DIGITAL MEDIA GHOST
  • Publication
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Subscribe!
  • #GhostsWriteIt Spotlight
    • Writer Spotlight Submission
  • Services
    • Digital Strategy >
      • Content Marketing
      • Law Firm Marketing
      • Social Media Management
    • Ghostwriting
    • Public Relations >
      • Social Sabotage & Online Privacy >
        • Social Media Policy Template
  • About

3 Risky Social Media Lessons from the Trump Campaign

3/20/2017

Comments

 
by Mary C Long

​​If you can put politics aside, there are many social media lessons to learn from the Donald Trump presidential campaign.

His team, and the Republican nominee himself, have used social media as a way to garner media attention in ways that are worth noting for any brand.

Or any brand not afraid of a little controversy.
Click to set custom HTML

border:0px;vertical-align:rightCLICK TO TWEET! 3 Risky Social Media Lessons from the Trump Campaign http://buff.ly/2msWaDB


1. Good or Bad Press Depends on Your Point of View
Trump has complained that the media has been out to get him, but for every fumble, his social media presence just seems to grow. Is it all intentional? Stirring things up and negative attention do seem to fuel him. 

Case in point, after his wife’s speech at the Republican National Convention, where she was accused of plagiarizing bits of Michelle Obama's speech from the DNC eight years ago, Trump tweeted, “Good news is Melania's speech got more publicity than any in the history of politics especially if you believe that all press is good press!”

And there's the answer. It's all about perspective. What might have others hiding their heads in shame, Trump is more than happy to spin in a positive way.   

Other issues he takes in similar stride. Like when the campaign released their official general election logo with his name entwined with Indiana Governor Mike Pence’s. Social media was quick to make jokes about the image resembling something a little crass, leading to “roundup of tweets about Trump’s logo" rel="no-follow" pieces that circulated after the debacle. 

All the fuss still brought attention to Trump and his creative team so did it help him or hurt him in the end? The logo was quickly changed to something less mockable but it was otherwise business as usual for The Donald. People were still talking about him.

Anyone less ballsy would probably prefer to avoid the above mistakes, which would be wise for most. A little research and a close eye on social sentiment can go a long way toward keeping your brand out of the hot seat unless that's exactly where you want to be. Trump seems perfectly comfortable there. 

2. You Can Build Rapport With Anyone and Everyone
This is a risky way to approach a social marketing campaign, but if your brand can take a little heat, you can let even your haters have a voice. It's typically advisable not to "feed the trolls," but Trump again manages the ill-advised with a knack for beating detractors to the punch. When his former opponent failed to endorse him on the third day of the RNC, Trump was quick to tweet that he knew Texas Senator Ted Cruz had no intention of endorsing him. That way, he was able to turn the negativity into a positive. 

Such baiting tweets are something very few brands can handle on their own unless they are a real estate mogul on their way to the White House. For Trump, it all seems to be part of the show. And if things don't work out for him, he has the assets to never need work again. Most brands can't say that thus most brands should probably play things a bit safer. 

3. Use Any Kind of Sentiment to Your Advantage
Intentionally trolling for media attention is very, very dangerous, but it’s something the Trump campaign has done without much blowback from his core audience. By most accounts, Trump is running his own Twitter account. When audience sentiment has been divided about his messaging, Trump is usually quick to defend his stance.

That makes everyone already on his side feel like they’re part of his team. Those on the opposing side may go negative on social media, but Trump is able to ignore the naysayers while repeating messages that speak right to the feelings of his target audience. The downside for most brands? You risk alienating people by being overly "in your face." If you're happy with the audience you've got, then have at it. If you're looking to expand into new markets, it makes more sense to play nice. It's pretty clear which side of that fence Trump falls on.

Something We Can All Agree On
The main lesson from the Trump campaign’s social media presence is that they're winning over the people they want to win over by focusing on making their followers feel closer to the candidate. That's definitely something all brands should do. And if, like Trump, you get some press coverage along the way, well that's just a bonus.

Typically you'd only want positive press, but in Trump's case, the more outlandish the message, the more he rises in positive sentiment among his followers. The more his detractors shake their fists to the sky? The more he rises in positive sentiment among his followers and the more the media pay attention. It's brilliant, if you can stand the heat.  


This post originally appeared at Bussiness.com.

Comments
    Picture
    Become a Ghostwriter!
    Picture
    Contribute to DMG
    Picture
    BECOME A GUEST CONTRIBUTOR
    Picture
    PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS BY GUEST POSTING
    Picture
    ARE YOU A GHOSTWRITER? WE WANT TO KNOW!
    Picture
    DO YOU HAVE A GHOSTWRITING BUSINESS?

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Agency Spotlight
    Business
    Digital Marketing
    Ghost In A Flash
    Ghostwriting
    Media Relations
    Privacy Concerns
    Social Sabotage
    Technology
    Writer Spotlight
    Writing

    Advertising Disclaimer

    Archives

    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012

Find your domain and create your site at Weebly.com!
Digital Media Strategy
Content Marketing
Law Firm Marketing
Search Engine Optimization
Social Media Marketing
eBooks
Writing
Becoming a Ghostwriter
Blogging
Content Marketing
Ghostwriting Services
Guest Post Guidelines
Media Relations
Online Crisis Management
Personal Brand
Public Relations
Reputation Management
About
Our Team
Our Results
Testimonials
Contact Us
Locations:
New Orleans, LA
Nashville, TN


Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Cookie Policy
Digital Media Ghost  @2020
  • Publication
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Subscribe!
  • #GhostsWriteIt Spotlight
    • Writer Spotlight Submission
  • Services
    • Digital Strategy >
      • Content Marketing
      • Law Firm Marketing
      • Social Media Management
    • Ghostwriting
    • Public Relations >
      • Social Sabotage & Online Privacy >
        • Social Media Policy Template
  • About