Live Social Richness

The idea of having a team that stretches all around on a similar journey to mine is both inspiring and breathtaking. It pushes and fuels me to want and do more. Even though I may feel like quitting I don’t because this team is in it together. How to reach millennials in an effective and […]

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Social Media and the Politician

I am not a politician nor will I probably (mayorship is enticing, but not in my five-year plan) ever be one. However, there are many reasons why this presidential campaign differs from those in the past. President Obama understood the importance of connecting with his voters in a unique way that is now more important […]

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Politician’s Double-Edged Sword

Simultaneously, Twitter is used to showcase a celebrity’s disregard of social norms and update tense situations in war-torn countries. At the same time, reputations are created and destroyed. Although the same can be said of other social media platforms, Twitter has withstood the test of time not only because of its popularity but also because of the […]

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Social Media for Polticians


When it comes to social media, it is most necessary for politicians to have as close to a face-to-face relationship with voters as possible. Through the use of social media, my best advice to achieve that face-to-face communication would be for politicians to use Facebook, Vine, Instagram and Snapchat as often as possible. According to the media richness theory, the most effective communication happens when the parties involved can see, listen, react, and respond to the communication. The least effective methods of communication are impersonal, written documents and bulk mail.

Social media reaches a younger generation of voters and humanizes candidates. Through social media, candidates appear as more than politicians and are more relatable to users and voters.

According to an article on Recode.net, comScore audience research audience says that a whopping 71 percent of American users on Snapchat are between the ages of 18-34. ComScore’s research also shows that 45 percent of Snapchat’s users are 18 to 24 years old, a vital reach for candidates looking to attract the newest voters. The same study shows that 49 percent of Instagram users and 51 percent of Vine users are between the ages and 18-34.

A study by ORI and the George Washington Graduate School of Political Management shows 29 percent of people said that during the 2012 election they were moderately to extremely influenced by social media. Forty percent said that they engaged in a political discussion on social media, and 19 percent made a contribution specifically through Facebook.

With Twitter on a decline of acquiring new users, only 41 percent of its users are between the ages of 18-34 (according to the study by comScore). Twitter isn’t as rich, according to the media richness theory, because it doesn’t allow for much face-to-face communication. While you can upload videos on Twitter, the platform is typically used for 140 character tweets and sometimes photos. Twitter is still effective, but candidates should try their luck with other applications for video use.

Video apps seem to have the most media richness, allowing for more connectivity with viewers and users. Through Snapchat, users should be able to ask candidates questions and candidates can respond to those questions and address other topics. Through Instagram and Vine they can post videos and respond to comments and can engage in further discussion through Facebook.

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Media Richness Theory and the 2016 Election – Blog Post 1

As a former gubernatorial re-election campaign staffer, I have seen the impact of voter outreach first-hand. Media richness theory, as discussed in class, explains the effectiveness of different levels of communication with others. There’s the higher richness of speaking person-to-person and the lower level such as sending an email. In today’s day and age, communicating […]

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The Media Richness Theory Review

The Media Richness Theory(MRT), first introduced by Richard L.Daft and Robert H. Lengel in 1984, describes and evaluates the tools of effectiveness during the communication process. It seems pretty length (Richard Bergin). Long story short, the MRT a measurement to how well interaction between sender and receiver in message transmission. In this theory, there are […]

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