The countdown is on! The 2022 midterm elections will be here before we know it. In the upcoming months, communications and campaign managers across the country will be pulling out all the stops to ensure their candidate or cause reigns supreme at the polls.
One of the tools that is being applied this season is consumer data. Applying data for analytics and targeting is nothing new to savvy political marketers. In fact, it has been used to empower donor and voter outreach for decades. However this election brings unique challenges that force even seasoned political leaders to think differently about how data can give them a winning edge.
- Social media platforms won’t empower the same tactics as they did in the past. In fact some platforms like Twitter and TikTok have outright banned political advertising.
- Digital ads in general have become extremely pricey and require more specific targeting in order to be made efficient.
- Voter beliefs are more diverse and fragmented than ever. Anticipating how someone feels about an issue purely based on their registered party affiliation or zip+4 is no longer a valid method.
- TV viewership has transformed dramatically with a sharp spike in content streaming over linear viewing. Standard local TV buys will miss large portions of the population, and will likely include a large volume of voters outside of the desired constituency. More targeted TV spending is required.
The midterms are an especially data-driven dependent election. Without the power and passion of a national election to get voters to the polls, campaigns need to be laser focused on the constituents they can win over, AND will actually follow through with a vote. On average, only 40% of the voting eligible population votes during midterms.
Campaign leaders are trying to balance a number of goals this season:
- Target the exact portion of the voting eligible population most likely to show up at the polls (or vote absentee)
- Reach only voters that are likely to side with their candidate
- Communicate using the correct channel (direct mail, email, digital, TV, etc)
- Highlighting the cause or message most likely to resonate with the constituent
- Apply funding appropriately to maximize impact
Without data, achieving all those goals simultaneously is like trying to find a single needle in a dozen haystacks. It may be possible — but it will take longer than this campaign season will allow.
To learn more about some of the tactics data savvy teams are applying, check out AnalyticsIQ’s Ultimate Data Playbook for Political Advertisers that details five fresh ways to use data for political advertising success. If you would like to learn more about how AnalyticsIQ is working with political organizations today, visit our Politics page to access more research as well as information about data products available for political applications. If you are looking for a partner to strategize, please reach out to us at sales@analyics-iq.com. Let’s talk!