Kochi: When political parties are getting their arsenal ready for the intense fight for power, the virtual world is turning hotter than the real one. Along with their own cyber armies, parties are increasingly betting on the campaign management consultants, a booming business even in Kerala.
Though the trend of using political campaign management consultancies to prepare strategies for digital platforms has been popular at the national level, it is widely being used in Kerala this election.
The candidates are more concerned about their presence and reputation in the digital space.
The campaign consultants ensure that there will be no digital content which affects the goodwill or reputation of the candidate.
“With the advent of social media platforms and its growing popularity, parties and candidates are adopting effective strategies to influence voters. As campaign management consultants, we will manage the entire digital platform of our client. The consultant will decide the nature of the content, a major part of the winning strategy,” said Jiyas Jamal, who runs a political consultancy firm in Kochi.
“We have several top leaders from all parties as clients. Social media management doesn’t mean increasing digital presence or running social media campaigns only. It is more complex and challenging. They include preparing the right content which can influence voters and deleting negative remarks, posts and fake news.”
The campaign consultants will conduct surveys and use the data to influence more voters. The social media behaviour of different sections of society, their expectations and discussions on the achievements and shortcomings of sitting MPs will be surveyed and documented.
Meanwhile, social media platforms have become more transparent and running sponsored political advertisements is strictly accountable. Even the public can access details of ads, including its sponsors, on social media.
