Social Media Helps Win Barack Obama’s Presidency

(My Original Blog Post: http://jamesburchill.com/1111/social-media-helps-win-barack-obamas-presidency/)
[caption id=”attachment_1112” align=”alignright” width=”300” caption=”Barack Twitters”]Barack Twitters[/caption]

I know it’s not news anymore, and Barack Obama is just a few weeks away from taking office, but I can’t help but marvel at the historical significance social media and the Internet played in helping him get where he is today.

As I watched from the sidelines, I was continuously in awe of how his team used social media marketing. From the persuasive use of basic technology like the traditional media (tv, radio, press etc,) through to the ‘hidden’ techniques of anticipation, event and reciprocity plays.

Barack’s Blackberry

The announcement of his VP through an SMS text message was brilliant. “Barack uses a blackberry” was all I heard. But “he’s just like me” was the underlying message embedded there. Clever huh?

The news talks of Mr Obama’s team having to wean him away from his BlackBerry device, you can’t have the President doing the ‘Blackberry bow’ every 5 minutes during world issues checking to update his Twitter or Facebook status. Or can we?

Barack Twitters

And speaking of which, he and his team did an amazing job of keeping him “apparently” connected to the people of America. Have you visited Barack’s Twitter page? It’s an amazing piece of Internet history. Consider the fact for the first time in American - heck forget that - World history, a major political figure used the Internet to leverage their brand.

Online Fundraising -  a New Model

And then there’s his fundraising techniques. I said it early and I’ll say it again… Seriously, he has some very smart people on his team. Micro-payments! Brilliant. He made himself available to the people by using technology to break down barriers to entry.

Now “you too can play a part in history” and instead of thousand dollar plates at swanky dinner fund raisers, the heart of America was able to support and build their own Presidential future $5, $10, $20 at a time.

Historical Wealth of Information

I could go on, about the effectiveness of this marketing campaign but instead I simply urge you to forget about the politics (history will record it all anyway) and instead focus on the wonderful wealth of information lying before you about how best to market yourself using social media and the Internet.

Have a great day!