Social Media part.3

How do  candidates & campaign managers integrate social media into their political strategies?

Social media has now becomes new trending to the political figures in strategical their political campaign, not necessarily occur in United States of America but all over the world (including my home-country, Malaysia). The concept of using online social media to promote political candidates or to run the campaign has increasingly become popular. It is proven as an effective strategy as being shown by Obama’s campaign success in the last U.S president election. Obama’s Internet campaign has changed the view on politic. Well, it’s the same concept used when John F Kennedy making good use of television as his campaign medium to win Presidential Election and how he changed the political structure at that time.  Youtube for example, pull off Obama’s popularity through his public speech that viewed by millions of Internet users. Visit this website for further details on his successful campaign.  

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/how-obamas-internet-campaign-changed-politics/

The Internet also changes the way politicians govern. Mr. Newsom learned that last year when he ran for re-election. These days, Mr. Newsom is “obsessed with Facebook.” It strengthens his connection with his constituents and their connection with the causes they care about. Politicians learnt that these new medium demands authenticity from them- something that they are not used to do before.  The real time contact in the internet has changed the way president of the United State  governs. Mr. Obama start a Web site called MyWhiteHouse.gov to talk with citizens. (Mr. Obama just started a different site, Change.gov, on Thursday to keep in touch with people during the transition.)

Facebook, is also a broader concept of using online social media to promote political candidates and campaigns, and Facebook is probably the best Internet social networking website for generating votes, volunteers, supporters and donations.  While many local politicians prefer to use good old-fashioned shoe leather campaigning and eschew new technologies, it’s going to become more and more difficult for them to ignore the phenomenon of social media like Facebook fan pages and groups. When the  opponents start effectively utilizing new technology like Facebook to help their political campaigns, then you either have to adapt your strategy or eventually get picked off by a challenger. Last but not least, the rapid growth of social media influence has changed and touch many life in this era. I just wondering how the pattern will be in the next five years later.. Any ideas??