The document provides an overview of various social media platforms and tips for using them effectively for political campaigns. It discusses setting up and managing Facebook pages and fan pages, using Twitter to share messages and mobilize followers, building relationships with bloggers, creating videos for YouTube, and using online advertising on Facebook. The document aims to help political candidates and their teams maximize engagement and outreach on social media.

1. John McCarthy
New Media Director
Monmouth County Democrats

2. What types of Social Media?
 Facebook: Online individual profiles created to share
information, status updates, photos and personal
information with facebook “Friends”. People “Like” pages
to show their support and interest. (www.facebook.com)
 Blog: Interactive news source that often allows users to
share information and comment on the posts of others.
Encourages discussion and debate.
 Twitter: Micro-blogging website that allows people to
share links, thoughts, ideas, commentary, photos, etc.
Extremely personal and limited to 140 letters.
(www.twitter.com)

3. The
FacebookFanp
age
“Like” us. We like you!

4. Why do I need a Facebook page?
• People can support you and causes you
choose to promote
• Keeps your individual person and
candidate profile separate
• Good separation between private life
(personal Facebook page) and your public
image (fan page)
• Keeps you from being directly responsible
for other’s actions

6. Getting Started.
 Go to Facebook.com
 Under sign up, click “Create a Page”
 Select Artist, Band, or Public Figure
 Under category, select Politician or Government Official
 Agree to Terms, and get started

8. Logging in
 If you already have a Facebook account, log in using it
 If not, you can use an existing email address, but it is much
easier to create a page and use that

9. Pictures worth a thousand words!
 This is your first impression, make it a good one
 Also a good opportunity to show your fun or adventurous
side
 Ask yourself: If your parents saw this picture or video,
would it make them proud?
 Be mindful of potential compromising elements in the
background

11. Getting fans!
 You can import contacts directly from your email lists, by
simply entering your email and password.
 You can also invite your current friends.

13. Your basic information
 Enter your website (If you have one)
 Give a brief description of yourself! Limited to only 225
characters.
 Remember: Social Media is inherently social, and as a result:
FUN! Be creative, clever and funny when appropriate.
 You will now be able to edit the entirety of your page.

16. Managing Permissions
 I would recommend disabling users from adding
photos or videos, but it’s up to you
 To do so, under “managing permissions” option, uncheck
applicable boxes
 You can also add certain phrases to the block list to
prevent them from appearing on your page
 Highly recommend setting the profanity block list to
strong. You don’t need some opinionated %*&#
ruining your good image

17. Managing Admins
 This controls who is able to access and edit the page
 Always keep yourself, and only the people you trust to edit
and manage your fan page

18. What to share?
 Share “Behind the scenes information. Give people a
reason to check back often and feel included.
 Share event dates and information
 Share biographical information about your candidates and
the issues you care about.
 Share links to articles written about your candidates, your
district and your issues.

19. Getting those followers and
getting seen
 You want to show up in someone’s mini-feed when they
first log-in. This is your BEST chance of being seen.
 This is all dependent on your “edgerank” (A geeky-term
used to rank posts based on user-interaction.

20. Edge-rank defined
 Facebook looks at everything published as “objects.”
These can be status updates, links, photos, video or
anything else that can be shared on Facebook. Every
object receives a ranking (EdgeRank), which determines if
it will show in your personal newsfeed. Objects with a high
EdgeRank appear in your “Top News” feed. Objects with a
low EdgeRank will not. An object’s EdgeRank is based on
three factors: affinity or the relationship between the
creator and user, interaction with the object (likes,
comments, etc.) and timeliness.

21. Increase your edge-rank
 Affinity: An object’s affinity score is based on the interactions
you have with the friend or fan who published the object. Every
time they interact with your page, your affinity goes up.
 Level of interaction: Different types of interactions are
weighted differently on Facebook. Activities that require higher
levels of user engagement get a higher score than those that
don’t.
 Timeliness: Most people don’t want to read yesterday’s news.
Newer objects have a better chance of showing up in your news
feed than older ones.

