Get On Twitter and Facebook or Get Out of the Race

With debates around the 2012 presidential election heating up, Digitas partnered with Harris Interactive to survey U.S. adults 18 and over on how big a role social media play will play in the polls. Key findings included:

• 61% of social media users say they expect candidates to have a social media presence
• Almost four in 10 (38%) social media users say that information found on social media will help determine their voting choices as much as traditional media sources (TV, newspapers, etc.)

You can see the results in our infographic below, with more details here. To download the .jpg or a larger version, visit our Flickr page.

“In at least the last two election cycles, digital media has taken a profound a role in determining our next president as TV did in earlier generations,” says Jordan Bitterman, SVP and Social Marketing Practice Director, Digitas. “But the results of this new research show that the extraordinary power of social networks to connect us and build relationships may have even greater impact on who wins in 2012. JFK is considered the first television President. Next year’s victor may well be determined by the impact of Facebook and Twitter.”

Comments

[Barry Clifford]

I agree that it's important for candidates to speak to voters in their language, and where they are. Still, though I think that social media is not optimum for communicating nuance, and depending on it as a way of convincing voters only promotes the bullet-point agenda-driven politics that are so painfully divisive. I'd much rather see politicians use social media as a way to invite discussion, or promote the idea that voters should inform themselves by reading further, watching debates or getting involved.