Politics and Social Media

Barrett and I are tackling the political realm of social media for our research paper. The use of Twitter, Facebook, and other online communications to reach constituents has ushered in a shift in the way politicians gain support.

Barrett and I will be comparing good and bad examples of political social media use to assess how it can be effectively used for image building or image repair. I'll be focusing on Ron Paul, who has conducted one of the most effective social media campaigns in politics. In contrast, Barrett will discuss Anthony Weiner's scandalous downfall.

The Ron Paul Revolution took off in online communities.  “Paul’s campaigns in 2007/2008 and 2011/2012 should be viewed as the first real internet-based presidential campaigns – the first time a campaign truly made use of, and relied upon, grassroots internet activism and social media to take root and flourish” stated one article on Forbes.

With libertarian views, Paul focused much of his 2008 and 2012 campaigning efforts on college campuses. This makes social media particularly integral to his nomination, as most of his target market is heavy online-users. Although his political career has ended since failing to secure the 2012 presidential nomination, Paul continues to speak and promote his libertarian views and visits college campuses nationwide.

Ron Paul's outlets include:

RonPaul.com: Paul's fan website is interactive, up to date, and features news and blog posts from the politician. It's a fantastic landing page for people to learn more about the politician with interactive posts and access to Paul's social media outlets.

Facebook: Paul’s page displayed a live ticker showing the amount of funds he raised for his campaign. The landing page also contains clickable calls to action, in the form of “Donate Today” and “Receive Updates” buttons. Other engaging features include Twitter Follow buttons, an embedded Twitter stream, and an interactive map where people can find Ron Paul meetups all over the world. Ron Paul has 1.1 million Facebook fans.

 Twitter: the @RonPaul account has over 400,000 followers. The timeline contains strategic hashtags like #RonPaul, #budget, and #economy and it appears that Paul actively engages with other politicians. 

Klout score: Paul boasts an impressive klout score of 88, also including links to his other social media sites including Bing, Twitter, Facebook, and Wikipedia with further information about the candidate.

YouTube: over 100,000 subscribers and his videos have collectively received over 3 million views.

Having a number of outlets and communicating a consistent message across multiple platforms has been strategic for Paul. In addition, it communicates an element of transparency - something Americans crave in today's media saturated world. Feeling as if they have instant access to the politician makes voters feel empowered and increases support behind the candidate.

Paul's effective use of social media can be studied to understand how other politicians and influential figures can build their image in today's wired world. Contrasting this with Anthony Weiner's image-destroying Twitter scandal will be a fun and interesting topic for our research paper and I look forward to working with Barrett.

Campaign updates!

Our team has hit the ground running with ideas and initiatives for a campaign to help Meals & Wheels Waco improve its PR efforts. After meeting with Libby Bellinger, Associate Director at Meals & Wheels, we shifted our focus to Baylor students as the target audience.

As noted in my previous post, few students realize the opportunity and impact they can have serving this organization. Elderly in Waco have a great need for support, and with drastic cuts in government funding approaching in March, there is no time like the present to help this organization!

I'll be contributing to the group by writing a feature story about Meals & Wheels volunteers. Taking advantage of April being National Volunteer month, our group decided to promote Meals & Wheels' volunteer appreciation event on April 23rd. To raise awareness about the event, I'll be writing the feature story about student volunteers and sending pitch letters to local publications.

With the platform of national volunteer month, I believe the event can get coverage in both print and social media outlets. I've contacted several Meals & Wheels student volunteers for interviews before writing the feature story, which I've set a goal to complete by February 28th. I'm looking forward to interviewing volunteers and crafting a unique feature story to contribute to this campaign!

Here's a great video by NobleHour celebrating National Volunteer Month and offering tips for first-time volunteers!

Effective Nonprofit PR Efforts

Serving elderly in Waco

While Waco's homeless population is well-covered by media and served by a number of different nonprofits, few realize the vast amount of elderly citizens of Waco in need of a helping hand.

That's where Meals & Wheels comes in. The nonprofit has been operating in Central Texas for decades. With humble beginnings in a local church, Meals & Wheels has since expanded to its own location, serving senior citizens Monday through Friday year round.

Meals & Wheels website homepage

With a well-established reputation and impressive history, Meals & Wheels has an impressive public relations foundation in place. It's mission statement is appropriately concise and informative:

"Meals & Wheels nourishes the bodies, minds, and spirits of older adults in the Heart of Texas through meals, transportation, activities, and volunteer support."
Interested patrons know exactly where their donations to the organization are going and how they are helping the senior citizens they serve. Clearly and concisely stating who it serves, what it provides, and how it carries out its mission helps Meals & Wheels establish trust with the community and those investing in the organization.

Meals & Wheels' attractive webpage helps visitors navigate the site easily

Meals & Wheels accepts a wide range of donations, opening a door of opportunity for volunteers at every age, income level, and even location. People wanting to contribute to Meals & Wheels can volunteer their time, monetary support, food, or necessities like clothing and home supplies. Clearly listing its phone number, address, and main contacts helps website visitors easily reach out to lend a helping hand to Meals & Wheels.

Contact information listed on webpage

In addition to having an effective, informative website, Meals & Wheels' social media efforts further promote its image to the Central Texas community. Maintaining both a Twitter and Facebook page ensures that members of its wide target audience are reached. Social media efforts also helps build Meals & Wheels' image as a relatable and involved presence in the Waco community.

Although operating a nonprofit organization is challenging, Meals & Wheels has done its part to reach out to its target audience through public relations efforts. My recommendation to increase both volunteers and donations is to build upon its fantastic online presence by printing newsletters, flyers, and other print materials to reach an older audience that might not be utilizing social media.

In addition, tweaking the message Meals & Wheels communicates to emphasize the great need for serving elderly citizens in Waco would build upon its current PR efforts. While many Wacoans are aware of the high numbers of homelessness and poverty in the city, few may know just how many elderly citizens are in need. Meals & Wheels operates an outstanding ministry for senior citizens and with a little more public relations help, I believe it can continue to increase its influence!

For more information about Meals & Wheels visit www.mealsandwheelswaco.org or www.seniorministry.org.