In recent weeks it seems that everywhere one looks the Republican primary candidates are right there making a speech or shaking hands. The news is regularly punctuated with breaking news about their campaigns, sound bytes from their speeches and their comings and goings. As Gingrich, Paul, Romney and Santorum crisscross the nation on the traditional campaign trail, a new kind of political campaign is gaining traction in the world of elections. This new campaign is the mobile text campaign, in which constituents opt-in to receive SMS messages from their preferred candidate, or those about whom they are interested in learning more.
Used most effectively in the 2008 elections, President Barack Obama underlined the effectiveness of the mobile marketing campaign – particularly in first-time voters and the younger demographics. While the Republican candidates are toying with text message campaigns, Obama has already kicked his 2012 SMS campaign off. This year using links within texts to videos and donation sites.
Most interesting in this primary cycle are the Republican candidates choices regarding the ways they have embraced this technology and their rates of success. From my research to date, Romney and Paul have the most extensive and easiest to use mobile message strategy. Both campaigns make opting-in to their text message campaign very easy through their websites. Paul even allows the recipient to designate the type of text they would like, information or volunteer and donation opportunities or all of the above.
Santorum appears to be using mobile messages on a local level, allowing states to set up their own text message campaigns as need arises. In Iowa, Santorum offered a text message reminder to those who opted-in on January 3rd, reminding them to attend their caucus. Despite my searching, I could not locate a mobile marketing campaign for Gingrich, either on a local level or on a national level. That is not to say there isn’t one, but if he has one, it is certainly hard to locate.
Romney and Paul have used mobile text messages to let people know where they will be during the day. In states like South Carolina and New Hampshire, where appearances at local restaurants are key to connecting with constituents giving this information to base supporters encourages their deeper engagement and connection to the candidate. Text messages can also be used to dispense key information about recent events within the campaign, giving those who have opted-in an exclusive scoop before the media or general public becomes aware.
Michelle Bachman, before she bowed out of the race, used SMS messaging in geotargeted ads at the Minnesota State Fair to inform those attending the fair that a proposed tax increase directly affected the food served at the fair. In the same piece published January 10th, The Mobile Marketer predicts that geotargeted ads, ads sent only to those who have opted-in within a certain geographical area, are the wave of the SMS political campaign future. These ads ensure distribution of relevant information about events, laws and taxes directly in constituents’ communities. In this way, politicians can speak specifically to concerns of certain areas without covering subjects or issues that are irrelevant to that area. Say in one area crime is a big issue, while two cities over job creation is the top issue, politicians could speak directly to the interested communities about their specific concerns.
Media outlets have also begun using mobile messaging to cover political campaigns and the public’s response to them. WFAA.com, a Texas media company used SMS in conjunction with paper ballots to conduct a straw poll on January 14th. When the poll closed over 3,300 people had placed their vote via text message, while only 707 paper ballots were cast. The ease of participating via text message far outweighs casting paper ballots, as reflected by the results of this straw poll.
Tonight candidates will once again take the stage in yet another debate, while I cannot argue the benefits of debate or their effects on the voting public, I can comment on the effectiveness of social media within a political campaign. Voters today want to be heard. They want politicians who are in touch with their real concerns. They want a mutual and reciprocal relationship. Text message campaigns are the natural and effective way to connect Washington to everyday America.
Local politicians at the city and state level can employ text message campaigns for a fraction of the cost of the old political mailer, or political calls and radio advertisement, learn more about mass texting and its potential in your political campaign today! Click here to get started for the upcoming election and get your first month of service completely FREE of charge with Qittle!
