Political Digital Strategy

Canadian Political Digital Marketing

2025 Federal Elections: Emerging Trends in Canadian Political Digital Marketing Landscape

Political Digital Strategy

The Importance of Canadian Political Digital Marketing “Political campaigns are won on Facebook, and governments are run on WhatsApp.” – Unnamed strategist in a recent federal by-election. The 2025 Canadian federal election will be unlike any before. As political parties fight for control in a highly polarized landscape, Canadian political digital marketing strategies will be their secret weapon. The playbook is evolving—rapidly. From AI-driven voter outreach to microtargeting, campaign managers have a powerful arsenal of tools. Let’s dive into the trends dominating the next election cycle and how political strategists can stay ahead of the curve. 1. AI in Canadian Political Digital Marketing AI is no longer the future—it’s here, transforming how parties communicate with voters. During the 2021 election, we saw rudimentary AI tools used to automate emails and social media posts. In 2025, expect AI to take on a much more central role. Imagine campaign chatbots that engage voters in real-time conversations or AI-driven tools that analyze social sentiment in real time to craft the most effective messaging. It’s about going beyond scheduling posts—AI will enable campaigns to predict voter behaviour, optimize ad spend, and even tailor persuasive content for different communities. Pro tip: Start experimenting with AI tools like Sprinklr or Buffer’s AI integrations as well as AI-powered video tools like Kapwing now. By 2025, you’ll want to be fully fluent in AI’s capabilities as Canadian political digital marketing strategies increasingly rely on these tools. 2. Microtargeting in Canadian Political Digital Marketing Gone are the days of broadcasting one-size-fits-all messages. In 2025, microtargeting will rule. Every campaign will need to understand its voter base not as one homogenous mass but as a constellation of unique individuals with varying concerns and motivations. This shift towards hyper-specific messaging is shaping the future of Canadian political digital marketing. The Liberal Party’s success in 2019 and 2021 came partly from their use of microtargeting—pushing tailored messages about childcare benefits to suburban moms while focusing on climate change for younger urban voters. The Conservatives have followed suit, focusing hyper-localized ads on issues like carbon taxes and inflation. But it’s more than just an ad strategy. Microtargeting is about making every interaction—emails, texts, Facebook ads—feel personal. Takeaway: Break your audience into segments early. Use platforms like Meta’s ad tools to create hyper-specific audiences based on geography, demographics, and even voting history. This is the heart of successful Canadian political digital marketing in the coming years. 3. Navigating Regulation Challenges in Digital Election Advertising With great power comes great responsibility—and scrutiny. As digital strategies evolve, so too does the debate over regulation. Canada has already tightened the reins on Canadian political digital marketing ads. Bill C-76 requires all digital ads to be transparent, and platforms like Meta must now keep an ad registry for political content. The 2025 election could see even more stringent measures introduced. This will challenge political campaigns to not only comply but innovate within the confines of these laws. Expect stricter limits on spending and new rules on how political parties can use voter data, all of which will influence Canadian political digital marketing efforts. To understand how digital regulations like Bill C-76 influence political campaigns and the social media landscape, you can explore our comprehensive guide on how we function as a Digital and Social Media Marketing Agency for Political Campaigns. Action point: Prepare to be fully transparent with your digital ad strategy. Use the ad registry to study your opponents, and ensure your creative, content, and spending are all compliant. Staying ahead of the rules will keep your campaign focused and ensure your Canadian political digital marketing efforts remain above board. You can always trust a proven political digital marketing agency to take care of this for you. 4. Leveraging TikTok and Short-Form Content for Voter Engagement Don’t dismiss TikTok as just an app for viral dances—it could be your secret weapon for voter engagement. In 2021, Canadian political parties only dipped their toes into TikTok, but 2025 will be different. The platform’s algorithm rewards authentic, highly engaging short-form content, making it an ideal space for candidates looking to connect with younger audiences. We saw early adopters like Jagmeet Singh use TikTok to tap into youth culture in 2021, but 2025 will demand that all major players compete in the space. And it’s not just about being cool—it’s about reaching voters where they are and in a way that resonates. While TikTok isn’t used by active members and political advertising is banned, its role as an organic tool and one where influencers rule cannot be overstated in driving campaigns and political discourse forward. Pro tip: Start developing a short-form content strategy now. Even if your target demographic isn’t “Gen Z,” platforms like Instagram Reels and TikTok will be crucial in making your Canadian political digital marketing messages go viral. 5. Data Privacy: Essential for Canadian Political Digital Marketing Data is the new currency in political campaigns. But it’s also a double-edged sword. With the Cambridge Analytica scandal still fresh in the public’s mind, voters are more wary of how their data is being used. As campaigns ramp up their digital strategies, they must tread carefully. Ethical data handling will be a key part of successful Canadian political digital marketing in the 2025 election. Political parties must prioritize ethical data practices—not just for compliance, but to earn trust. Canadians care deeply about privacy, and campaigns that respect this will have a crucial advantage. Actionable step: Ensure you’re compliant with Canada’s privacy laws (PIPEDA) and use consent-driven data strategies. Be transparent about how data is collected and used—this could be a key differentiator in a competitive race where Canadian political digital marketing must balance effectiveness with ethics. 6. Influencers: The New Advocates in Canadian Political Campaigns We’ve already seen the rise of social media influencers in consumer marketing, and the political arena is catching up. While Canadian campaigns have been slow to fully embrace influencer marketing, expect a shift in 2025. Voters trust influencers—especially micro-influencers—because they feel authentic and

