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.