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The Role of Social Media in Online Lobbying

What once started as a platform for people to post cute pictures of their pets and share motivational quotes, has now become an essential political tool. In the past, for politicians to push an agenda or campaign, they were forced to hold rallies and go to the ground level looking for audiences. But, thanks to social media, political lobbying has never been easier. It has even led to the emergence of the term ‘online lobbying’.

 

The Definition of Online Lobbying

The keyword here is lobbying, which means influencing the perception of a decision-maker by a political party, community, or organization. When we add the word online to it, it simply refers to using social media and digital platforms to influence the decision of a person.

Political lobbying has been made stronger and more productive by technological advancements, the prevalent use of the internet, and ownership of mobile devices. Western countries have mostly adopted this form of lobbying. And, to some extent, it has promoted democracy since citizens are given access to information and contribute to decision making. Not to mention, it has increased the number of opinion leaders in the society.

On an in-depth level, tools such as social media platforms and website publications can be used in online lobbying to either influence or change public opinion. And since the above tools have increased in popularity, they can be used to reach millions of people. Take a good example, such as Facebook. Nearly everyone owns an account on this platform. If used, it can result in massive political influence.

Now that we are familiar with the definition of online lobbying, what role does social media play in online lobbying?

 

Role of Social Media in Online Lobbying

Direct Contact between Voters and Politicians

In the past years, social media has amassed a lot of followers of different ethnicities, age groups, and political interests. As a result, it is the ideal place for politicians to find their audience. When it comes to online lobbying, social media ensures direct contact between voters and politicians.

National and international matters can be discussed over the internet by politicians, and voters can be influenced to make certain decisions. During campaigns, other than going for rallies from state to state. Politicians also brace the digital world by putting up their adverts on social media and websites. In today’s politics, public opinion is highly dependent on what a politician uploads on their profiles.

 

Influence on Media Practices

Another role of social media in online lobbying is that it influences media practices. Online lobbying is a matter of public interest and should be covered in the news and local papers. When developing stories, journalists turn to social media and other digital platforms to know the opinions of both politicians and their public.

When this information is reported, a ripple effect is created on the internet, and the information reaches everyone in a summarized format. Social media also helps media personalities understand if politicians were able to influence the perception of decision-makers. For instance, during campaigns, they can know how popular a particular candidate is compared to another.

 

 It Gives Feedback on The Effects of Online Lobbying

The same tool that is used for online lobbying is also responsible for giving feedback on the effects of the campaign. Social media is used to weight the impact of online lobbying. For instance, campaigners can analyze whether a specific campaign was effective or not. They can also know if it was embraced or rejected by the public. The reason for this is, not all political lobbying campaigns are successful. Some don’t influence the decision-makers. Through feedback, campaigners can know how to tailor their messages in order to lobby online successfully.

 

It Reaches The Young Generation

For a while, the younger generation has been dormant towards politics and public decision making. But they are very active on social media, and as a result, using it for online lobbying can reach out to them. There is no doubt that older citizens make up the most significant portion of voters. But by using social media for online lobbying, it is reaching out to the youth to participate in matters regarding decision making of the state.

 

Gives People Power

Gone are the days when lobbying only favored those in power. Social media has given the people the power to lobby a campaign to improve service delivery or kick out bad vices from society. Like-minded citizens are coming together and using social media to shape the opinion of other citizens into making the state a better place for themselves.

Through social media, corrupt leaders can be identified and brought to justice. It has become a conduit for democracy in developed countries. This is a clear indication that there is a bright future for social media in online lobbying.

 

The Benefits of Hiring a Digital Political Campaigner Company to Assist in Online Lobbying

From the above, we can conclude that social media plays a vital role in online lobbying. However, politicians, as well as organizations with an agenda to share with the public, can find it hard to navigate through the sophisticated digital platforms. This is where Digital political campaigner companies come in handy.

Digital political campaigner companies are a set of professionals that are skilled in navigating social media to assist in your online lobbying efforts. These experts can segment audiences, identify the ideal channel to use, and offer massive online lobbying influence. Here you will find social media analysts, professional political campaigners, and SEO experts that will ensure your agenda reaches the required audience.

 

Instead of advertising for campaigner jobs or positions, you can simply hire the best campaigner company to help you rally up the support that you need online. The Online Publishers "TOP" is a leading political campaign company that has years of experience in successful online lobbying. They have digital professionals who feature exceptional online publishing skills. That aside, they are also well-connected with journalists, reputation building companies that will keep you away from controversy and bloggers that will help achieve your online lobbying efforts.

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