.
- From proper voter targeting to defining your audience and crafting concise messages and content, you can do all this and more efficiently only if you know where your ideas and concepts will be applied.
- The channels in question include anything from social media to good old-fashioned television and print.
- Don’t underestimate the potential of customized landing pages for your candidate.
Best Practises for Political Digital Advertising
Here are 5 key practices to keep in mind going forward:
- Perform video engagement with your public; preferably live videos
- Bring your fundraising efforts to the fore
- Brush up on how to handle and manage online trolls
- Always fact-check. This is a ‘make or break’ practice for you as an electoral candidate.
- Stay consistent throughout, from posting to answering questions, and more besides.
Granted, this is an all-encompassing, almost generic tip. On the other hand, consider specific choices that help you focus on a select few digital channels on which to launch your political campaign.
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