Has Social Influence Replaced Political Influence?

Published on May 1, 2019

Social media influencers today have influence that equates to political power.

Interesting enough, social influence has in many ways replaced political influence. Both, political and social activities have long been distinguished with a very thin line between them. Not anymore. With the rise of social media, the political system is now undergoing structural changes that is led by social media stars, as we call them influencers.

Politicians were always grounded by protocols and norms that were essential for them to succeed in the political environment. Today, however, with the rise of influencers on social media, we are witnessing a turning point in the political and social climates.

The word influencer today beats the word politician, especially in politics. In fact, the word “politician” is now rigorously associated with hypocrisy and mass manipulation.

With the rise of social media as a platform for communication, influencers today are breeding a new form of political power that is strengthened by a very direct, and organic relationship with their followers.

It is becoming more prominent that when you win in social, you will win in politics. This nontraditional channel of communication is now changing the winning formula for politicians or, to be more precise, granting social influencers real political power.

We are seeing individuals, who once were social influencers climbing up the ladder into presidencies and other key political positions. Populism has been enhanced through social media and it is disrupting the political system as we know it.  

Political guidelines that were once perceived as essential are now being challenged and new political standards are being reintroduced.

Politics has become more like show business. The better you throw the show the more you engage your audience and the more following you can establish. This following can then be converted into voters.

Opposition research, which once was used to undermine one’s political opponent has now become redundant. Exposing your opposition’s flaws and past disadvantages might actually make them perceived as more transparent and more real.

The election of president Donald Trump — and recently the new Ukranian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy — are live examples of this ongoing phenomenon.

The reality that we are facing today suggests that political and social aspects are no longer separable and accordingly it is hard to distinguish them from one another. Today, if you manage to build influence and a following on social media, you will have higher chances to successfully get involved in politics.

It was no surprise to see the newly elected Ukranian president , who is a non political figure, rise to power. In the world of connectivity dominated by populism, he stated “I am just an ordinary man who has come to break the system” (Cranley, 2019).

The political elite rooted in tradition is now on the verge of collapse as the masses are being increasingly engaged by social media’s political influencers. Being “politically correct” is no longer required to succeed in politics.

One may argue that, through this change, power is handed over to the people, which sounds like it is in alignment to democratic values. However, the fact is that social media can also be a very effective tool for targeted mass manipulation and it is inevitable that some will abuse it for a purpose to serve some hidden agenda.

Politicians today must change their approach to politics. They need to connect with their audiences and provide them with content that educates them and help them make the choice that will genuinely benefit them.

First things first: they need to stop calling themselves “politicians.”

This word now has very negative connotations. Instead, they must refer to themselves as influencers. It is critical, that a political campaign needs to be communicated socially not politically. The social language is the language of the masses and political language is the language of the few. A successful political campaign should be almost identical to a marketing campaign as we know it in the business world.

You need to find out what your audience needs and build an understanding of what their pain points are. You then need to reverse engineer it to discover what steps should be taken to achieve the campaign’s desired objective.

Content created throughout a social campaign is the vehicle of communication with your audience and must be done creatively. It is not sufficient to merely send the campaign’s message and validate its argument but it needs to stand out against potential political competitors. The tonality of your campaign needs to be formulated strategically.

Is your tonality radical or conservative, and how much change are you promising your audience. Moreover, in such a globalised world, you need to have global exposure to consolidate your local influence.

We are witnessing a great change in our societies that has never been witnessed before. Populism is on the rise and we might see new players taking over political positions. In the future, I would not be surprised to see figures like Ellen DeGeneres or Oprah Winfrey winning the US presidential election. The rules of the game are rapidly changing and power is shifting towards the masses, the question is will they make the right choice?

Jad Mawlawi is a British Business Executive, writer, and global media & ME politics expert. He is the co-founder of Dooply Premium Media organization based in the UK. Dooply aims to promote its high profile clients on main global media outlets and formulate relevant strategies to attain their client’s business, media, and networking goals. Jad has extensive experience in overseas business protocols and cultures and has been involved in multiple cross-border business transactions. Consequently, he acts as a consultant for businesses looking to develop into new emerging markets. His knowledge and expertise cover strategy, marketing, media relations, data analytics, investment analysis, as well as macro-economic and country risk assessment. Jad’s most substantial investment is in building powerful global networks of government officials, business executives, celebrities, social influencers, and media officers. His mission is to bridge gaps between cultures, businesses, and ideologies and identify opportunities with a lucrative potential outcome.

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