From July 24-31, 2024 Fohr surveyed 428 influencers in the U.S. about how recent political events (namely: Trump assassination attempt, Harris’ ascendance) were impacting their inclination to post about politics or social issues.
Said another way: we were seeing a ton of coconut/brat/cat lady/couch posts, and we wanted to get a reality check on our individual algorithms by going directly to the source - creators.
We asked only 3 simple questions. Here’s what we found.
In general, how much do you post about politics or social issues?
In response to this baseline question, over half of influencers (54.2%) said they ordinarily post about politics or social issues at least occasionally, while about a third (31.1%) said they never post about these issues. We were somewhat surprised to see that despite the polarized online landscape, 14.7% report they frequently post political content.
In the past two weeks, has your enthusiasm or eagerness to post about politics or social issues changed?
The influencers are ready to influence (the election), even if it invites potential controversy: 51.8% said they’re increasing their pace of posts, with only 8.7% saying they’re shying away from politics right now.
When we remove the group of influencers who said they never post about politics or social issues, the increase in post frequency goes up (from 51.8% to 65.4%) among those who post. Said another way - the influencers who post political content are fired up!
What are the most important things to consider when partnering with creators in an election year?
This open-ended question yielded hundreds of interesting responses. Again, we wanted to hear directly from creators about how they navigate the choppy waters of posting political content when it might alienate part of their audience, and of posting sponsored content when feeds are filled with current events. Here’s a curated selection of their answers, organized by theme.
1. VALUES MUST ALIGN
“I am always looking to partner with brands whose values align with mine, and those of my core community.”
“Alignment with faith.”
“Creators want to know that our favorite brands support the political party or political issue(s) we care about.”
“Influencers and brands need to share the same values, across the board, when it comes to something as important as, for example, endorsing a presidential candidate or political party. Influencers who don't primarily post political content can be even more influential because the majority of people in this country aren't outspoken. We only hear from the loud ones and speaking to my non-influencer peers, it's become clear that social media can be very intimidating for someone who doesn't hold strong political beliefs. But they're the ones we need to inspire to get out and vote.”
2. AUTHENTICITY AND HONESTY
“Integrity. Has an influencer always talked about issues that matter and do they have a history of it? Or are they only posting now to capitalize on a wave of energy about an issue? Choose the influencers that have a history of talking about what matters and not only sharing their OOTD or latest cocktail!”
“We want to be able to speak our minds and be honest.”
“Honestly- no one is safe. Everyone is eager to cancel over the tiniest things. I guess my advice- if it’s something politically relevant or charged, focus on influencers that have a demonstrated track record of being very clear on their beliefs or standing and not afraid to deal with the backlash that will inevitably follow no matter how seemingly innocent the post.”
“Honesty, facts, and creators who can connect eagerly and energetically with an audience who might not normally care about politics.”
3. CONSIDER NEUTRALITY/NON-POLITICAL CREATORS AS WELL AS YOUR TIMELINES
“Don't force an opinion on them or their posts. If anything, give the option to stay mostly neutral.”
“I've always thought it was important to speak up, but lately, I've been seeing messaging around being "brand safe" and not talking about politics. So now I'm not really sure where to stand, as I don't want to lose out on partnerships.”
“Make sure that brief and campaign opportunities are not run during high peak times on social media and also make sure they are not politically pointed campaigns that will leave the creator feeling uncomfortable about participating in a campaign opportunity.”
“That our audiences don’t want us to be tone deaf. The world can’t be on fire while we’re smiling at a jar of face cream. If something significant happens please allow us time to check in with our following in a genuine way even if that means moving back a post date. Also make sure the creators you partner with aren't sharing hateful content. It’s okay to disagree or have different values but in all business ventures (including creators) we should use decorum.”
4. INFLUENCERS WANT MORE UNITY
“This year isn't just like any other election year, so much has happened that has divided us as humans, not only in the country but worldwide. As an Israeli and Jewish woman, a mother to American daughters, and proud that our family is a mixture of all these different beautiful cultures and heritage! I believe we have to create content that unites us all, that stops with the hate and division, and truly pushes an agenda to grow, strengthen and thrive within the country and communities.”
“Staying true to ourselves and uniting ourselves instead of dividing.”
“An openness to communicate with and about people on both sides of the aisle and issues, political and foreign affairs-wise, is a strong sign that a partner isn't too polarizing.”
“Politics are increasingly polarizing. I fully respect everyone's rights to their personal beliefs and political leanings. When partnering, I believe messaging should be inclusive all around. Constructive conversations where all viewpoints are respectfully heard is what matters to me. We don't have to agree but we can remain kind regardless of our differences.”
“Focusing on unity is essential. If your brand leans more toward division it can turn people off. Also, make sure to partner with people that align with your brand. You don't want people to think "oh, so you are political now?". Okay that's it..”
“I personally do not include politics into any of my content as a creator because it is a very sensitive subject for some and I like to keep my platform and safe and positive environment for everyone.”
5. INFLUENCERS NEED HELP NAVIGATING THIS, DON'T WANT TO SPREAD MISINFORMATION
“To provide talking points beyond the first post to address any frequently asked questions and to provide guidance on address/combating misinformation.”
“The most important thing for me is getting the right information out there as a whole. I want people to know who they are voting for and why and especially for my generation to VOTE!”
“That creators are saying facts, researching what they are saying before posting so that false information is not shared.”
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