Social media has impacted how we communicate, connect, and share opinions. With over 5 billion users on social media, it is understandable why it has become an integral part of our lives. One area in which social media has impacted us is public opinion.

Unlike traditional media houses such as TV and radio, social media allows users to share their opinions with friends, family, and followers. This means that social media is integral to the shaping of public opinions. In this article, we will look at how social media has shaped our public opinions.

Introduction to Social Media Shaping Public Opinion

Psychologists often suggest that your environment shapes your thinking and behavior patterns. This could be your family, friends, worship centers, and other interaction places. The interaction could be a face-to-face conversation or a digital product such as radio, TV, and the Internet.

Social media has become a key component affecting our environment, opinions, behaviors, and inclinations in this internet age. It has also become an essential tool for communicating with people worldwide. Social media helps us access information from different locations with different cultures and ideologies. By doing that, social media influences our public opinion and moves the audience toward their desired behaviors.

How Social Media Helps to Shape Public Opinions

A significant way social media platforms influence politics is by shaping public opinions. Politicians and parties can use targeted advertising, viral content, and algorithmic curation to influence voters' perceptions and attitudes of the political candidate and issues. For instance, with the proliferation of misinformation and fake news, social media can distort public discourse and change public opinion.

Social media also effectively creates filter bubbles and echo chambers where users receive information that aligns with their interests and beliefs. When curating a user's content feed, algorithms usually analyze the user's behaviors and preferences. It will show them what they like and probably agree with.

While personalization aims to enhance user behaviors and preferences, the algorithm only shows the users what they believe in and are likely to agree with. This can cause division and polarization in society since individuals are not likely to be exposed to people’s different perspectives and viewpoints. Social media users often get entrenched in ideological bubbles and may oppose, opposing viewpoints.

Democratization of Information and Thoughts

One primary reason social media is a powerful tool for shaping public opinions is its ability to allow users to share their views and thoughts freely. Unlike in the past, when major radio and TV channels dominated the narrative, social media has allowed every user to share their opinions and perspectives. 

With information democratization, people can engage in debates and conversations they couldn't previously engage in. Social media has provided a platform for marginalized groups to air their views and empower them to fight for their rights. It has challenged existing structures and highlighted social issues that may have been overlooked.

Fast Sharing of Information

Social media has played a key role in information dissemination, enabling information to reach a broader audience. Users can share information with their network in a few clicks.  When the same information is shared, it leads to a faster spread of information than traditional social media channels.

The immediate sharing of information has both positive and negative effects. On one hand, it can lead to the fast sharing of critical information during emergencies and crises. For instance, during political unrest or a natural disaster, social media has helped to mobilize communities and share safety guidelines.

However, this can have a negative side as social media can be used to share misleading or unverified information, causing misinformation. Such information can confuse and influence public opinion using biased or inaccurate narratives.

A Breeding Ground for Viral Activism

Many social movements and online activism campaigns are now conducted on social media, with activists and organizations rallying social media users to support their cause. Some viral campaigns and hashtags have resulted in conversations worldwide and raised awareness on key issues such as #BlackLivesMatter, #Metoo, and #ClimateAction.

A Place for Meeting Like-minded Persons

Social media users connect with like-minded people, forming virtual communities beyond geographical locations. However, online activism should be accompanied by offline action to create a lasting impact.

A Government Surveillance Tool

Many social media users share large volumes of data that are used to track users' sentiments, preferences, and behaviors. Government and other organizations can use this data to get feedback on people's feelings and even implement public policies.

Opportunities and Challenges Through the Use of Social Media in Political Campaigns

One benefit of social media is that it has democratized political participation and offered marginalized voices an opportunity to be heard. However, using social media to shape public opinion also comes with challenges. From polarization to misinformation and manipulation, social media can threaten the proper functioning of healthy democracies.

The good news is that social media networks can help mitigate the challenges and provide a transparent and accountable political discourse. Social media platforms can ensure politicians don't misuse their platforms by actively fact-checking, encouraging transparency, and promoting digital openness.