AI in Canadian Politics

AI Meets Politics: The Past and the Future of Canadian Political Campaigns

Political Digital Strategy

From data-driven voter targeting and social media analysis to AI-powered ad optimization and personalized messaging, AI is revolutionizing how political parties connect with voters. This blog highlights key use cases and examples of AI in Canadian politics, including its role in the Liberal and Conservative parties’ election strategies in recent federal elections. As a leading digital and social media marketing agency for political campaigns, we explore how AI influences campaign tactics, voter engagement, and election outcomes, offering a glimpse into the future of political campaigning in Canada. AI’s journey in Canadian politics began subtly, with early applications focused on data analytics and voter segmentation. During the 2015 federal election, the Liberal Party utilized advanced data analytics—an early form of AI—to micro-target potential supporters, laying the groundwork for AI’s future role in political strategy. Although these initial efforts were more about leveraging big data than AI as we know it today, they marked the beginning of a shift toward technology-driven campaigns. Over the years, Canadian political parties gradually embraced AI’s capabilities, experimenting with more sophisticated tools to analyze voter behaviour, optimize ad campaigns, and engage with citizens, setting the stage for AI’s growing influence in the political arena. Use of AI in Canadian Politics Canadian political campaigns have begun to use AI in various capacities, though the extent and specifics can vary depending on the party and the campaign. Here are some ways AI has been utilized: Data Analytics and Voter Targeting: AI can analyze large datasets to identify voter patterns, segment audiences, and target specific voter groups with personalized messaging. For example, AI tools can help campaigns understand which issues resonate most with certain demographics, enabling more effective voter outreach. Social Media Monitoring and Engagement: AI-driven tools are often used to monitor social media trends, track sentiment, and engage with voters. This can include everything from automated responses to certain keywords to more sophisticated analysis of social media conversations to gauge public opinion. Ad Campaign Optimization: AI is used to optimize digital advertising campaigns by predicting which types of ads will perform best with different audiences and adjusting spending in real-time to maximize impact. Chatbots and Virtual Assistants: Some campaigns have experimented with AI-powered chatbots to interact with voters online, answer questions, and provide information about policies or voting. Content Creation: While still in the early stages, AI has the potential to assist in generating content, such as drafting speeches, writing social media posts, or even creating ad copy based on predefined parameters and data insights. Predictive Analytics: AI can help in predicting election outcomes, voter turnout, and even potential voter behaviour, allowing campaigns to adjust strategies accordingly.   Examples of AI being used in Canadian Political Campaigns Here are a few notable examples where AI and advanced data analytics have been reported: Liberal Party’s Use of Data Analytics  In the 2015 federal election, the Liberal Party of Canada employed advanced data analytics, a precursor to AI, to target voters more effectively. They utilized tools like the Liberalist database, which helped them micro-target potential supporters. While this wasn’t AI per se, it laid the groundwork for the kind of voter targeting AI could enhance. Source: “Inside the Liberal War Room: Data Analytics, Targeting, and Technology” – Maclean’s, 2015. Conservative Party’s Voter Targeting with AI The Conservative Party has also been reported to use AI for voter targeting. In the 2019 federal election, they used AI-driven tools to analyze voter data and tailor their messaging more precisely to different demographic groups. This included the use of machine learning algorithms to predict voter behaviour and optimize outreach efforts. Source: The Role of Big Data in Canada’s 2019 Federal Election” – CBC News, 2019. AI in Political Ads During the 2019 and 2021 federal elections, there were reports of AI being used to optimize online ad campaigns. For example, the Liberal and Conservative parties both utilized AI to manage and adjust their ad spending in real-time, targeting ads more effectively based on performance data. Although specific tools and vendors were not always disclosed, platforms like Facebook and Google offer AI-driven ad optimization features that these campaigns likely leveraged. Source: “Digital Advertising and AI in Canadian Elections” – The Canadian Journal of Communication, 2020. AI-Powered Sentiment Analysis Some Canadian political campaigns have used AI to monitor social media sentiment. For instance, in the 2019 election, parties reportedly used AI tools to analyze public sentiment about candidates and issues across social media platforms, helping them to adjust their messaging and strategies in real-time. Source: “How AI Tools are Shaping Canadian Elections” – University of Toronto News, 2019. NDP’s Digital Strategy In the 2019 election, the NDP adopted a more data-driven approach, integrating AI and machine learning to better understand voter behaviour and preferences. They used these insights to guide their digital strategy, focusing on targeting key voter segments more effectively. While these examples illustrate the growing use of AI and data analytics in Canadian politics, the specific technologies and their applications are often kept confidential by the parties. However, the trend toward integrating AI into campaign strategies is evident and likely to become more pronounced in future elections. Source: “NDP Leveraging Data to Fight for Its Survival” – The Globe and Mail, 2019. Ethical and Other Concerns Related to AI in Political Campaigning While AI offers transformative potential for political campaigns, it also raises significant ethical concerns. Issues such as voter privacy, data security, and the potential for manipulation through targeted misinformation must be addressed. The use of AI in analyzing personal data and influencing voter behavior can lead to privacy infringements and ethical dilemmas around consent and transparency. Additionally, the risk of AI being used to spread false information or create echo chambers poses challenges for democratic integrity. This was a concern during the 2021 federal election when there were reports of misleading ads being disseminated through social media platforms. Importantly, AI-driven algorithms used for social media engagement can create echo chambers by showing users content that aligns with their existing beliefs. This phenomenon was

