Winning a Presidential Election via Social Media?

It’s no secret that social media has become increasingly popular and influential over the last 10 years. I am proud to say that in my 21 years of living, I have finally come to peace with the “millennial” stereotype and all of the negative connotations that come along with it. For some, social media is just an easy way to waste time, post selfies and stay connected. However, the 2016 presidential election is proving that social media’s impact is hitting society hard and changing the game of politics.

According to govtech.com, in 12 months, the United States has spent over 1,284 years reading about Donald Trump on social media. This would equate to about $380 million in ads and campaigns, but instead, Trump pays a whopping $0 and has access to Twitter, Facebook, etc. at his fingertips. Candidates are able to post messages, get responses and reach millions of people in seconds. It is a tactic that has been used in past elections, but never to this extent. A study done by the Pew Research Center shows that two-thirds of people ranging from ages 18-29 said that social media is the most helpful means of information about the presidential election. They also found that 44 percent of adult Americans said they had found something new about the election on social media in the past week.

Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has improved her social media presence in attempt to compete with Trump’s massive following, but her efforts fall short. Although the content isn't always positive, people can’t stop liking, retweeting and sharing about Trump. Adweek.com states, “Trump could very well be the first candidate who rewrites the rules on social media.” Lucky for some of us, retweets and shares don’t equate to votes, but it does mean that we’re watching.