How Social Media Affects Politics 

As noted earlier, social media has played a significant role in the uprising of many political movements. Platforms such as Twitter have been used by political sides to share their ideologies and even convince other users to vote for them. Social media has also provided political parties and politicians unmatched access to voters. 

Politicians, nowadays, often use social media to mobilize support, engage with their constituents, and express their vision. Additionally, social media has made the political process more democratic, as ordinary citizens can participate in discussions, share opinions, and even hold their elected leaders accountable.

How Social Media Has Impacted Elections

Nowadays, political campaigns are putting enough resources toward social media advertising. They use the platforms to mobilize voters and reach a specific demographic. Many political groups are also using social media to gain influence and attention. With the use of personalized messaging and microtargeting, social media is raising concerns about voter manipulation and disinformation.

For instance, recent scandals like the Cambridge Analytica scandal have shown the risk of misusing personal data for political reasons. This has raised concerns about cursing personal data for political reasons and questions the integrity of political processes.

Examples of Political Movements Birthed on Social Media

Major political movements birthed on social media are proof of the impact of social media on politics.

Iranian Green Movement

We have already seen how the public's view on elections can be negatively affected. A good example was the controversy surrounding the 2009 Iranian election, which led to the Iranian Protests. The protests started immediately after the incumbent was announced through a fraudulent electoral process. According to CBC Canada, the protests went viral on social media platforms.

Arab Springs

The Arab Spring refers to anti-government protests in Arab countries against oppressive regimes and low-living standards. While it started in Tunisia, it spread across different Arab countries, such as Libya, Egypt, Syria, Bahrain, and Yemen, with the mobilization happening on social media.

The 2011 Egyptian Revolution

This revolution, which took place in Tahrir Square in Egypt, began on Facebook, where social media users decided that on January 25, 2021, they would camp at Tahrir Square. The protests were a response to the killing of a young man, and a page was created to encourage Egyptians to revolt. The protest was a success, leading to the overthrow of Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, and being driven largely by the impact of social media.

How to Use Social Media to Break the News Before Your Competition

In traditional journalism and social media, breaking the news before your competitor is important. This can give you an edge over your competitors and a good reputation. You can also use breaking news to grow your following on social media platforms.  However, you must understand how to use social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok to remain competitive. Here are a few tips on how to do that:

Monitoring Hashtags and Trends

To share news ahead of your competitors, you need to be among the first to get it before other creators in your niche capture it. So, what is the easiest way to do that? By following the trends in your niche and monitoring the trending hashtags. The good news is that there are some tools you can use, such as Hootsuite and Buzzsumo, to find trending topics and keywords relevant to your niche.

You can create alerts and lists to be notified of any emerging issues or breaking news. When you monitor the hashtags and trends on social media, you can easily find the stories gaining traction, find witnesses and sources, and verify the information. When you do that, you can identify opportunities and position yourself as a market leader. In the end, you can increase the visibility of your content and outperform your competitors.

When tracking and using hashtags on social media, you should be aware that if a particular hashtag is already trending, the story has already broken. Fortunately, you can use keyword research tools to network and build connections, giving you a better chance of getting the breaking news in advance.

Engage with Your Audience

You can also use social media tools to get feedback from your audience, including their input through surveys and by asking for feedback and tips. Join forums, communities, and groups on your location or niche and participate in discussions. Doing so will enable you to retain the trust and loyalty of your members. You can get ideas and leads as you tap into your experiences and insights.

When you gain the trust of your followers, they can share the information they have before it is in the public domain. When you respond to messages and comments, you show your commitment to building relationships. You can also engage with your audience, thereby increasing interest in the news, increasing your reach, and creating an engaging community around your brand.

Using Multimedia and the Live Feature

A key element of shaping public opinion with breaking news is using various interactive and multimedia features to improve your storytelling and capture the audience’s attention. Doing so will enable you to break news more effectively and compellingly. Some interactive elements you can use include graphics, audios, photos, and emojis.

Be sure to use live features like Instagram Live, Twitter Spaces, or TikTok Live to conduct interviews and provide real-time updates. Their live feature combined with multimedia can generate excitement and engagement, show transparency and authenticity, and reach a new audience. You can read our guide on the top Twitter engagement strategies.

