Innovation & New Media - UK General Election: 2010
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This document analyzes social media use and online organizing efforts during the 2010 UK general election campaign. It finds that (1) candidates were deluged with emails triggered by single-issue campaigns, (2) these campaigns were successful in securing commitments from parties, and (3) the Liberal Democrats lacked infrastructure compared to others for turning online support into real-world action. Overall, social media had some influence but traditional large-scale media like TV and mailers remained most important. Effective online organizing required tools for emailing, surveying, and supporting issue-focused campaigns.
Innovation & New Media - UK General Election: 2010
- 1. International Association of Political Consultants Paris, November 10, 2010
- 4. 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 YouGov Daily Opinion Polls Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats
- 16. 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Web visits during last week of the campaign YouTube - Channel Views Facebook - Leader's Likes Facebook - Party Likes Twitter - Leader's Followers Twitter - Party Followers 36.0% 607,401 95,924 125,748 0 44,485 32.9% 324,606 10,386 84,758 0 26,646 31.0% 164,201 79,468 97,219 52,315 24,709 Con Lab LD
- 17. Amplifying and rebuttal role on a national level #iagreewithnick #nickcleggsfault
- 18. 24,709 26,646 44,485 52,315 1,122,838 - 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 1,200,000 Lib Dem party Labour party Conservative party Lib Dem leader Labour leader's wife Twitter followers
- 19. 84,758 97,219 125,748 134,942 152,675 - 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000 140,000 160,000 180,000 Labour party Liberal Democrats Conservative party Vandalised Conservative Billboards We got Rage Against the Machine to #1, we can get the Lib Dems into office! Facebook likes
- 21. 1,050 273 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 12/18/20083/28/20097/6/200910/14/20091/22/2010 5/2/2010 8/10/2010 Twitter followers mpntod sbrine 1,005 379 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 12/18/20083/28/20097/6/200910/14/20091/22/2010 5/2/2010 8/10/2010 Facebook friends Martin Tod Steve Brine
- 22. #gomartintod
- 26. - 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000 4,500 2/6/2009 3/28/2009 5/17/2009 7/6/2009 8/25/2009 10/14/2009 12/3/2009 1/22/2010 3/13/2010 5/2/2010 6/21/2010 YouTube Channel Views Martin Tod Steve Brine
- 28. ? Candidates deluged with emails from local constituents – triggered by single issue campaigns ? Genuine success in getting commitments from all parties ? Best example ‘Tuition Fees’ pledge from National Union of Students
- 29. Organisation
- 33. Open Source Bulk Email Software
- 35. Support online surveying and remote data input
- 36. Events and resources (and skills… to follow)
- 37. Enable supporters to run ‘single-issue campaigns’
- 38. ? Labour & Conservatives had this ? Liberal Democrats didn’t
- 39. ? Social media not decisive ? Apart from a few people who messed up ? Some influence in shaping national media agenda ? Some useful intelligence ? Highest impact activity not under formal party control ? But does help mobilise and organise supporters ? Lib Dems had the weakest infrastructure to turn support into action. Did this hurt their ability to react when the polls surged? ? Elections still being won and lost on messaging – via the biggest and most intrusive media: ? TV, press, direct mail and leaflets through the door
Editor's Notes
- Only Twitter stories were of relatively minor candidates having to resign for tweeting something idiotic.