Winning with Substance, Not Just Buzz — Engaging Young Voters and the Practicalities of Social Media Campaigns: The New Norm for Politicians Targeting the Next Generation of Voters

As the 2028 U.S. presidential election approaches, the reality that Millennials and Gen Z will make up the majority of voters is further shifting the focus of election communication towards social media. An article published on August 11 (republished from The Conversation) analyzes "what works and what doesn't" in political campaigns based on empirical data. The key concepts are ,

1) Anatomy of Dissemination: X→TikTok→Instagram "Variations"

The study tracked the "Kamala IS brat" phenomenon that spread during the 2024 election period across X, TikTok, and Instagram. Political memes that sprouted on X were "reinterpreted" on TikTok through the combination of audio and dance, and later maintained visibility on Instagram as posts with images and commentary. Since the algorithms behave differently on each platform, the same content circulates for a longer time while changing form.FaizorgTaylor & Francis Online

Short-form content and audio facilitate these "variations." It was found that simply converting quotes into sound bites or overlaying dance movements on a political backdrop significantly increased sharing rates.Faizorg

2) The Long Tail—Buzz Doesn't End in One Go

Contrary to the common belief that viral content is short-lived, political content has a "long tail" that resurfaces intermittently over days to months. This aligns well with the election timeline and creates multiple touchpoints for the same message. However, the resurgence of dissemination is uncontrollable and may not always return positively. In fact, "Kamala IS brat" was also negatively repurposed by opposing factions.Faizorg

3) Can "Buzz" Turn into Votes?—Three Case Studies

• Harris Campaign: The Gen-Z-led digital rapid response team was hailed as a PR success, but it ultimately did not translate into voting behavior. The study points out a lack of clear and consistent messaging.FaizorgThe Washington PostTV News CheckThe Guardian

• Deja Foxx: Utilized influencer-like methods to become a long-distance runner. Although she was propelled from "unknown to close race," she narrowly lost the Democratic primary. Dissemination serves as "fuel" for funding and mobilization but is not a guaranteed win.FaizorgThe 19thForbes

• Zohran Mamdani: Reported to have won the Democratic primary for NYC mayoral race by focusing on multilingual and visual communication. Here, "dissemination" aligns with "ground game (organization)" and "message core."FaizorgAl Jazeera

4) Changing Platforms: Meta's Policy Shift and TikTok's Reality

In 2024, Instagram/Threads shifted towards "suppressing political content recommendations," but by January 2025, they pivoted to "resuming political content recommendations" (recommended by default, with user-adjustable intensity). As the platforms themselves fluctuate each election year, the premise of distribution design also requires updates.Reuters InstituteThe Verge

Meanwhile, on TikTok, recommendations outside of one's follow list are likely the main route for news exposure. This means "surface-level" reach is more likely, but managing the quality of dissemination is challenging.Pew Research Center

5) SNS Reactions (Key Observed Points)

• "Viral ≠ Votes" Camp: Based on the Harris campaign experience, skepticism has grown with statements like "vibe strategy is risky" and "dissemination evaporates at the ballot box."The Guardian

• "Tossed by Rule Changes" Camp: Frustration and caution arise from Threads/Instagram's policy swinging from "suppression to recommendation," leading to complaints that "the blueprint changes every year."The Verge

• "Candidates Strong When Their 'True Self' is Visible" Camp: Mamdani's multilingual, locally-focused videos received positive evaluations for being "understandable/relatable."Al Jazeera

• "Memes Can Influence Outcomes" Camp: Even lightweight hashtags like #elbowsupCanada can become an electoral narrative when combined with celebrity involvement and reinterpretation. In fact, the related reel garnered over 180,000 likes and thousands of comments.CTVNewsInstagram

6) Translation to Practice: Playbook Until 2028

1. Decide the Core First: Can the essence be stated in one phrase? Buzz is merely an amplifier for the "core."Faizorg

2. Standardize Audio × Short-form: Convert to sound bites→BGM→leave room for synthesis.Faizorg

3. Design Materials with Variations in Mind: Develop into three forms: X's "initial spark," TikTok's "synthesis," and Instagram's "commentary."Faizorg

4. Long Tail Operation: Provide "follow-up explanations" from new angles during resurgence periods.Faizorg

5. Fixed-point Observation of Meta Policies: Regularly check Threads/Instagram's recommendation specifications.The Verge

6. Understand News Exposure Pathways: Based on "non-follow reach" on TikTok, provide subtitles and captions to prevent misinterpretation.Pew Research Center

7. Resistance to Negative Repurposing: Prepare a reinterpretation package for when content is "turned against you."Faizorg

8. Multilingual and Regional Languages: Do it in the "language of the street," as in the Mamdani case.Al Jazeera

9. KPIs Should Include "Pre-vote Actions": Visualize intermediate KPIs such as registration, early voting, and volunteer applications.

10. Show Human "Faces": The driving force when a young team comes to the forefront remains significant.The Washington Post

7) Conclusion

While social media is not the "sole factor" in election outcomes, when the core message, audio/short-form content, and material design tailored to platform variations align, it becomes a massive catalyst for mobilization and persuasion. The challenge leading up to 2028 is balancing