Social media is an essential tool in political communication, but results show that presence doesn’t necessarily equal impact.
Ahead of the local elections, we conducted a new Vox Populi survey to examine how much attention citizens are paying to political campaigns. Are we engaging with politicians’ content on social media? Do we trust them more as individuals or as party representatives? And can a single Story or Reel really change our vote? The answers follow below.
Only 55% of respondents on Instagram and LinkedIn followed political campaigns in the lead-up to the local elections. Most rated the campaigns as average (75%). Three-quarters said they plan to vote, and the majority already knew who they would vote for. In fact, a striking 87% confirmed that the current campaign had no influence on their political choice – they made their decision independently of anything they saw or heard in recent weeks. The same applies to voter turnout – 83% said the campaign wasn’t a motivating factor. Based on these results, the question arises: how well-designed are current communication strategies, and how effective are campaigns as tools of influence?
When it comes to communication style, personal approaches by politicians are clearly more effective than party-driven messaging – 85% of voters prefer a direct and personal tone. Nevertheless, 63% believe political content on social media should be more clearly regulated and transparently labeled, indicating a growing need for greater accountability in the digital space. To remain relevant, politicians will have to offer more than just visibility, they’ll need a clear message, authenticity, and content that voters perceive as credible.
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