political digital marketing in 2024 trends and predictions

Political Digital Marketing in 2024: Top Trends & Predictions

Political Digital Strategy

https://youtu.be/hBk69EDpRdU Looking back to the developments in 2023, some large industry-defining trends emerged in the political digital marketing industry globally. From record-breaking spending on online advertising to the rise of short-form video content to AI to the need for enhanced cybersecurity, there are a lot of takeaways for the industry going forward into 2024. At EOK Consults, a Digital and Social Media Marketing Agency for Political Campaigns, we witnessed these shifts firsthand at the recent Campaign Tech Innovation Summit in Washington, DC. Here’s a quick summary of the top trends and predictions that will shape the future of political digital marketing in 2024: Record-breaking political advertising to continue Recent reports project that the total spending on political advertising in the US for the upcoming presidential election cycle will cross $16 billion. While the Canadian share of online political advertising is very humble, the shift towards digital platforms and increased online advertising follows similar patterns here at home. More and more political stakeholders across Canada are realizing that digital media isn’t a checkbox in their plans but an actual strategic piece of the political campaign puzzle. With record-breaking population increase, increased penetration of connected devices (smartphones, TVs) and growing access to broadband internet, we can bet that increased preference for digital channels in political campaigning will be a highlight for the scheduled federal elections in 2025 (or earlier, depending on how the political climate evolves).   Video Content rules the airwaves From non-skippable video format to reels to live streams to catchy sponsored video ads on Facebook and Instagram feeds, video emerged as the most popular content format for political advertising in the last couple of years and is here to stay. Social media users crave authentic, personal and engaging content and video ads (when done right) check all the boxes. Whether it’s a personal story behind a candidate or an attack ad against an incumbent, video ads can hook the audience and help create a viral aspect in political advertising that is otherwise hard to generate.  Pierre Poilievre’s recent housing crisis video was a novel 15-minute long documentary-style take on political content and its viral status highlighted how video’s effectiveness when it comes to political content.   Connected TV is the one to watch for The regulatory environment for political advertising on social media channels has been restrictive, to say the least from company-wide bans (like Snapchat, and TikTok) to regulatory hurdles (Bill C-76). However, one increasingly dominant channel for advertising is the world of Connected TV (CTV) – video ads on digital TV sets connected to the internet.  CTV offers political advertisers the ability to target their ads in a hyper-specific manner to voters with certain interests and behaviours beyond the traditional demographic indicators on social media channels.    Tapping into influencers and content creators via TikTok While TikTok doesn’t allow political advertising of any kind in Canada or the US, its importance due to its massive user base cannot be underestimated. Political campaigns that invest time and effort into the real/platform-native content creation systems on TikTok and the ability to tap into some influencers can certainly reap the benefits over the long term. Given how strong its user-led algorithm is, TikTok also has the unique ability to verify the resonance and virality of content or key political messages for campaigns, almost serving as a unique A/B test platform.   AI will change everything (cliché) – Soon AI is expected to transform almost every aspect of human life in the next decade and political advertising is no different. While many believe the future is here, for most political campaigners and strategists, AI (for now) is a way to supercharge their workflows, processes, decision-making and creative outputs. From video editing, captioning, image improvements, and A/B testing to script writing, AI is increasingly being used in almost every aspect of a political campaign and it is expected to continue to transform the way we run and manage political advertising.   Online threat management and cybersecurity will become critical From malicious actors (state/non-state) to phishing/hacking attempts on campaigns to cyber security threats with the potential loss of sensitive voter data, political campaigns will have to level up their cyber security game as we head into the next presidential and federal election cycles across the US and Canada. Bot armies, trolls, deep fakes – the threats just keep on increasing and warnings from secret agencies reiterate the importance of keeping sensitive data safe from landing in the wrong hands.   Authenticity and creativity will make a difference In the hyper-connected realities of today, voters are becoming more discerning and audience fatigue is endemic. Political campaigns will need to present an authentic and creative voice that cuts through the noise to make an impact. While the tools and channels for online advertising will continue to evolve and one needs to leverage all the advancements, the bottom line for the success of any future political campaign will be offering truthfulness in an exciting, engaging and trust-building manner.    Transform your political digital marketing campaign in 2024  Political digital marketing is here to stay and grow in Canada and beyond. While the opportunities are endless, you need a trusted partner to help you build, manage and grow your online presence and profile to match your political ambitions. EOK Consults, a leading Digital and Social Media Marketing Agency for Political Campaigns, has a proven track record of helping clients stay ahead of the curve. Contact us today and let’s deliver winning campaigns, together. 

