So all this time you thought Facebook was just another way for you to waste time by posting pictures or leaving comments on your friend’s embarrassing status updates?
According to a new report, Facebook has also become an effective campaign tool in the race for Governor of Texas.
The report, compiled by GNI Strategies, reveals that democratic candidate Bill White is winning the social media race: He has more fans than Rick Perry and those fans are contributing to the campaign:
What do you think?
Will Facebook make a difference on election day?
(News Release on the report)
(AUSTIN) – A new report shows that Democratic candidate Bill White has built a considerable advantage over incumbent Governor Rick Perry on Facebook. The report, titled “Facebook and the Texas Governor’s Race: How Bill White is Winning the Social Media Race” shows that White has over 92,000 more Facebook fans than his opponent, Perry. White’s fans are also more engaged than Perry’s fans, with more than twice as many interactions on the popular social networking site.
“Numbers don’t have an agenda or ideology. Looking at the numbers, Bill White wins every metric. He has more fans, comments and likes,” said Matt Glazer, a principal at the Austin-based company GNI Strategies. “The numbers show Bill White is outperforming Rick Perry, and numbers don’t lie.”
The report provides an analysis of the importance of Facebook in the Texas Governor’s race. Three Texas cities – Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio – rank in the top ten for Facebook use in the country. At least 60% of Texans living in those cities are on Facebook. The report also shows how Facebook has considerable more impact in social media than Twitter, with people spending ten times the amount of time on Facebook than Twitter.
“With the ability to raise money, organize field efforts, and deliver a message to over 135,000 people with nothing more than a status update, Bill White is winning Texas’ social media race,” said Phillip Martin, joint-author of the report and Communications Specialist for the Texas Democratic Trust. “Facebook is the mall of the new millennium, and it is important for candidates and campaigns to recognize its importance if they want to be successful.”
Facebook is the #1 social networking site in the country, and a new movie about the site, “The Social Network,” debuted at #1 at the box office this weekend. Following the September 14, 2010 primary elections, CNN ran a headline proclaiming “Candidates with more Facebook fans win big on Tuesday.”
Mary Benton Media 