SWS INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY SWS Journal of Social Sciences and Art ISSUE 2, 2019 SWS Journal of Social Sciences and Art SOCIAL MEDIA AS A TOOL OF POLITICAL PERMANENT CAMPAIGN ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE ACTIVITY OF POLISH POLITICIANS Assoc. Prof. PhD Małgorzata Adamik-Szysiak Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Poland ABSTRACT In the context of the processes of professionalization and modernization of political communication and mediatization of politics, the aim of the article is to show how to use social media in strategies for communicating of party leaders on the Polish political scene. The research questions concerned attempts of the politicians to use social media to im- plement communication marketing strategies, in particular in the aspect of engaging and mobilizing Internet users not only in the periods of electoral campaigns, but also in the long-term perspective. The messages disseminated by politicians in social media (mainly on Facebook and Twitter) were analysed primarily from the point of view of their effectiveness (measured by the popularity of entries and their media visibility). It was important to pay attention to the ways of presenting and creating the political reality by politicians through the media. The empirical research covered the years 2015-2017 and were of the longitudinal na- ture. The basic research method is the analysis of the content, both quantitative and quali- tative. Examining the way of the presentation of specific issues I am using the concept of framing the media messages. According to the first hypothesis (H1), the use of social media by Polish politicians proves the growing professionalization of political communication, especially through the prism of its Americanization based on the concept of a hybrid style of communica- tion, thus adapting selected solutions tested on the American political scene to Polish realities. The second hypothesis (H2) indicates that in the communication strategies of political party leaders, social media are perceived as a communication tool which primary function is not only to inform but also to maintain relations with a potential electorate, in accordance with the assumptions of relationship marketing. Keywords: social media, political permanent campaign, communication strategies, professionalization of political communication, Polish politicians DOI 10.35603/SSA2019/ISSUE2.01 - PB - - 1 - DOI 10.35603/SSA2019/ISSUE2.01 SWS INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY ISSN: 2664 - 0104 SWS Journal of Social Sciences and Art ISSUE 2, 2019 SWS Journal of Social Sciences and Art INTRODUCTION presidential and parliamentary elections As the popularity of social media in Po- were held (within a short period of time), land clearly grows1, the proportionately the next elections (this time local govern- greater interest of politicians in this media ment) took place in autumn 2018, so the channel is clearly noticeable. Social me- years 2016-2017 were a period in which dia initially appreciated mainly by leaders there were no official election campaigns. and political parties enjoying small sup- The results of the research - selected port or support insufficient for full electoral aspects success (obtaining a mandate) along with During the presidential election campaign growing interest among potential voters in 2015 in Poland, all candidates had at (including journalists) have become an least two official profiles on social media indispensable element of communication (tab. 1). For all candidates, Facebook was strategies of politicians in Poland. the platform of activity for all candidates, as Politicians running accounts on social well as Twitter (apart from Grzegorz Braun), networks are looking for new channels of which also proved the importance of these reaching particularly the youngest voters social media in the communication strate- and making them interested in their offer gies implemented by the candidates and (who are the largest group of community their election personnel. All candidates also media users), what’s more, often not yet had their own, or run as part of a political fully shaped in terms of politics, for whom group supporting them, YouTube channels. social networking websites are not only a Analysis of the candidates’ activity on source of information, but also integration their profiles in social media during the and entertainment. presidential campaign elections in 2015 The basic sources of obtaining research was conducted by, among others, Polish material for empirical research were offi- research agencies IRCenter and Sotren- cial channels of Polish politicians (leaders der [3, 4]. The data obtained by both of all political groups present in the parlia- agencies clearly shows that the key social ment and candidates in the presidential media in the 2015 presidential campaign election) conducted on Facebook and was Facebook. The content published Twitter in 2015-2017. here by the candidates reached the larg- est number of users, and the most Internet