Facebook Advertising For Political Campaigns in Canada: 6 facts to consider

Facebook Advertising for Political Campaigns in Canada – 6 Facts to Consider

Political Digital Strategy

In the run-up to Ontario Provincial Elections 2022, digital political advertising is in full swing. During election cycles, political parties hire marketers and agencies to design and manage digital campaigns, including Facebook advertising, to help them woo voters across their ridings.  This article serves as a timely reminder of why Facebook advertising is essential to any successful political campaign that aims to grow the voters’ support. In failing to understand the benefits and challenges of Facebook advertising, you would be missing out on a potentially game-changing platform for your campaign’s success, especially when considering the insights from a digital and social media marketing agency for political campaigns. Here’s a list of 6 facts that you should know and consider about Facebook advertising for political campaigns in Canada: 1. Advertising on Facebook is extremely popular Did you know that Canadians are the world’s most active Facebook users? Accordingly, about 72% of all Internet users in Canada are currently on Facebook, and most of them check their pages several times a day. Furthermore, people often use social media for more than two hours every day on average. Hence, political leaders cannot ignore Facebook since their voters – present and potential – are on it every single day. Given that, during last year’s federal elections in Canada (2021), the leading parties ran a total of more than 14,000 ads for a total worth more than $6.7 million between June 17th, 2021, and Sept. 14th, 2021. Facebook offers a very engaging and powerful platform for your campaign to find and reach your constituents. 2. Facebook provides precise audience targeting Facebook advertising has the advantage of reaching your target audience quickly and effectively. As an advertisement or micro-targeting platform, Facebook offers the best results. People can be selected based on their age, gender, interests, profession, behaviour, and location. Facebook’s targeting capabilities are unlike any other platform and you can combine its features to ensure you have a very targeted audience of potential voters in your riding. As audience quality is more important than audience size, you should reach voters who are likely to support you during the next election as opposed to random users. You have many options when it comes to selecting audiences. However, setting up those audiences as part of a specific strategy is certainly necessary to achieve your political objectives. 3. Facebook advertising is critical for your campaign In the last few years, Facebook has reduced the visibility of pages in news feeds, which is an unpleasant update of algorithms for all political organizations and candidates. Even Mark Zuckerberg has confirmed that Facebook will prioritize publications from friends and family. To summarize, the days of organic reach and easy viral success on Facebook are over. Hence, it is necessary to utilize Facebook advertising to achieve success. Despite the fact that you are building a community of followers, you should be aware that only a few of them actually see your posts. If your political organization wishes to adapt to the current situation by expanding its reach and voter base, Facebook advertising is an absolute necessity. 4. Best ROI and Measurable Results In spite of Facebook’s wide range of audience targeting options and features, its advertising costs are relatively low. We should not forget that here, too, the price is determined by many factors, including the overall objective of the campaign, the advertisement quality, the size and relevance of the audience, as well as the level of competition. You are able to run ads for any budget you can afford, even as low as $5 a day per campaign. This means that Facebook’s Ads Manager is a great tool for you to experiment with political advertising and measure ROI before doubling down on a winning strategy. Facebook also provides measurable results, including metrics regarding demographics, click-throughs, messages sent, collecting leads, assessing a party’s awareness, measuring ad views, and engagement, etc.  When used wisely, all of these metrics can provide a wealth of information about current results, user behaviour, and more. As you can imagine, reading them and following up takes many years of experience, and this is why it is always valuable to engage a team of digital experts that can help you craft the winning strategy for your campaign. 5. Building and maintaining a presence is a big responsibility On a social networking site, users spend approximately two to three seconds on a post. If it does not catch their attention, they seek out more interesting content. Moreover, people scroll through 90 meters of mobile web content each day. Thus, an engaging mix of images, videos, and text is necessary to attract attention. Successful Facebook advertising for political campaigns requires a clear message with a vision that’s well-crafted in a short piece, but that can be difficult to achieve. In this context, engaging a digital and social media marketing agency for political campaigns can provide the expertise needed to create compelling content that resonates with voters In a nutshell, it is crucial to consider how sponsored advertisements are designed to reach the specific audience – whether the political campaigns are aware of who they are talking to and who their potential supporters are, or whether the advertisements are simply “scrollable” and will have no impact on the audience. 6.   Facebook Advertising for Political Advertising isn’t easy to manage, despite improvements While Facebook has made many user-friendly updates to its ad manager and business manager tools, it still isn’t an intuitive platform for most users. Many political candidates and parties believe that a simple ‘boost’ post is the easiest and most effective way to get started. The reality couldn’t be far from that. Achieving good results and optimizing campaigns to bring the best returns for advertisers including political campaigns requires a great deal of experience and skills. A properly managed account and a well-structured campaign strategy can make it possible to advertise effectively on Facebook. Defining which metrics to monitor is yet another important task. Another critical component of any digital political

