For the first time in 10 weeks there are #Election2016 presidential candidates who have earned a grade of A on my weekly social media report card #SMRC. The monthly report card for June 2015 does not reflect this, yet. However, I have a feeling that July will. The average grades for June are good for some candidates.
Bernie Sanders continues to lead the Democratic Party candidates with his social media strategy and it’s paying off. Hillary Clinton’s lead in early primary states, like New Hampshire, is dwindling as Sanders continues to gain ground. Only time will tell if it will be enough to make Clinton’s team nervous. My guess is they are, and they should be. Clinton’s social media strategy remains woefully lacking in all the things that could make it wildly successful. She seems bent on doing things “her way” regardless of what the people want. This is also helping Sanders gain ground.
On the Republican Party front, candidate Donald Trump has soared forward in social media. Always popular, Trump is now seeing double digit gains in his following on a weekly basis. Americans seem to like his viewpoints enough to not just “Like” them but to share them with friends. Candidate Ben Carson continues to follow a winning formula that keeps his following growing but he lacks solid policy details to share, choosing instead to highlight his followers. While not a bad strategy, it will eventually wear thin.
The remaining candidates are successful one week, unsuccessful the next. They sometimes engage well with the public and other times seem bent on pushing their message without listening. I still hold that candidates who figure out the “social” in social media will gain significant ground as the Election 2016 season moves forward.
June 2015 Social Media Report Card for Election 2016.
