scholarly journals Sustainable Political Social Media Marketing: Effects of Structural Features in Plain Text Messages

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (15) ◽  
pp. 5997
Author(s):  
Byungho Park ◽  
Moon Young Kang ◽  
Jiwon Lee

The success of Barack Obama’s 2008 U.S. presidential campaign led politicians and voters all over the world to pay attention to social media. Including Donald Trump for his upcoming 2020 re-election, many politicians around the world have used social media for their political campaigns. While some social media can deliver information in various forms (i.e., video, audio, and interactive content), some popular ones, such as Twitter, are still focused mostly on plain text messaging. With political marketing using simple text messages via social media, there is a need to examine ways of creating messages that ultimately help shape voters’ perception of politicians and eventually win the election. Based on communication science, this study attempts to test the limited capacity model of motivated mediated message processing by examining whether this model can be applied to the simplest form of mediated message, which is plain text. In order to do so, structural features of text messages exchanged on social media engaged in political campaigns, namely linguistic formality and network-mediated human interactivity, are manipulated in an experiment. Findings suggest that linguistic formality and human interaction in plain text messages influence perceived friendliness, truthfulness, and dependability of the message source (politicians), as well as the receivers’ (constituents’) behavioral intent to vote for the message source in an upcoming election. This implies that politicians should pay more attention on sustainable political marketing through appropriate manipulation of structural features in social media messages.

2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hsin-Chen Lin

This paper examines the relationship between political candidates' use of Facebook and their election outcomes (vote share and election success). The use of social media in political marketing campaigns has grown dramatically over the past few years. It is also expected to become even more critical to future political campaigns, as it creates two-way communication and engagement that stimulates and fosters candidates' relationships with their supporters. Online Facebook data were acquired for all 84 candidates running in a municipal election in Taiwan. Results suggest that a candidate's Facebook presence, the type of account they use, the authentication of the account, and the number of online fans they have are related to their election outcomes.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Wen-Yi Wang ◽  
Jo-Yu Lan ◽  
Ming-Hung Wang ◽  
Chihhao Yu

BACKGROUND In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic put the world in crisis on both physical and psychological health. Simultaneously, a myriad of unverified information flowed on social media and online outlets. The situation was so severe that the World Health Organization identified it an infodemic on February 2020. OBJECTIVE We want to study the propagation patterns and textual transformation of COVID-19 related rumors on a closed-platform. METHODS We obtained a dataset of 114 thousand suspicious text messages collected on Taiwan’s most popular instant messaging platform, LINE. We also proposed an algorithm that efficiently cluster text messages into groups, where each group contains text messages within limited difference in content. Each group then represents a rumor and elements in each group is a message about the rumor. RESULTS 114 thousand messages were separated into 937 groups with at least 10 elements. Of the 936 rumors, 44.5% (417) were related to COVID-19. By studying 3 popular false COVID-19 rumors, we identified that key authoritative figures, mostly medical personnel, were often quoted in the messages. Also, rumors resurfaced multiple times after being fact-checked, and the resurfacing pattern were influenced by major societal events and successful content alterations, such as changing whom to quote in a message. CONCLUSIONS To fight infodemic, it is crucial that we first understand why and how a rumor becomes popular. While social media gives rise to unprecedented number of unverified rumors, it also provides a unique opportunity for us to study rumor propagations and the interactions with society. Therefore, we must put more effort in the areas.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Britta Larsen ◽  
Emily D. Greenstadt ◽  
Brittany L. Olesen ◽  
Bess H. Marcus ◽  
Job Godino ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Adolescent girls report the lowest levels of physical activity (PA) of any demographic group, with rates especially low for racial/ethnic minority girls. Only 3% of Latina teens meet national PA guidelines, and these habits appear to persist into adulthood. Developing effective interventions to increase PA in Latina teens is necessary for preventing disease and reducing disparities. OBJECTIVE The study objective was to develop a mHealth PA intervention for Latina adolescents using a multi-stage iterative process based on an adaptation of the IDEAS (Integrate, DEsign, Assess, Share) framework. METHODS Development of the intervention was accomplished through three iterations: 1) feedback from a previous web-based pilot study, Niñas Saludables; 2) conducting focus groups with the target population; and, 3) vetting the final materials with a youth advisory board (YAB) comprising Latina adolescents. Based on feedback from participants in the Niñas Saludables study, plans to improve the intervention included incorporating visual social media posts and text messaging, adding a commercial wearable tracker, and revising the existing website to be primarily visual; proposed procedures and material were then refined through focus groups. Participants for focus groups (N=50) were girls age 13-18 who could speak and read in English who were recruited from local high schools and after school programs serving a high proportion of Latinos. Facilitated discussions focused on experience with PA and social media apps, and specific feedback on intervention material prototypes and possible names and logos. Materials were refined based on their feedback, then were beta tested by the YAB. YAB members (N=4) were Latinas age 13-18 who were not regularly active and were recruited via word of mouth and selected through an application process. RESULTS The focus group discussions yielded the following findings: PA preferences included walking, running and group fitness classes, while the least popular activities were running, swimming, and biking. Most participants used some form of social media, with Instagram being the most favored. Participants preferred text messages be sent no more than once a day, be personalized, and be positively worded. Focus group participants preferred an intervention directly targeting Latinas, and social media posts that were brightly colored, included girls of all body types, and provided specific tips and information. Modified intervention materials were generally perceived favorably by the YAB members, who provided suggestions for further refinements including incorporation of some Spanish phrases. CONCLUSIONS Latina teens were generally enthusiastic about an mHealth PA intervention, provided the materials were targeted specifically to them and their preferences. Through multiple iterations of development and feedback with the target population, we gained insight into the needs of Latina teens and joined with industry partners to build a viable final product.