social media in Canadian politics

Facebook Advertising in 2021 Canadian Federal Elections: 4 Facts You Must Know

Political Digital Strategy

Over the last few years, political digital marketing has become more and more prevalent in Canada. In terms of social media platforms where political advertising is permitted, Facebook and its platforms have a lopsided share. Ever since new political advertising legislation in Canada mandating digital archives and other reforms was enacted, many platforms such as Twitter and TikTok responded by opting out of participation. Due to additional public pressure, especially after the 2016 US Elections, these platforms went a step further and banned all paid political advertising altogether. Therefore, Facebook advertising, particularly when guided by a digital and social media marketing agency for political campaigns, presented an ideal opportunity for Canadian political parties and candidates aiming to woo the population online. Interested in seeing how this impacted the recently concluded Canadian federal elections? Here are four facts regarding Facebook advertising in the 2021 elections that you must know. Total spending by all parties combined In terms of digital marketing for political campaigns, parties and candidates did not hesitate to spend millions of dollars. As per data publicly available, the total budget for Facebook advertising for all parties combined was more than C$6.7 million between June 17th and September 14th, 2021. This doesn’t include the millions of dollars spent combined by all candidates and third-party advertisers. For comparison, the amount spent by the three parties on their entire digital campaign in 2019 totaled around C$9.7 million. As can be seen from these statistics, politicians are increasingly establishing an online presence on a continuous basis. Given the high engagement levels and measurable return-on-investment of digital platforms, we might reasonably assume that those numbers will increase in future elections.  Number of Ads placed on Facebook by all parties It is important to note that in 2021, the number of ads made on Facebook alone varied considerably among the three major parties. Based on information from Facebook’s Ad Library, the Liberals made over 12,000 Facebook advertisements during the last election. Comparatively, the Conservative Party ran only 1243 advertisements, while the New Democratic Party produced 1148 advertisements. As shown by the statistics, Liberals are the ones putting up more Facebook ads than any other party. In total, the Liberal Party placed five times as many advertisements as the New Democrats and the Conservatives combined. This speaks volumes (pun intended) about their sophisticated digital media strategy and resourceful social media team. The Liberal Party of Canada outspent its rivals Each of the three leading parties in Canada spent a proportionate amount on their advertising relative to the number of advertisements they ran. In the period between June 17, 2021 and September 14, 2021, the Liberal Party spent a staggering amount of $2.3 million. Comparatively, the Conservative Party had spent C$1.4 million during the same period while the New Democratic Party spent C$1.1 million. Taking these numbers into account, there are two important conclusions that can be drawn. First, the Liberal Party spent more on Facebook advertising than the Conservatives and NDP combined. Second, they spent twice as much as the Conservative Party which won the popular vote but still lost key ridings and their chance to govern. A/B testing and dynamic advertising: The winning formula In addition to a difference in the number of ads and money spent, there was also a key difference in the number of ad variations. While the Conservatives published over a thousand different ads on Facebook, the Liberals generated more than 5,000, and the NDP conducted approximately 750. This data demonstrates that the Liberals had a more sophisticated marketing strategy than their competitors. Having a variety of content layouts and messages indicates that the Liberal team was proactively responding to online engagement, voter preferences and demographic targeting. This dynamic digital advertising phenomenon clearly stands out as the winning formula employed by the Liberal Party of Canada, possibly enhanced through a digital and social media marketing agency for political campaigns, to retain power for the third time. There was also an indication of this trend during the previous federal elections in 2019, where the Liberals ran 7500 ad variations, while the Conservatives ran about a thousand ad variations between June and October. During the 2021 Federal Elections, it was the Liberals who clearly dominated Facebook advertising and digital marketing when compared with its national counterparts. The data does not only relate to the amount of money spent on Facebook, but also the number of advertisements and variations on the ads. Our recent blog post provides further details regarding the last federal election in Canada, which gives some unique insights into digital advertising and campaigning. To learn more about our digital campaigning services, contact us today! Check out our blog regularly for the latest information on digital marketing for political campaigns in Canada.

Is your campaign ready for a digital election in Canada?

Is your campaign ready for a digital election in Canada?

Political Digital Strategy

Canada’s Political Landscape A snap election has been called, and Canadians are heading to the polls on September the 20th, 2021. This represents the shortest allowable election under federal elections law for what will be the most digital election in Canada.  This will be the first Federal Canadian election that occurs during pandemic conditions in recent memory. Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party of Canada seems to be feeling confident on the back of their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Conservative Party of Canada under Erin O’Toole is looking to shake things up this election and attract more voters to their tent than the last federal campaign. Jagmeet Singh’s NDP has been supporting the efforts of the Prime Minister during the COVID-19 pandemic, but have acknowledged that they disagree on the fundamental strategies for helping the country heal.  What does that mean for Canadians? How will the election process be affected by COVID 19 restrictions? These are all important questions that we will endeavour to answer today.  Delta/4th wave and an Election? It seems that many Canadians aren’t particularly interested in politics right now. Certainly, this is uncharted territory, as Canadians have never voted Federally during a pandemic situation before. We did see some low voter turnout during provincial elections during the pandemic, meaning that election strategies could be very important as some ridings may be decided by historically low numbers of votes. As we go through this election cycle, it will be interesting to see what strategies the major players undertake.  Will we see a return to normalcy as the main talking point? Will Prime Minister Trudeau be criticized for calling an election even as Delta cases rise? What does a digital election in Canada mean? Only time will tell.  COVID-19 and Technology We’ve seen Canadians embrace the digital world during the pandemic. Between 66%-80% of Canadians spent more time on the internet since the pandemic began, meaning that this trend will likely continue until COVID-19 is no longer an issue in Canada.  What does this mean for an upcoming federal election? We can expect that an increase in digital advertising, paid media, and social media exposure will all be key elements of the major parties’ campaign strategy. We may even see innovation from candidates across the country as they attempt to reach Canadians who are spending more time on their computers and smartphones than ever before.  Voting in the COVID Age Elections Canada has a plan to address an election that occurs while COVID-19 is still an issue in this country. Certainly, social distancing, single-use pencils, and serious cleaning plans are all tools we expect to see deployed during this election. We can also expect an increase in mail-in ballots. These ballots can take longer to count but are less likely to lead to an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19.  Digital Election in Canada Best Practices Messaging and branding are going to be very important during this election cycle. With fewer Canadians attending in-person campaigning events, they might only be receiving limited information regarding a candidate’s platform and position on important issues. Because of this, having succinct information available online will be crucial for candidates looking to get their message out in a likely crowded digital space.  Digital marketing and online advertising has been popular in the Canadian political landscape for a long time and it simply works.  Parties should be looking now to experienced digital and social media marketing agency for political campaigns organizations with political experience to develop more best practices for this digital election in Canada, set during a pandemic.  EOK Consults is a leading digital and social media marketing agency for political campaigns specializing in political campaigns and data-driven strategies for organizations and nonprofits. We have a proven track record of launching successful digital political and advocacy campaigns across municipal, provincial and federal levels of the Canadian political spectrum. 

