Of Politics and Pinterest

I love Pinterest. I make no secret of my adoration of this social media website. In fact, you can follow my boards on Pinterest by clicking the “Follow Me on Pinterest’ link on my right sidebar – totally shameless plug!

Now that I’ve shared my ‘bias’ towards Pinterest, take a look at the video to see how Pinterest factors into the ground game of political elections:

Anyone considering a run in politics must factor a social media presence as an integral part of their campaign strategy. There are dozens of reasons why, but a few stand out:

Instagram, FaceBook, Twitter, Tumblr, Storify, Storie, Path, Pinterest, and Google Plus are free to join and allow the candidate to share there message among a wide array of demographics.

The ease of use, especially in sharing information, makes these sites great for free publicity. An updated way to break away from email campaigns that typically are linear in scope, with little sharing or engagement.

These platforms are not the sole domain of youth, but numerous studies have shown users between the ages of 35-44 years.

Most adults are visual learners, which is one explanation for the rapid rise of Pinterest.  This platform combines both visual appeal with layered information in the form of click through’s which drives visitors to your website or donation page 🙂

Pinterest along with Instagram give the candidate a fabulous way to show a more personal side while still in control of their message.  In modern politics, their opponent is mudslinging like mad – it is a standard operating procedure. However, these platforms provide  a way to counter the negativity while showing a real and personal connection to the voters.  A great example of this is Mitt Romney’s hand written note to his wife, Ann,  after he missed her at a campaign stop:

 

Source: flickr.com via Ann on Pinterest

 

See how easy it is to share a Pinterest pin on other platforms, if you click on the image it will redirect back to Ann Romney’s Pinterest page.  You can’t communicate this side of the candidate via a polished press release printed on linen letterhead. Social media technology has forever changed the landscape of how we win hearts and minds – also votes!

I hope this post helps anyone considering jumping into politics, if not, just join Pinterest. You’ll love it!