Welcome back, Saturday Campaign D.I.Y.ers! For those who tune in, welcome to the Nuts & Bolts of a Democratic campaign. Each week we discuss issues that help drive successful campaigns. If you’ve missed prior diaries, please visit our group or follow Nuts & Bolts Guide.
The advent of the internet has seen a major sea change for campaigns. Nothing you have ever written or said really, really disappears thanks to the internet. Trust me, I get this—stories I’ve written on Daily Kos about difficult issues will always be out there in one form or another, and, even running for a party office, I have to think carefully about what I’ve written and how it could be used.
For candidates running for an open elected office, Facebook and Twitter have quickly become the first places that media look to learn more about you. This isn’t just about things you’ve posted, but on Twitter posts, you have liked, on Facebook items you’ve shared, and groups you have joined.
This week, we’re going to talk about social media gotchas.
You don’t need to accept every request you receive
When you start to run for office, you’re going to find friends and followers coming out of the woodwork you never knew. People who claim they are your friend, groups that they think you should join, efforts you should be a part of—all online.
While having a social media presence is important, there is such a thing as much too much. As a candidate, you can’t keep track of every group and comment. It is easy to find someone, in some group, who will say something you strongly disagree with. Now, you’re in the middle of a long, long debate on Facebook that is sucking away your time and efforts where it should be—at the door or on the phone with voters.
It is also more likely you are going to say something that will be used against you in these groups. Watching is fine, but there is a very little benefit to engaging in online combat for your campaign.
The real basics
Want some basic, super basic, social media mistakes you should avoid? Don’t like or share porn on Twitter or Facebook. Don’t like or share hate content on Facebook or Twitter. Avoid long attacks against anyone. Try to avoid tons of profanity.
Don’t tear down or attack relationships.
If you have any of these items, and you are thinking about running ... well, consider deleting them before you announce as a minimum; evaluate whether or not something is serious enough — or problematic enough — that it harms your ability to run.
Schedule your content
For your own campaign pages, schedule your content. We are all used to writing directly short items into Twitter or Facebook. But when you are publishing something for your campaign, write a draft, and schedule it. Take multiple looks at what you have written and be willing to revise as needed.
You are more likely to catch small errors that can make you look unprofessional, and it also prevents you from firing out an ill-advised post without asking someone about the implications.
Scheduling also make sure that you pace yourself and that you have fresh content on your campaign pages.
Do not get emotionally invested in Facebook or Twitter
Too many candidates seem to tie how they feel about their campaign to Facebook and Twitter responses. Here is the truth: while these are great platforms, most voters are not so wired in that they care or are following the latest #(state)leg Twitter feed or your Facebook pages.
Don’t put too much stress on yourself over how many likes or lack of likes you have, how well posts do, and why someone wants to argue with you.
Social media is a tool for you—don’t make yourself the tool of social media.
Mea Culpa
You want to know someone who suffers at time on social media and email? Everyone. And that includes me. In writing to state committees or others, I often “write through” that is I’ll have a thought, write it on a tablet or whatever device is handy, and just hit send. Now, as a matter of party office, it is less important than if I was writing it in a campaign. Still, remember that the lessons that apply to a campaign should apply to most of your political interactions. You are going to make mistakes. Catch yourself when you do, and work to do better the next time.
Next week on Nuts & Bolts: Help a voter out!