How to Choose the Best Political Digital Marketing Agency? Canada

How to Choose the Best Political Digital Marketing Agency?

Political Digital Strategy

It’s 2021 (almost) and online advertising and digital marketing have emerged as critical pieces of any modern political campaign puzzle. In Canada and around the world, online advertising is now considered a strategic advantage and something no campaign can take lightly. Many successful campaigns boast of professional communication teams well-versed in storytelling, platform building and media management. However, only few campaigns can claim to have the technical skills and expertise when it comes to digital marketing. Consequently, this is where hiring a Digital and Social Media Marketing Agency for Political Campaigns can come into play. Most importantly, strategic political marketing isn’t about just posting regular content and looking at the likes and shares. A well-defined and executed online advertising and digital marketing strategy can mean the difference between winning and losing an election. Choosing the best political digital marketing agency isn’t very straightforward. Firstly, this phenomenon is relatively new to Canada. Secondly, digital marketing evolves all the time. For instance, new algorithm rules, techniques, and platforms emerge almost every day. Above all, keeping on top of all these changes and mastering the various platforms isn’t something a political campaign can always afford to do in-house. Additionally, choosing the best political digital marketing agency for your campaign or political organization isn’t like finding an agency for a business. Political marketing has various nuances and differences from traditional digital marketing. To clarify, some of the key differences include the following –  Shorter campaign periods vs the long-term approach in business marketing Budgetary concerns and legal reporting requirements Personality-driven platforms vs a business ‘entity’ or brand Confused? Worry not! We’re here to help you choose the best political digital marketing agency for your next campaign or political office. Most importantly, we have tabulated this process in 5 easy steps for every campaign manager or political organizer to follow. 5 Steps to Choose the Best Political Digital Marketing Agency 1. Identify Your Key Requirements Political candidates and organizations are unique. Likewise, the requirements when it comes to online advertising and digital marketing are unique to each campaign. Many campaigns just need some help to manage their online ads. On the other hand, there are others that need a complete ‘full-service’ approach to build strategy, setup online presence, engage with the audience, run ads, report, optimize and more. You can call it the ‘project’ vs the ‘full-service’ idea. Further, a good starting point for any candidate or organization should be to list down the key requirements unique to your situation. You may answer the following questions and create some helpful background text on your requirements before you look for the best political digital marketing agency. Do you already have a website? Or is this something you need done? What about your social media handles? Can your team create and post content for you or is this something you need help with? How much digital marketing expertise do you have within yourself or your team? How much time can you invest on your own? Do you prefer a hands-off approach? 2. Define Marketing Objectives Moreover, it’s important that you define the key results you expect out of your political digital marketing agency. Without a clear list of goals, measuring a proposal or outcomes isn’t possible. While the ultimate goal for any political campaign is electoral victory, translating that into measurable marketing goals is the key. Most importantly, focus should be on the goals that matter – not vanity metrics like post likes and comments.  For example, building online profile, growing website traffic, identifying supporters or right audience could be the objectives for first-time candidates. On the other hand, incumbent candidates or political office holders may care more about engagement and conversion metrics with their constituents. 3. Set Your Evaluation Criteria Firstly, set the parameters you’ll use to compare one agency vs the other before you begin reaching out. For instance, some of the key questions that you may include in your criteria are –   Budget – How much will the project or full service cost you? Is there any flexibility on the price? Is advertising spend included or extra? In short, cheap isn’t always good so do factor in overall value an agency brings Credentials – How much past experience with political campaigns the agency has? Who are the team members? Who exactly is going to work on your account? What’s their professional accomplishments? Recommendations – Are there any references the agency can provide? Other politicians, candidates or organizations who used their services and achieved desired results? Culture and Working Style – Certainly, a political digital marketing agency will be part of your overall campaign team. How well do you think they will work with you and other members of your team? Do they believe in your platform/party/ideas? What’s their working style and does it match yours? Are their words merely jargon or you can understand what they aim to accomplish easily? Go with your hunch and focus on the ‘fit’. 4. Ask for Ideas and a Proposal After that, reach out to a few agencies and get them to submit ideas and an outline proposal to work on your political campaign or project. Consider the time and ease of first-time communication as additional factors for your evaluation. In addition, bring on your campaign manager and or other team members to form a small committee for a fair analysis. 5. Evaluate and Select Lastly, compare the proposals you received with the evaluation criteria you set in step 3 and discover the best political digital marketing agency for your campaign!  To sum up, online advertising and digital marketing are critical aspects for you to include in your political campaign strategy. In the same vein, choosing the right agency and team to work for you can make all the difference.  If you’re looking for a Digital and Social Media Marketing Agency for Political Campaigns, learn more about EOK Consults here. You can also explore our services or contact us here.

