Politically Speaking

Political communications is the target and influence on supporters and voters. It can often become blurred when diluted with government communication which ultimately leads to spin.

Political comms involves a multitude of sectors including: lobbying, political marketing, media relations, and of course campaigning.

A professional within the sector has one fundamental intention.. to promote the interests of the party and secure votes (and if necessary attack the opposition). There are many tools available to any campaigner promoting a message, but one less desirable yet deadly, is spin.

George Gallop, Reporter from WA Times Today says

spin is a particular form of political communication that is undesirable but seemingly entrenched in our adversarial and media-drenched system. However it's not the only option and as a means to gain and sustain power it is risky because amongst the factors that influence electors are judgements about character and credibility.

Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/opinion/politics/what-is-spin-20120402-1w8g2.html#ixzz1rdtF9zqb

In an age where transparency dominates all agendas, spin is almost impossible. A new tool available to the professional in the political comms sector, and on the same platform, is on the social network - Twitter.
Twitter actively identifies and engages with key audiences without having to travel miles and miles on a campaign trail. It is immediate, cost effective and can influence the most important person for a campaign - the floating voter. Maximising this outlet can really harness a campaign and encourage two-way communication between politicians and the public. Engaging communities through social media promotes transparency and benefits both parties.