How Politicians Target their Audience in the Digital Age

How Politicians Target their Audience in the Digital Age

By: Owen Smith

In the 1960s, the first-ever televised presidential debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon marked a turning point in how politicians use the media to garner their audience. While debates had been commonplace before, the televised one stood out not for the candidates’ policies or rhetoric, but because of how technology, specifically television, influenced the outcome. Millions of Americans watched the debate and what they saw had a significant impact on how they viewed the candidates. Americans listening through the radio, who could not see Nixon’s physical appearance or body language, agreed that Nixon either won the debate or that it was a draw. Nixon’s voice came across as deeper and more experienced. However, for the seventy million viewers¹ who watched the debate on television, the results were radically different. They overwhelmingly believed that Kennedy won. Nixon appeared uneasy, looking tired and unshaven. On the contrast, Kennedy looked calm and composed, and his appearance helped win over the television audience. This debate is credited with influencing the outcome of the election, and it ushered in a new era where candidates use the media to create an image to appeal to potential voters.

This shift changed how campaigns operated. Candidates quickly realized the power of television, and it became essential for reaching potential voters. The Kennedy-Nixon debate is often seen as the beginning of the new media-centric political strategy that conquers the landscape today. In the decades since the debate, technology has continued to evolve, further shaping how campaigns are conducted.

Fast forward to the present day, and we see that technology has played an even more vital role in politics. Although television is still relevant, the rise of social media has transformed the way candidates communicate with voters. Social media has revolutionized political campaigns by allowing candidates to speak directly to their audience and appear in their daily feeds. Platforms like X (formally known as Twitter), Facebook, and YouTube have given politicians the ability to reach millions of people instantly.

The biggest impact this increase in technology has had is in the polarization of American politics. Politics today are more divided than they have ever been in the nation’s history. Americans today selectively tune into media that follows their beliefs². Especially with social media, this selectiveness just leads to more division and disagreement in the nation. A way this is happening is through politicians spending millions to advertise and create their own platforms.

A recent example of this is President Trump’s creation of his own social media platform. His use of Twitter during his first presidency is a prime example of this technological shift. Trump bypassed traditional news outlets and media by strategically using Twitter to communicate directly with his followers. Following violence on January 6^th, 2021, he was permanently banned from Twitter³ and other social media platforms. Trump then launched his own social media app, Truth Social, in 2022. Truth Social allows him to continue engaging with his followers on his own terms, without the oversight of mainstream platforms. This move highlights the increase for politicians to create their own digital spaces where they can control the narrative and communicate with supporters directly.

During the 2024 election season, Kamala Harris’s campaign spent millions in advertising money appealing to a younger demographic of voters. Her campaign utilized platforms to create accounts such as “Kamala HQ,” which was an account that spread memes, influencer partnerships, and short videos to platforms like TikTok and Instagram. These efforts focused on engaging younger voters and fostering a sense of community online. Following artist Charli XCX’s album release “brat,” videos of Kamala Harris associated with the album went viral. Kamala HQ rode on the trend for weeks to harness and energize more support with younger people.

These examples highlight how technology, specifically social media, continues to shape the political landscape in profound ways. Just as the Kennedy-Nixon debate ushered in the era of politics through television, social media and digital platforms have transformed the way politicians run their campaigns today. Whether it is through Truth Social’s direct communication, or Kamala Harris’s attempt to target a younger demographic, the evolution of technology has forever changed how politicians communicate with the public. As technology continues to advance, so will the ways in which campaigns operate too. This evolution ensures that future elections will not only be influenced by candidates’ ideas and policies, but also by digital platforms and the strategical ways we are targeted online.

¹ “The Kennedy‑Nixon Debates ‑ 1960, Analysis and TV Vs. Radio.” History, A&E
Television Networks, 25 Apr. 2023, www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/
kennedy-nixon-debates.

² Jurkowitz, Mark, et al. “U.S. Media Polarization and the 2020 Election: A Nation Divided.” Pew Research Center, 24 Jan. 2020, www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2020/01/24/u-s-media-polarization-and-the-2020-election-a-nation-divided/#:~:text=There%20are%20five%20different%20sources%20from.

³ Collins, Ben, and Brandy Zadrozny. “Twitter Permanently Suspends President Donald Trump.” National Broadcasting Company, Comcast, 8 Jan. 2-021, www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/twitter-permanently-bans-president-donald-trump-n1253588.