Political Marketing Canada

Political Marketing: Here’s Why Online Advertising Works

Political Digital Strategy

It’s November 04, 2008 and Barack Obama, a little-known senator created history as the first African American to win the Presidential in the United States. As TV pundits and political analysts debated how Obama managed this historic feat, there seemed to be a consensus when it came to one of the key factors in his surprising win. Barack Obama, they said, ignited hope and a desire for change in how politics was done. And he used social media, online advertising and technology to do just that. Above all, in that process, he changed political marketing forever. In the US and beyond (Canada included). Obama’s campaign went big with over $16 million on online advertising in 2008. Compared to a measly $3.6 million spent by John McCain’s camp tells half the story. In about 12 years since then, online advertising’s share in US political advertising has just exploded. Together, the Trump and Biden Campaign spent over $175 million on online advertising platforms – a lion’s share going to Facebook. This represents a staggering 792% increase in online political advertising! In Canada, while our numbers are significantly smaller, the growth has been equally significant and dramatic. For instance, the three major political parties spent at least over $10 million on online advertising in the 2019 Federal election. The overall spend increases manifold when you include third-party advertising and online media used in political and local campaigns. There’s one key reason behind this rise of online advertising in political campaigns in Canada – it simply works! As a Digital and Social Media Marketing Agency for Political Campaigns, we can attest to the effectiveness of these strategies. Here are some key reasons why online advertising works in political marketing 1. Unparalleled reach Canada is known to be one of the world’s most connected populations. With over 25 million social networking users, we have a social network penetration rate of 67 percent! That is 25 million and more potential viewers for political messages available at a few clicks. Platforms like Facebook and Google further allow advertisers to select and curate custom audiences as per their needs. Compare this with traditional political marketing channels. These include canvassing, tele-calling, lawn signs, flyers, banners or radio advertising. While definitely important for any campaign, such approaches suffer from key limitations. Limitations including limited scalability, inaccurate data, need for human resources and lack of measurable results and accountability. Using TV and mass media channels involves significant overheads and budgets. Similarly, such platforms often reach out to a generic or homogenous audience and offer limited data on engagement and response. 2. Microtargeting Online advertising channels like Facebook and Google encourage advertisers to find and target the kind of audience they desire for a paid communication. The kind of audience to be used can include various demographic characteristics like age, location as well as interests or online behaviours.  For political campaigns, this is golden. It allows campaigns to find the right kind of people that will engage with their key policy issues or causes. In addition, campaigns can showcase different messages to different audiences and evaluate response and future action. This is a flexibility which no other mass media tool can offer.  A key aspect for any political campaign is to make sure that their advertising budget is spent within their riding or constituency. That is another feature where online advertising shines. Campaigns have the ability to geo-fence their target location carefully and only show their ads to people who live or reside there.  3. Return on Investment Political campaigns spend a lot of their effort in fundraising and are required to keep a close watch on every dollar going out. This is another area where online advertising really shines. All popular platforms like Facebook and Google ads offer granular metrics on the results ad campaigns achieve. Whether that’s website views, number of times a video was watched or how many people were reached, there’s all kinds of data available. For every $1 a political campaign spends on online advertising, they can be sure of the impact it makes.  In the 2015 Federal Election, Tom Pitfield, the Liberals’ chief digital strategist for the campaign commented how “digital had the greatest ROI (amongst all their advertising platforms)” and how they “focused on it as a strategic advantage”. We have managed numerous digital campaigns for political candidates and parties. Naturally, we have seen some interesting trends (with certain assumptions). Here are some major ones that highlight the ROI aspect of online advertising in political marketing – Very few mass-media platforms can compare with those kinds of metrics. This explains the fondness modern campaign managers have for social media and online advertising. 4. The Perfect Testing Ground The rise of digital media and online advertising in political campaigns doesn’t mean that traditional tools aren’t required anymore. In fact, online advertising can serve as the perfect testing ground for campaigns.  A key characteristic of a Facebook or Google campaign is the ability to A/B test different messages, images or videos as well as custom audiences. All within a small testing budget. Furthermore, campaigns can track performance of each ad set on a daily basis and turn off any non-performing ones with a couple of clicks. For instance, testing which issues or messaging connects better with the voters online before committing to these through mainstream channels. Certainly, Online advertising and traditional political marketing can complement each other to be part of a holistic winning strategy. Above all, this strategy can be one that connects with all kinds of voters across demographics. 5. Building Momentum and Fundraising Online advertising allows political campaigns to amplify the work they do on ground – knocking doors and meeting voters. With the power, reach and affordability of digital tools, campaigns can build momentum and get people ‘talking about’ the issues that matter. There’s a reason why the mainstream media covers ‘what’s trending on Facebook or Twitter’.  Moreover, online advertising often contributes to creation and expansion of ‘viral moments’ and that extends to

