Social media has changed how candidates campaign, how networks cover elections, how voters receive news and how organizers canvass neighborhoods to get out the vote. But, as we all anxiously await the results tomorrow, social media will also change how individuals convey their Election Day experiences. Want to share what you’re seeing at the polls, in your neighborhood or among your friends (online or off)? Here are a few ways to use the social web to add your experiences to the Election Day canvas:
- CNN iReport — CNN is crowdsourcing stories from people all over the country, specifically looking for people to share why their voting and their vision for the country in the coming years. Shoot a video, upload it and you could be featured on CNN.com or CNN television. Here’s a handy guide from the iReport team to help you create more compelling video.
- Storify — Storify helps people pull content from multiple sources into one main page. Here’s a guide from Storify showing various ways the tool can be used during Election season. Want to see what a final product could look like? Check out this Storify recapping a panel discussion of this year’s social vote.
- Instagram — NPR compiled a list of political reporters active on Instagram. Follow them to see their pics from the campaign trail. Want to add your own photos to the mix? Just include one (or more!) of these election-related hashtags in your caption: #Election2012, #Decision2012, #SocialVote, #Obama2012, #Romney2012. UPDATE: PBS has created a “Look, I voted” site, pulling in Instagram photos tagged #IVoted. Add yours to the mix!
- Twitter — Reporters and producers will be tweeting up a storm as we all wait for the polls to close. Twitter lists have already been compiled, so just pick your favorite(s) to stay in the know. To share your experiences, just be sure to add a hashtag to your tweet. #Election2012 and #Decision2012 are two popular hashtags. Many of the hashtags mentioned in the previous bullet are applicable on Twitter, too.
- Waywire — Waywire is a new video social network, designed to give you a voice on issues that matter most. You can upload videos from your phone or webcam, or share links from video sites like YouTube or Vimeo.
- Tout — Think of Tout as Twitter for video. On Tout, users can upload 15-second videos. I’m a fan of this app because it’s easy to share videos from Tout to Twitter and Facebook (as well as within the Tout network).
- Pitchengine — Typically used by businesses seeking to create a more social news release, pitchengine can also help individuals tell their stories. It’s simple: Include a bit of text, upload some photos and video — and voila, you have an online record of what you’re seeing, hearing and experiencing. Pitchengine just launched a new app (Google Play | iTunes) , making it even easier for you to tell your story on the go.
What network(s) will you be using to share your Election Day experiences? Any under-the-radar hashtags we should be following? Tweet me @prTini or leave a note in the comments!
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@prtini incredible! I’m sooooo grateful and psyched that you get what we’re all about! Thank you (as usual)
With love, jk
Thanks @Cision! Looking forward to seeing people share their election experiences tomorrow. Should be a fun day.
Youre welcome, @prtini! We have a feeling Twitter will hit a record for # of tweets tmrw. Love how social this election is. Hope youre well!
Great compilation, Heather! Another network I will watch is Huffington Post Live. They do a great job of adding the input of the every-day citizen. Thank you for sharing this list!
Best,
Lisa
@cision
@waywire Thanks for the RT. I’m looking forward to (hopefully) posting my first #waywire tomorrow! Love the concept. #Election2012