Blog #3

Joe Biden has the typical social media presence as most 70+ year old politicians. He has a Twitter that gets occasionally updated by a staff member, a Facebook that hasn’t been touched since 2013, and a bio-page at Whitehouse.gov. To his credit (not probably his control), he does have an Instagram page with nearly 300k followers. The VP doesn’t have a large social media presence, particularly one, especially compared to the amount of viral videos that come out of President Obama playing with selfie sticks on BuzzFeed or Hillary Clinton’s recent interview with Refinery29. However, our fascination with the Vice President has made him an online goldmine, with viral mashups of Joe’s funniest (and sometimes, most awkward moment). The memes featuring the VP are countless.

For the 2016 campaign, Biden should focus more connecting with millennial and creating an larger online presence that is controlled by him and his campaign staff. For starters, he can participate in a YouTube Q&A. I’d stay away from Twitter Q&As, as hashtags have a habit of going awry sometimes. Also – he could join Snapchat, giving voters a live, behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to be the Vice President of the United States. For many candidates, the capability to tap into the millennial demographic is an important component of their efforts on social networks. Millennials are the bulk of users on many of the most popular niche social sites. Right now, Joe Biden should be utilizing social media platforms and online news stories to build his presence, outside of the slew of viral videos and silly articles featuring countless memes of the VP.

Naturally, if he decides to run for President, a campaign website will be the first line of business. Most candidates try to keep their websites simple (for the sake of Babyboomers being able to navigate and donate to the campaign), however, I think an interactive page on the website could serve as beneficial. Including links, an online forum for Joe to connect with supporters would also be a great addition. Also, an app that links to all of his social media platforms, as well as behind-the-scenes looks at campaign stops (think the Kardashian-Jenner apps, with a political spin), and even some “fun” things like: create a Biden meme, Biden emoji keyboard, etc. All of these things seem pointless to a campaign, but candidates have to understand their key audience: college students, recent grads, “young urban creative” and hipsters make up their base. Apps are the new wave, anyway. They’re more convenient – an Apple app for Biden could sync to allow users to donate via Apple Pay (hello, genius?). Having a social media presence is absolutely necessary in this day and age. As a millennial, I’d be more likely to attend a rally in support of a candidate if it’s being promoted via social media (through avenues like SnapChat, Periscope, Twitter and Instagram).