Political parties reduced expenses on Google and Facebook to less than 1% of their general election budget

Key Highlights

Social media ads figure says Indian political parties have spent very low share (not even 1 %) of the overall political ads spending on digital platforms.

US parties have spent approx 6% of their total expenditure i.e. $5.7 billion on the advertisement of their party on Google and Facebook.

UK digital ads spending are 10.5 % of total political spends.

The present era is the age of digitalization. Indians are becoming more knowledgeful and enlightened about the positive results of technology. By coming of mobiles folks spend most of the time being online and get time to time updates related to daily events. This technology has also put a great impact on our thinking because what we see online directly gets attached to our thinking and we start making our perceptions in the same way. It was expected that political parties will also make use of social media for its promotions in Lok Sabha elections.

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Before elections, it was expected that election will be fought in equal amounts as on social media platforms and Google as of on the ground and is thought that political parties would spend a huge amount of digital media. But what latest social media ads figure has resembled has totally astounded all. Figures state that Indian political parties have spent very low share (not even 1 %) of the overall political ads spending on digital platforms.

From February to June, political parties have spent around Rs 28.5 crore and Rs 29.3 crore respectively on Facebook and Google and in the day prior to election results political parties have spent about Rs 27.8 crore on the Facebook advertisement and Rs 27.4 crore on Google advertisement. Political parties have spent around 60k Crore in elections 2019 and their expenditure on digital ads is merely like a piece of rice in a jar of water. This lack of use of social media marketing by political parties has become a matter of concern and puts a question on political parties why they don’t take more use of social media when in the 21^st century most of Indians of different age group use to spent their time online.

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On comparing Indian political parties expenditure on digital mediums for promotion in elections with US midterm poll elections it was observed that the US has spent approx 6% of their total expenditure i.e. $5.7 billion (Approx. Rs 40K crore) on the advertisement of their party on Google and Facebook thus taking proper and maximum use of social media platforms to have smooth and effective elections. While in the UK, digital ads spending were 10.5 % of total political spends and got excellent results out of their elections in flying colors. India in spite of focusing on digitalization saw very less interest of political parties in advertising their parties on Google and Social media platforms. Now results of elections are announced and Modi government is again in action, therefore, it is expected that Indian political parties will take more use of social media campaigns in next elections.

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