22. Quick Tips
 Publish content that encourages interaction: Questions, Trivia, etc.
 Create a forum for political debate: allow the discussion of hot-button
topics. (NEVER delete bad comments)
 When posting videos or photos, encourage a response.
 Share links as they require a user to click. Don’t fear sharing other
sources!
 If your last post didn’t get much traction, try again, facebook is a
moving world.
 Ask users to share! It is SOCIAL media!

23. A rapid-response team
 Some campaigns have employed the use of a rapid
response team. A group of influential online activists and
people close to a candidate to share to share information
rapidly once published.
 Ask people to share something as a favor.
 Don’t be afraid to ask them to share your page with a
friend or invite their friends to like the page.

24. Online
Advertising
Getting your message out
through paid media

25. Advertising on Facebook
• Reach Your Target Customers by Using Key Words
• Connect with more than 500 million potential customers
• Choose your audience by location, age and interests
• Charts that show the status of your ads over time
• Promote your Facebook Page or website
• Set the daily budget you are comfortable with for your ads
• Choose to pay only when people click (CPC) or see your ad (CPM)
• CPMs can cost $.02 to 5.00 Daily can be equal to 500 million

30. Some Tips on Facebook Ads
 The picture you use for your ad will literally make or break
you. You NEED to find a good one for your ad to perform
well. Pick something eye-catching. Something that
definitely does not blend in with the Facebook site.
 Keep the language simple, short & concise. Make every
word count

31. Taking twitter to
the next level
140 Characters to share so much

32. Why tweet?
 Twitter is a simple, but effective way, to show personality
and get your message out.
 If you can get people to “retweet” you, they are becoming
an ambassador of your message
 No one knows how to mobilize more than tweeters! They
have hundreds of devoted followers who are open to
instant communications.

33. How to get more twitter followers
 Follow, follow, follow!
 Look for twitter handles that have a similarity in interest
to yours.
 Interact! Read what people post and respond to them,
share your thoughts, get them involved.
 It is a two way communication make sure you remember
that!

34. Services to better your tweeting:
 www.apps.facebook.com/twitter: allows your twitter to
automatically update your facebook page everytime you
tweet!
 Twitpic.com: allows you to take photos from your cell
phone and tweet!
 You don’t need a smartphone to tweet: you can do it from
a text message.

35. Involving them in your campaign!
 Everyone who’s anyone tweets: Reporters, personalities,
other politicians, major activists, etc.
 Invite them to come to your campaign events, fundraisers,
etc. and “Live-tweet” the happenings.
 This will give their online community a glimpse into your
campaign and make them feel like campaign-insiders
 Consider hosting a “tweet-up” before major events. It
allows influential internet personalities to get together
and talk about your race in person.

36. Breaking into the
Blog-o-sphere

37. Why build a blog list?
 People tend to trust user-generated media.
 Many blogs have large online followings with activist-
minded people involved
 Generally easy to build relationships with bloggers who
are looking for exclusive news stories. Contact info
generally on site.
 Will post almost anything you send them that they agree
with.

38. Should I blog?
 Yes and No! An internal campaign decision
 Blog on your website: If not updated regularly, will be a
deterrent.
 Generally you can take other people’s articles, repost and
provide a brief commentary
 Sometimes more useful to blog on OTHER peoples
websites who already have a following.

39. YouTube Videos

40. Your Youtube Page
 https://services.google.com/fb/forms/youtubepolitician09/
 As an elected official you can qualify for a politician
youtube page. This will:
 Listing as an official political channel on youtube.com
 Enhanced branding capabilities
 Increased video functionality, including longer uploads
and custom thumbnail selection

41. Making videos
 Macintosh and PC computers all come equipped with basic
video editing software that are “drag-and-drop” and based
off of power-point like models.
 Macintosh is eqipped with iMovie and PC’s are equipped
with Window’s movie maker.
 Videos are a fun, easy way to get out a message, show
support and encourage sharing.
 Keep them short, funny, and informative

42. Samples
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9v1cVw5cF8&feature
=channel_video_title
 http://www.youtube.com/user/MonmouthDems#p/u/7/A_
gfZ4pKdY0
 http://www.youtube.com/user/FrankPallone#p/u/2/Kwdh4
PxOtyA

43. Open Floor