Author(s):  
Ahmet Sarıtaş ◽  
Elif Esra Aydın

Today, using of the internet extended social media by individuals habitually enables both the business firms and politicians to reach their target mass at any time. In this context, internet has become a popular place recently where political communication and campaigns are realized by ensuring a new dimension to political campaigns. When we examine the posts and discussions in the social media, we can say that they are converted into open political sessions. As there are no censorship in such channels, individuals have a freedom to reach to any partial/impartial information and obtain transparent and fast feedback, and with this regard, political parties, leaders and candidates have a chance to be closer to electors. In this study, it is aimed to give information about the social media, present what medium has been used for election campaigns from the past until today and besides, by considering the effects of effective and efficient use of social media and new trends related to the internet by politicians, together with their applications in the world, to make suggestions about its situation and application in Turkey.


Author(s):  
Innocent Chiluwa

This chapter examines the roles of text messaging in organizing and mobilizing protests and social unrest. It gives a general overview of the various forms of protest behaviors, showing how and why social media and ICTs have enhanced protest planning and implementation by activists around the world. The chapter reviews current knowledge in research literature and describes and gives examples of types of responses to ICT communication networks by national governments during crises. It concludes with a hope that ICT-based initiatives and movements can achieve impactful social change despite skepticism among scholars on the contrary.


Author(s):  
Innocent Chiluwa

This entry examines the roles of text messaging in organizing and mobilizing protests and social unrest. It gives a general overview of the various forms of protest behaviors, showing how and why social media and ICTs have enhanced protest planning and implementation by activists around the world. The chapter reviews current knowledge in research literature as well as describes and gives examples of types of responses to ICT communication networks by national governments during crises. It concludes with a hope that ICT based initiatives and movements can achieve impactful social change despite skepticism among scholars on the contrary.


