[PODCAST] How to Use Social Media to Engage Voters

JSB Talks Digital Podcast #106
JSB Talks Digital is a weekly digital marketing and social media podcast hosted by author, strategist, consultant, speaker and trainer Joanne Sweeney-Burke. Each Friday Joanne shares her digital marketing and social media insights from her work as CEO of Digital Training Institute.
In this episode #106, I discuss the recipe for great political success on social media
In today’s show:
- In social media news:
- Google rebrands its ad products
- Instagram releases a new guide on how to maximise IGTV
- Facebook is rolling out a new grid for profiles
* I interview Ken Gaughran, Head of Digital with political party Fine Gael
* Shoutouts: 3 social media tips for political communications
* Ask JSB ” How can politicians be more authentic?”
* In JSB’s column, the combination of my political, PR, journalistic and social media instincts rock in the Digital Age
* And find out what social media tool saved my working week
Tune in here
SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS
Google rebrands its ad products
Google has announced a re-brand / merging of their ad offerings, to bring their ad and marketing products under one roof. The three big changes Google has announced are:
* ‘Google AdWords’ is becoming ‘Google Ads’, better representing the full range of Google advertising products
* The new ‘Google Marketing Platform’ will incorporate its existing DoubleClick advertiser products and the Google Analytics 360 Suite
* And DoubleClick for Publishers and DoubleClick Ad Exchange will now come under the single title of ‘Google Ad Manager’, simplifying the categorization of the tools
The aim according to Google is to help marketers get better results by simplifying their product offering.
“For 90% of small business owners, the main goal of advertising online is to get customers to call, visit a store, or make a purchase. When you use Smart campaigns, we’ll ask how it’s working for your goals, so we can fine-tune your ads to get the results you care about most.”
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Instagram releases a new guide on how to maximise IGTV
Social Media Expert Matt Navara spotted a guide published by Instagram. The 50-page PDF guide tells us how to create content for Instagram’s new IGTV long-form video platform, which includes a range of tips, apps and accessories you can consider to help improve your IGTV videos.
Instagram has published an official guide to IGTV for creators which covers: – Top tips – Suggested apps + tools for creating/editing IGTV video – Video uploading advice
The guide also includes tips on lenses and accessories.
It also provides an outline of how to upload IGTV videos – both from mobile device and desktop.
Download the guide here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/htwdy1b54oyo0xd/Instagram%20Creators%20Handbook%20-%20IGTV.pdf?dl=0
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Facebook is rolling out a new grid for profiles
Facebook has started rolling out a new grid view for profiles that transforms your personal timeline in an Instagram-like collage of posts.
The Profile grid had been in beta and was rolled out to some users. Basically, the new feature allows you to show your most recent posts in a layout similar to Instagram.
Now the feature is being rolled out to all users and I have it!
The grid view feature appears just under the status box on your personal profile.
Here’s what the grid view looks like.
Interview with Ken Gaughran, Head of Digital, Fine Gael
In this episode, I interview Ken Gaughran. Ken is Digital Media Specialist for Irish political party Fine Gael and leads on their digital strategy and execution. He also has involvement in the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar’s, digital strategy.
He previously worked for Today FM as part of various production teams, including The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show and The Ray Foley Show.
Don’t miss Ken’s interview
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SHOUTOUTS
In this part of the show I give shoutouts to brands, organisations or individuals whose work online is remarkable and worth talking about.
In this episode, I’m sharing three of my top political and social media tips that I know work!
1) Think before you tweet
2) People before politician
3) Show the real you by going front of screen
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Ask JSB
In today’s episode of JSB Talks Digital, I bring you a question from the EU Parliament. Celina Kremer is Social Media Manager at the EU Parliament in Brussels and she wants to know how politicians can be more authentic.
If you have a digital marketing or social media question, don’t forget you have it answered on the show by using the hashtag #AskJSB on Twitter, or by leaving me a voicemail at www.digitaltraininginstitute.ie/askjsb. Of course, you can also post a message on any of my social networks!
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JSB’s COLUMN
In today’s JSB’s column I share my insights into political communications in the Digital Age. As a former journalist, PR practitioner, political scientist and now a digital expert, I think the combination of my skills provide a unique perspective on how to run a modern day political campaign.
o Start with a strategy
o It’s all about the people
o Political common sense needs to extend online
o Respect the platforms
o Engage the electorate
o Use the criticism wisely, don’t waste the knowledge
o Leverage online platforms for scaling your message
o Personalisation matters, niche down on your topics, audiences and messages
o Funnel your voters
o You have to pay to play
o Be in it for the long game
o Video killed the radio star
o It’s all about mobile stupid
If you want to discuss your election campaign in the context of a digital communications or social media strategy, then get in touch. Drop me an email to joanne@digitaltraining.ie.
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Social Media Tool of the Week
The social media tool that saved my working week this week is Trendsmap.
Twitter trending hashtags and topics mapped. Visualize topics trending globally, nationally, and in your city. See the top news stories, videos, and images for trending topics.
Find out more at https://www.trendsmap.com/.
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Thanks for Listening!
Thanks for tuning into episode #106 of JSB Talks Digital. If you are a regular listener I would love a review!
As always, I have everything discussed on today’s show on my award-winning blog at digitaltraining.ie
If you are interested in building your professional brand online and you work in the public sector, check out my new Diploma in Digital Communications for Public Sector at: https://publicsectormarketingpros.com/diploma/
Thank you for continuing to listen and get in touch with questions. I love hearing from my listeners so don’t be a social media stranger!
Don’t miss a show, get notified by subscribing to JSB Talks Digital on iTunes, Spotify, Libsyn, Stitcher or Soundcloud. We are also going live on the Google Podcasts network soon!
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I’m Joanne Sweeney-Burke. This is JSB Talks Digital.
Thanks for listening and I’ll talk to you soon.