2024 New Brunswick Election and Social Media: How Digital Campaigns Shaped the Election Results
The 2024 New Brunswick Election and Social Media advertising played a pivotal role in shaping the political landscape. With Susan Holt leading the Liberals to a majority government and Progressive Conservative leader Blaine Higgs losing his seat, this election showcased the growing importance of digital campaigns in influencing voters. As we analyze the results and how each party used Meta advertising on platforms like Facebook, it’s clear that online strategies made a significant impact on voter engagement and outcomes. This post will explore how the 2024 New Brunswick Election and Social Media intertwined to create a powerful narrative for voters. 2024 New Brunswick Election and Social Media Results Breakdown The 2024 New Brunswick Election and Social Media engagement highlighted a dramatic shift in power. The Liberals, under Susan Holt, secured a majority government, winning 31 ridings and 48% of the vote. Meanwhile, the Progressive Conservatives (PC) claimed 16 ridings with 35% of the vote, and the Green Party won 2 seats with 14% of the total vote. PC leader Blaine Higgs, who previously served as premier, lost his seat in Quispamsis to Liberal candidate Aaron Kennedy. This marked a significant change in political leadership. Green Party leader David Coon retained his seat in Fredericton-Lincoln, showing the Greens’ strong regional foothold. Turnout mirrored previous elections, with about 66% of registered voters casting their ballots—a testament to the effective 2024 New Brunswick Election and Social Media voter engagement efforts by all parties. 2024 New Brunswick Election and Social Media Strategy Social media advertising, particularly on Meta platforms like Facebook, was an integral part of the 2024 New Brunswick Election and Social Media strategy for all major parties. Each party’s advertising budget and strategy varied, impacting voter turnout and overall success. New Brunswick Liberals: The Liberal Party spent heavily on Meta advertising, focusing almost entirely on Susan Holt’s personal Facebook profile. They spent $52,300 on ads through her account during the writ period, with only $491 from their official page. By centralizing their social media strategy around Holt, the Liberals were able to build trust and connect with voters on a personal level, which likely contributed to their substantial gains in urban centers like Saint John (27% vote increase), Fredericton (23%), and Moncton (16%). Progressive Conservatives: The PCs, under Blaine Higgs, adopted a dual approach, splitting their Meta ad spend between Higgs’s profile ($23,200) and the party’s official page ($30,400). Despite nearly matching the Liberal budget, their divided focus may have diminished the personal connection that Holt was able to create with voters. Ultimately, the PCs won 16 ridings, but Higgs’s loss of his seat in Quispamsis was a significant blow to the party. Green Party: The Green Party spent much less on social media advertising, with $1,100 from leader David Coon’s profile and $907 from the party’s official handle. Although they secured two ridings, their limited investment highlights the challenges smaller parties face in gaining widespread traction without larger ad budgets. Types of Ads in the 2024 New Brunswick Election and Social Media Campaign In the 2024 New Brunswick Election and Social Media landscape, the types of ads each party used played a major role in defining their public image and outreach strategy: Liberals: The Liberals centered their social media strategy around leader Susan Holt, with video content and personal messages playing a key role in their campaign. The focus on Holt’s leadership and vision for the future of New Brunswick connected with voters, particularly in urban areas, where the Liberals saw significant gains. Progressive Conservatives: The PCs leaned heavily on policy-focused ads and negative messaging aimed at the Liberals. They ran a series of “Contrast” ads to highlight policy differences, with Blaine Higgs appearing in video ads to discuss his plans for New Brunswick. Despite these efforts, the split focus between policy content and attack ads may have hampered their success. Green Party: The Greens focused on static graphics promoting their platform on environmental sustainability and social justice. While this approach resonated with their core supporters, the lack of dynamic content and lower investment in Meta advertising limited their ability to grow their voter base. Analyzing the Impact of Meta Advertising on the 2024 New Brunswick Election The impact of Meta advertising in the 2024 New Brunswick Election and Social Media campaigns was unmistakable. The Liberal Party’s choice to consolidate its social media spend through Susan Holt’s personal profile was a successful strategy, helping them secure a majority government. The Progressive Conservatives, despite their significant spending, failed to capture the same level of personal connection with voters, contributing to their reduced seat count. The Green Party, while continuing to secure important regional victories, lacked the financial resources to compete on the same level, demonstrating the challenges faced by smaller parties in the digital advertising space. What This Tells Us About Political Campaigns The 2024 New Brunswick Election and Social Media demonstrated the growing importance of social media platforms in modern political campaigns. By leveraging Meta advertising and focusing on personalized, targeted messaging, the parties were able to reach a broad audience. The Liberals’ success in urban areas, in particular, can be largely attributed to their focused and consistent use of social media to promote Susan Holt’s leadership. As we look to the future of political campaigns, the role of social media advertising will only continue to grow. Political parties that can harness the power of platforms like Facebook, and strategically allocate their advertising budgets, will have the upper hand in engaging voters and influencing election outcomes. Conclusion: The Future of Social Media Advertising in Canadian Political Campaigns The 2024 New Brunswick Election and Social Media advertising strategy revealed just how crucial online platforms have become in political campaigns. With Meta advertising allowing parties to engage voters directly and personalize their messaging, those who can effectively use social media will shape future political landscapes. As the digital age advances, political campaigns must prioritize strong, authentic online presences to stay competitive in the fast-evolving world of voter engagement.