The selected research period (2015-2017), users discussed them within the aforemen- due to the arrangement of the elector- tioned social media. From the beginning al calendar in Poland, gave politicians a of March to the end of May 2015, on the unique opportunity not only to intensify subject of three candidates leading in the political activities, but also to demonstrate electoral polls (trying to be re-elected B. the ability to build a coherent and effec- Komorowski and the current Member of tive communication strategy. In 2015, European Parliament A. Duda and P. Kukiz associated with the music scene) a total 1In 2015, social media was the source of obtaining information for 52%, while in 2018 already for 59% of 2408 thousand comments were pub- of Polish Internet users. Facebook has been the lished on Facebook, for comparison – 407 dominant one on the Polish market since the thousand comments on Twitter. beginning of its operations, which was used by 50% in 2016, while by 73% of all Internet users in 2018, respectively, Twitter is used by 9% and 17% Internet On Facebook, P. Kukiz was the most active users [1]. on his profile during the campaign, who DOI 10.35603/SSA2019/ISSUE2.01 - 2 - - 3 - DOI 10.35603/SSA2019/ISSUE2.01 SWS INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY SWS Journal of Social Sciences and Art ISSUE 2, 2019 SWS Journal of Social Sciences and Art Table 1. Official profiles of candidates in the presidential campaign in 2015 in social media Politician The group Obtained votes in the Facebook Twitter YouTube Other supporting elections % [2] II round) Andrzej Law and 34,76 (51,55) + + + Instagram Duda Justice (PiS) Bronisław Civic Plat- Instagram 33,77 (48,45) + + + Komorowski form (PO) Google+ Paweł Kukiz’15 20,80 + + + _ Kukiz Janusz Kor- KORWiN 3,26 + + -* _ win-Mikke Democratic Magdalena Left Alliance 2,38 + + + Instagram Ogórek (SLD) Adam Polish Peo- ple’s Party 1,60 + + + _ Jarubas (PSL) Janusz Palikot’s 1,42 + + + _ Palikot Movement Grzegorz Independ- ent Candi- 0,83 + _ + _ Braun date Marian National 0,52 + + -* _ Kowalski Movement Jacek New Right Wing Con- 0,46 + + + Google+ Wilk gress Paweł Direct De- 0,20 + + -* _ Tanajno mocracy * The candidate did not have his own official YouTube channel, but his electoral materials were posted on the channel of the party supporting him. Source: Own study. posted a total of 419 posts, followed by A. At the same time, the results of research Duda, who published 351 posts. However, indicate that a more “interactive” style it is worth paying attention to the scale of of communication, manifesting itself in, activity intensity in posting by both candi- among others, publishing posts addressed dates in the last month of the campaign, to specific recipients (mainly competitors in which A. Duda published 225 entries, or political parties), as well as answering while P. Kukiz – 63 entries. Internet users’ questions or engaging in DOI 10.35603/SSA2019/ISSUE2.01 - 2 - - 3 - DOI 10.35603/SSA2019/ISSUE2.01 SWS INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY ISSN: 2664 - 0104 SWS Journal of Social Sciences and Art ISSUE 2, 2019 SWS Journal of Social Sciences and Art discussion between Internet users, was of Internet users on the profiles of A. Duda conducted on Facebook by P. Kukiz. In in social media, especially on Tweeter, at- turn, A. Duda more often combined the tention should be paid not so much to the official, campaign style of communica- amount, but to the content (including the tion with direct approaches to supporters subject matter or the means of expression by posting a selfie with fans from electoral used) and the way of building entries (with meetings or verbal thanks for the declared the predominant role of hashtags), thanks to support addressed to all voters mainly which the profile of the candidate was often through Twitter, on the Facebook profile mentioned in the accounts of other users. of the candidate similar procedures were The basis for most of the candidates’ posts rare. It should be added that, Facebook was, especially on Facebook, thematic for P. Kukiz and Twitter for A. Duda were (audio)visual material, although, for ex- the primary social services in the cam- ample, the entries of B. Komorowski usually paign run by politicians in person. contained single visual materials (posters, On Twitter, the profile of A. Duda was the photographs, occasionally short, pre-re- most popular account among all can- corded audio-visual materials), entries of didates in the election, who although A. Duda were usually provided with an ex- having published 178 less Tweets from B. tensive photo gallery of the event, includ- Komorowski (in total 1134 Tweets), has trig- ing in particular the direct meetings of the gered 140,000 user reactions (for compar- candidate with the voters. ison, B. Komorowski – 92,000 reactions). It is Building the policy strategies with the use worth adding that under every published of proven ideas, persuasive tools that Tweet, A. Duda caused almost twice as are effective in the framework of certain many reactions as B.