Twitter just announced it’ll begin verifying 2020 congressional and gubernatorial candidates.
Bridget Coyne, Twitter’s Senior Public Policy Manager, authored a blog post titled “Helping identify 2020 US election candidates on Twitter” spelling out two important verification updates for candidates. First, she announced the return of Election Labels, which launched during the 2018 midterm election, and how Twitter will identify candidates to verify. Coyne noted their partnership with Ballotpedia to administer Election Labels. Here’s more on them:
Election Labels provide information about political candidates, like the office they are running for, their state and district number, and contain a small ballot box icon. The Label will appear on the profile page of a candidate’s Twitter account and on every Tweet sent and Retweeted by the candidate’s account, even when embedded on sites off of Twitter. See below how the labels will look:
Up at The Resurgent, I posed the question whether or not this update will be applied equally to both Democrat and Republican candidates—since the platform is known to exhibit some bias against the latter. If this is a good faith effort applied equally, however, I think it should be applauded. I’ll be cautiously optimistic…
The Democrats have an advantage in this department as their candidates, PACs, and advocacy groups tend to be verified more over Republican and conservative ones. That isn’t to say the latter isn’t verified on Twitter, for instance. Plenty of right-leaning accounts are but many accounts belonging to candidates, state lawmakers and their legislative chambers generally aren’t verified. That has to change.
Here are three reasons why this Twitter verification update matters for Republican candidates seeking office next year:
1. Boost campaign credibility
When candidates have the coveted blue checkmark on their Twitter profiles, it establishes credibility and can help boost name ID. Those mulling serious campaigns will see more followers, interactions (good and bad), and interest from users if they are running an effective campaign. Technologically speaking, Republicans should pursue verification if they want their campaigns to be taken seriously—not just on Twitter, but on Facebook and Instagram too. And if credibility is established with this marker, campaign visibility on the platform will increase.
2. Better visibility in Twitter searches
As campaigns push out their messages and policy positions on Twitter, users will seek out candidates running in their Congressional Districts and for the Governor’s Mansion. When people search your name, having a blue checkmark makes it easier for people to identify your campaign. And it also helps if you have a legible Twitter handle (i.e. @NameOfCandidate or @NameForState). Securing your name online and on social media platforms—a key component to many of my branding trainings—is also important for increasing your visibility on social media.
3. Decrease chances of being impersonated
If you’re running for Congress or gubernatorial positions and suddenly your race becomes very high-profile, there are people who may parody your account or create mock accounts to trash your campaign. A blue checkmark attached to your name limits opportunities for impersonation. I teach clients to be on the offensive early on when defining their campaign’s branding. So getting this marker will ensure your political opponents don’t tarnish your image or misrepresent your views—especially if it’s coming from unofficial accounts.
I’m curious to see how this new Twitter policy plays out. What do you think about this change?
In my business, I train lawmakers and their staff branding basics—including the importance of being verified on social media. I’ve helped a handful of local/state candidates and office holders with the verification process. If you or your campaign needs branding help—especially with verification—I’m your girl. Give me a shout here to learn about my availability and pricing.
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What did you think of this piece? Am I on-target or off-mark?
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