WebProNews

With social networks like MySpace and YouTube taking an active role in politics, social media offers a good opportunity for presidential candidates to connect with potential volunteers and donors, according to a new report from JupiterResearch, "Politics on the Net: Reaching Audiences that Matter."

The report found active voters have a strong preference for political Web sites as well as news, online editions of magazines, business content, and sports content and consume the information with more frequency than overall online users.

"Social media provide several advantages for political organizing. Not only do they present a strong concentration of target voters, they also leverage that audience's communications in those media," explained Barry Parr, JupiterResearch Analyst and lead author of the report.

"Because blog and media comment users are all more likely to describe themselves as politically influential, it is probable that they will pay attention to strategically placed political messages."

Active voters are slightly less likely than are overall online users to use social networks, but they do participate in social media. Although their usage indicates that politically oriented and news-oriented blogs and comment sites would be the best choice for political organizing and advertising.

"Both the news media and political campaigns have an opportunity to blaze new trails this election cycle and reach out to an audience that is more fragmented than ever before," said David Schatsky, President of JupiterResearch.

"While political campaigns have already recognized the importance of the Web as a marketing and organizing tool, the changing online behavior of voters makes them a moving target and demonstrates the need to choose tactics wisely."