2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-35
Author(s):  
Seerat Sohal ◽  
Harsandaldeep Kaur

The present study is an endeavour to broaden the research on the use of social media websites in political campaigns beyond the ambit of developed countries. This article focuses on scrutinizing the role of YouTube during 2014 Indian Parliamentary elections—the first ‘social media’-based elections in India. The methodology of data collection incorporates the content analysis of 147 YouTube-based audio–visual political advertisements, associating the message characteristics (natures, types and appeals) with message reach (number of views) and viewer engagement (types of comments). The results reveal the failure of the viewers to recognize the association between message reach and viewers’ engagement with message characteristics, confirming the ‘marginal’ use of YouTube. However, the study recommends the incorporation of contemporary, Internet-based social media advertising tools along with the traditional tools in the future political marketing campaigns. This article is instrumental for political marketers and consultants in devising political marketing strategies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 60-70
Author(s):  
Demush Bajrami ◽  
Arburim Iseni ◽  
Anesa Topko

Subversion! Is it the symbol of invisibility, or the symbol of the secret power? What does it represent, the ability to carry the messages secretly, or the power to change the world? What are the ideas or objects that subversion challenges? The authority, people, tradition, institution, or the whole of humanity. Can it be considered as a way to brainwash or as a means to manipulate the thoughts and opinions of people? Is the power used by people to hide their feelings from others, be subversive? Is it the point where the change and progress meet? There are a lot of numerous and different questions that can be born from just a simple word subversion. At first glance, we think it is something simple, but its true meaning has power and many methods of expression. The whole idea and aim of subversion are to overthrow the existing state or situation and bring a functioning or desired change. It also supports the idea of staying behind and moving by one's own beliefs and choices. One of the common ways that we are exposed to subversive messages is through advertisements for different products, and the messages they carry on. Because of them, our subconscious mind is made to believe and desire things that we do not truly need or want. In the age of information technology and social media, subversive messages are carried much easier and shaped based on the characteristics of target audiences. Nowadays, advertisement and political campaigns directly respond to the individual requirements of target audiences, making their messages much more acceptable and influential.


Author(s):  
Andrew M. Ledbetter

Owing to advances in communication technology, the human race now possesses more opportunities to interact with interpersonal partners than ever before. Particularly in recent decades, such technology has become increasingly faster, mobile, and powerful. Although tablets, smartphones, and social media are relatively new, the impetus behind their development is old, as throughout history humans have developed mechanisms for communicating ideas that transcend inherent temporal and spatial limitations of face-to-face communication. In the ancient past, humans developed writing and the alphabet to preserve knowledge across time, with the later development of the printing press further facilitating the mass distribution of written ideas. Later, the telegraph was arguably the first technology to separate communication from transportation, and the telephone enabled people at a distance to hear the warmth and intimacy of the human voice. The development of the Internet consolidates and advances these technologies by facilitating pictorial and video interactions, and the mobility provided by cell phones and other technologies makes the potential for communication with interpersonal partners nearly ubiquitous. As such, these technologies reconfigure perception of time and space, creating the sense of a smaller world where people can begin and manage interpersonal relationships across geographic distance. These developments in communication technology influence interpersonal processes in at least four ways. First, they introduce media choice as a salient question in interpersonal relationships. As recently as the late 20th century, people faced relatively few options for communicating with interpersonal partners; by the early years of the 21st century, people possessed a sometimes bewildering array of channel choices. Moreover, these choices matter because of the relational messages they send; for example, choosing to end a romantic relationship over the phone may communicate more sensitivity than choosing to do so via text messaging, or publicly on social media. Second, communication technology affords new opportunities to begin relationships and, through structural features of the media, shape how those meetings occur. The online dating industry generates over $1 billion in profit, with most Americans agreeing it is a good way to meet romantic partners; friendships also form online around shared interests and through connections on social media. Third, communication technology alters the practices people use to maintain interpersonal relationships. In addition to placing traditional forms of relational maintenance in more public spaces, social media facilitates passive browsing as a strategy for keeping up with interpersonal partners. Moreover, mobile technology affords partners increased geographic and temporal flexibility when keeping contact with partners, yet simultaneously, it may produce feelings of over-connectedness that hamper the desire for personal autonomy. Fourth, communication technology makes interpersonal networks more visibly manifest and preserves their continuity over time. This may provide an ongoing convoy of social support and, through increased efficiency, augment the size and diversity of social networks.


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