What’s All This About an Election?

I almost hate to mention it, given how much energy it’s going to take up, and how many months away it is. But if a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well, and with Catnip opening a New York office this spring, we’re set to get a double dose of election fever in the coming year with both the U.K. and the U.S. holding major votes to elect new leaders.  

You almost want to have a cup of tea and a sit-down, first. Ok. Assume I’ve just done that. Now. Let’s do this! It’s 2024! There’s an election coming! Let’s get ready! 

To describe 2024 as a rather important year for social media is like saying the miners in my hometown of Barnsley were sometimes a touch stoic about the occasional challenges of their jobs. It’s a wry understatement that points toward the almost unspeakable enormity of the truth. 

That said, the overwhelming looming pressure on social media this year may be too much to think about, causing some organizations to shy away from addressing it at all. They might be thinking, “we’ll wing it, like we always do.” But. That would be a huge opportunity cost and a significant unmanaged risk. Especially if your organization works in areas that are likely to come up as election issues. 

Reproductive rights. Climate. The economy. Mass shootings. Mental health. Election security itself. Democracy. Civic engagement. Immigration. Refugees and asylum. Political empowerment and organizing in…any field. If your work touches any of these areas and you’re lacking a robust social media election strategy, now might be the time for us to have a quick chat. Election years are to be taken on as marathons, not as sprints. So, let’s get your social media in shape to go the distance without overtraining too soon and burning out before the big race!

Meanwhile, there are a few trends to think about as the marathon begins…

Keep an Eye on Generative AI

As the U.S. government struggles to find ways to moderate the existing technology outside of calling for company CEOs to testify before Congress, we can expect to see big leaps in the use of AI in propaganda and misinformation campaigns in an election year. Recent AI-created images and videos suggest it doesn’t matter what’s “real”. It’s what persuades segments of voters that their worldview is right. 

Be Wary of Constructed Moral Panics

As social media becomes more fragmented, users increasingly find themselves in algorithmic feed bubbles. Political strategists can “stoke the base” of a campaign by poking polarized topics in this environment. Your organization needs to keep a critical eye out for these constructed moral panics and avoid engaging with them due to panic. Take a step back and understand who is benefitting from the framing before taking any steps to address it. 

Dig Into Trends Before Taking Part

Social media moves fast. That’s its strength but it also poses risks. Trends spring up without clearly identified roots. If you take part without knowing the sources, your engagement can be interpreted as support. Politicians point to trending content to build a feedback loop their own consultants may have stoked. You want to identify these trends and be careful about them.  

Social Media Moderation Controls

During the last U.S. election cycle, the larger social media platforms instituted new protocols to limit the spread of misinformation and disinformation. They banned bad actors. This year, many of these steps have been rolled back. They’re unlikely to be relaunched. The onus will fall to users and community managers to navigate these choppy waters. It’s going to take a lot of work. 

Social Listening Is More Important Than Ever

If you work for an organization focused on an election-related cause, you need to monitor the conversations happening in online spaces. Social listening helps your organization understand what conversations are taking place so that you can decide how and whether to engage with them to deepen your reach and audience engagement, or how to head them off. 

Elon Musk and the Twitter Xodus to Threads

We expect to see more groups making the choice to leave Twitter as its owner continues to engage positively with white supremacist-informed conspiracy theories. We expect to see leaders switching to Threads and being clear about their reasons for doing so. But X will also continue to host tremendous traffic and be an effective tool for organizations seeking to influence the elections. 

All in all, 2024 is going to take a lot of energy. Catnip is a quick, friendly, and no-nonsense social media consulting firm. We’re a small but mighty team. But that’s enough about us. What’s your story, and who do you need to reach on social media?