According to the Mail on Sunday, David Cameron has used advertising on Facebook as a way of boosting his number of ‘likes’. But far from sneering at this behaviour, his team should be congratulated on using social media to widen the reach of Cameron’s communications, and others should take note.
As a spokesperson for the PM said, Facebook advertising is ‘common practice’ amongst businesses and US presidential candidates. According to Facebook for Business:
“President Barack Obama’s successful 2012 re-election bid hinged in part on an unprecedented Facebook advertising strategy that reached 47% of voting-age Americans in all battleground states combined and raised nearly $5 for every $1 the campaign spent on ads.”
Criticising the PM and suggesting that the strategy is all about his ego, fundamentally misses the point. Facebook isn’t just about securing more ‘likes’ as a way of demonstrating popularity. It is so much more than that with new tools launching frequently to improve levels of engagement. A higher number of ‘likes’ does not just provide more reach, although that is important, but it also improves the chance of a successful appeal being made. There are a range of ways in which a political message can be communicated.
The PM is not ‘buying friends’ but is raising his profile amongst users of a media that may not otherwise have through about ’liking’ a politician, and may not have even have been aware that he had a profile on the site.
Increased online recommendations, and the rise of content being shared amongst friends, means that we are likely to take things more seriously when comments and ‘likes’ are made. Quite simply, we listen to what our friends say. The belief is that this applies to politicians too, so the more ‘likes’ received, the greater the chance of this happening.
In the US, Facebook is tied in with media outlets and there is always the possibility that this could also happen in the UK. With this is mind, building a higher presence now seems like an investment in the future by the Conservative Party.
Studies, such as those mentioned in Marketing Week, have also suggested that Facebook advertising doesn’t just hit the young but actually draws people in from a broader spectrum. Again, a huge plus point.
There is nothing to suggest that the PM’s extra ‘likes’ are not by genuine people looking to find out what he is up to. There is fundamentally nothing different between this type of advertising spend and others. Indeed if the increase in ‘likes’ is right, doubling in a month, then it seems pretty effective and good value for money. The value of traditional political ads are often questioned and with budgets limited it is all about getting the best value for money.
A word of caution though, the number of ‘likes’ or followers should not be the only measure of success. Politicians, and businesses, need to take social media strategies to the next stage and work on genuine engagement and dialogue, not relying solely on pumping out key messages. Those who take social media seriously crave engagement not broadcasting. ‘Push’ marketing tactics no longer apply and businesses should take a ‘pull’ approach to their strategy.
Not the PM has totally got to grips with social media. The parodies that followed his recent ‘on the phone to Obama’ tweet and his reply to Patrick Stewart show that there is still some way to go. However, what it does show is a willingness to engage and to experiment which is to be applauded. His reaction to Ed Miliband’s announcement on an EU referendum was tweeted and one of his best received speeches focused on additional spending on research on the ‘internet of things’.
Cameron has succeeded in broadening the channels of communication and is trying to take advantage of the opportunities available. Companies too need to do this but they also need to realise that mistakes can be made. Having appropriate guidance in place will help those engaging online, and ensure that if any issues were to arise that you have the necessary plans to deal with it.