Use Different Content Formats

We are experiencing a great evolution of social media content. New formats and features are being introduced, enabling creators to break news more innovatively and creatively. You can, therefore, use features such as reels, stories, newsletters, and fleets to share your breaking news.

You can also post on different platforms such as LinkedIn, Medium, and Clubhouse to expand your network and reach. Experimenting with different platforms and formats leverages content diversification to reach a bigger audience. It also helps you determine what is working and what isn't. You can then adapt to the changing demand for videos, images, and live streams, ensuring authentic and engaging content. Such an approach shows innovation and will position you as a thought leader in your niche.

Track Your Performance

Like any other social media campaign, you need to track its performance. Many tools, such as Facebook analytics, Google analytics, Twitter analytics, and Facebook insights can help you do that.

These will help you measure clicks, impressions, shares, and reach metrics. You can also use different feedback tools like reviews, surveys, and ratings to understand suggestions, opinions, and complaints. Analyzing your feedback and performance enables you to evaluate your performance. You can then focus on improving the weak areas.

Social Media vs. Traditional Media In Shaping Public Opinion

In the past, traditional media such as radio and TV were used to shape public opinion. While they still do to date, their level of influence has been impacted by social media. Let us compare the role of the two in disseminating information and shaping public opinion.

Social Media

One way social media has revolutionized information sharing is that creators are also content creators. That means on social media, you can be the creator and consumer. You can share your public opinion and even listen to the opinions of others. This means the line between media and audience producers has become blurred.

Due to social media’s interactive nature, users can engage with content in different ways, such as likes, comments, and shares, helping the content spread faster. With social media allowing users to also be creators, the public discourse space has been democratized, providing room for divergent information and grassroots movement to enable faster traction.

Traditional Media

As noted earlier, traditional media such as radio, TV, and newspapers were the main methods used to disseminate public information. Unlike social media, traditional media offers one-way communication. The results are usually more curated and controlled and must pass through gatekeepers such as journalists and editors. These gatekeepers, therefore, control what the public sees. While traditional media still influences public opinion because of its long-standing presence and authority, this influence is being challenged by social media.

Social Media vs. Traditional Media: Key Differences

Let us now compare and contrast social media with traditional media.

Speed of Information Sharing

One of the benefits of social media as a tool for disseminating public information is that it allows for the fast sharing of information since users can access different data and viewpoints. On the other hand, traditional media offers an in-depth analysis on information as well as fact-checked information, influencing your views in a sustained and more subtle way. However, these two forms of media affect our understanding of events and public opinions.

Credibility vs. Virality

Traditional media differs from social media in the area of credibility versus virality.  Social media algorithms often reward content that garners a lot of engagement. This can be a downside as it can also result in the spreading of both accurate and misleading information. 

This is one landscape that users need to navigate by discerning fact from fiction. On the other hand, traditional media houses focus on providing credible information. They ensure that they verify information before they post it everywhere as doing so will impact the exact reach.

Echo Chambers

Another challenge with social media is that it has created echo chambers. As we noted earlier, social media algorithms focus on providing content that aligns with their current beliefs. That means they can help reinforce your point of view and protect you from opposing views. The results can be more polarization and a skewed public opinion. The other traditional media focus on presenting a balanced view, although bias and agenda setting can also be affected.

Media Literacy

While social media plays an important role in shaping public opinion, users need to develop the necessary skills for critically looking at the information they find online to differentiate between reputable sources and what could turn into misinformation.

Traditional media also needs to be scrutinized, as it is important to appreciate how it influences public discourse. To form a well-rounded opinion, you need to navigate these two forms of media.

In Conclusion

There is no doubt that social media is powerful for shaping public opinion. It helps users express opinions, share information quickly, and participate in meaningful conversations. However, it also has downsides, such as the spread of misinformation, perpetuating echo chambers, and privacy concerns. Therefore, social media users need to be more critical.

For instance, information consumers may need fact-checking and diverse perspectives to form an opinion. Similarly, technology companies, policymakers, and society as a whole also need to address social media challenges. They should create an inclusive, more informed, and responsible online system.