This newsletter has been following political advertising on FACEBOOK since the Cambridge Analytica story broke. And the controversy hasn’t stopped since. With Twitter’s announcement that it’s banning political advertising, the focus is now on FACEBOOK.
My feelings about this are too mixed to fit into one bite-sized intro. But banning political advertising outright isn’t a real solution. This hurts new, upstart candidates who need a way to get their message out. The real issue, in my opinion, is exactly what makes FACEBOOK advertising so attractive in the first place: the ability to hone in on a very specific audience. (It’s especially appealing to budget-strapped nonprofits trying to reach a certain demographic or potential donors).
Unfortunately, it’s also what makes political advertising so problematic. It’s hard to debate what politicians are promoting there if you can’t actually see the other side’s ads. I doubt the answer is as easy as “more visibility,” but it’s a start.
‘Tis the Season For Giving
You are probably sick of hearing aquaintances floundering for small talk remark on how the holiday season starts earlier each year, so I’m going to cut to the point. Thanksgiving is coming, and you really need to figure out your year-end digital fundraising. While this article is directed toward boosting holiday sales, it also applies to boosting holiday donations! I absolutely love the advice to use Google Search Ads to build an audience and use Facebook to close them.