Political digital marketing agency Canada EOK

Digital Marketing in Political Campaigns in Canada

Political Digital Strategy

Interested in learning about digital marketing in political campaigns in Canada? We’ve got a good overview, some historical facts and a quick take on the 5 things you must know! Digital Marketing & Political Campaigns Political campaigning is all about engaging with a specific group (voters) and trying to influence the decision-making process. This is akin to for-profit organizations and businesses trying to woo their target audience (customers). How an organization or political campaign does that is the art and science of marketing. Interestingly, both spheres of these human endeavors seem to draw heavily from each other. Political campaigns are known to employ successful marketing strategies and tools from their business counterparts. On the other hand, businesses often learn a thing or two about connecting with the masses from political planners.  So it’s entirely natural that as marketing for businesses transformed in the last decade or two, political campaigns took note. Marketing that uses an electronic device or the internet has been defining the Canadian business landscape for quite some time now.  In 2019, Canadian advertisers spent over $6.35 billion contributing over 60% of the total media spend. This includes everything from online advertising to social media marketing. The rise in digital marketing is a reflection of how the society and how its people communicate has changed. Since politics concerns the public at large, the toolkit which a campaign employs has changed dramatically as well. Gone are the days when a campaign will only focus on door knocking/canvassing, phone calls, and fundraising events. The first phase of this digital evolution the move to online databases, robocalls and primitive websites. Today, political campaigns are known to employ a sophisticated suite of software and tech tools. Further, digital efforts are manned by dedicated team of digital marketers, content producers, data, and communication specialists. This is where the expertise of a Digital and Social Media Marketing Agency for Political Campaigns becomes invaluable. Here are 5 key things you must know about political campaigns and digital marketing in Canada   1. Digital Marketing Has Been Around for A While in Canadian Politics Many people regard Barack Obama as the pioneer of digital marketing for political campaigns. While he defintely made a big impact, the years leading to 2008 were significant for the digital world. From Facebook’s humble launch in 2004 to the launch of Apple iPhone’s in 2007, the world was getting ready for a revolution. One that changed the way the massess consumed information and connected with each other. Consequently, Canadians played their part in the growth of social media and digital marketing as well. This ensured that political campaigns could no longer afford to ignore the world around them. In the 2008 Federal Election, over 50% of the candidates reportedly had social media profiles. By 2013, Canadians were the most active Facebook users in the world. As seen in the 2015 and 2019 Federal Elections, digital marketing became the mainstay of the voter outreach and engagement initiatives for political parties. It was no longer ‘an option’ but the key strategic piece in their campaign puzzle. With the onset of the new decade, there’s only one way this bandwagon is headed and that’s forward! 2. Digital Marketing Will Only Grow – Because It Works! In the 2015 Federal Election, the Liberal Campaign credited digital advertising as the key reason behind their electoral success. “And digital had the greatest ROI (return on investment) . . . . We focused on it as a strategic advantage.” Tom Pitfield, the Liberals’ chief digital strategist for the campaign | Toronto Star | Article by Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press, June 20, 2016 With their $8 million on digital vs the $2 million from the Tories, the Liberals leveraged the power of digital media. And that power is the ability to reach and engage with a wide audience in a very cost-effective and measurable manner. This becomes all the more important as campaigning periods get shorter. In the 40 days long 2019 Federal election, the three leading federal parties together spent an eye-popping $10 million on online marketing.  Certainly, the reach and impact of digital marketing will not be limited to Federal elections. Across the country, digital marketing is being deployed by local candidates as well as their provincial counterparts. The ability to test different messaging in real-time, hyper-target the voters based on interests and measure the results accurately are advantages very few other marketing methods provide. 3. Legal Framework Will Continue to Evolve The Elections Modernization Act (Bill C-76) enacted by the Justin Trudeau Government in Dec 2018 aimed to bring in new spending limits and rules for transparency. Subsequently, it sought to govern the ‘wild wild west’ of online advertising in political campaigns and bring in some ground rules. While the opinions on this legislation vary, it did highlight the rise of social media channels and the impact online advertising can make in our election process.  Moreover, a key aspect of Bill C-76 was the requirement for online media platforms to establish a political advertising registry. Identifying sponsors for online ads as well as tracking advertising funds were key objectives for this registry or online archive. Facebook was the only platform that complied with it in time for the 2019 elections. Google Canada decided not to accept the advertising regulations given a lack of preparation time. Meanwhile, Twitter went a step further and completely banned political advertising from its platform across the world. As the nature of digital advertising in political campaigns evolves, so will the conversation around control and regulation. Most importantly, these will not only be from government or the public but also from the platforms themselves. Above all, we can be sure that greater transparency and content moderation will be national discussion topics across Canada. 4. Third-party Advertising Will Take Center Stage Third-party organizations, like unions and private groups, have long been a part of the political landscape in Canada. More than $6 million was spent on electioneering by top 10 third

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