Ideas for campaigning

 

Due to COVID 19, campaigning this year will be online only.

 

As well as writing a manifesto, you'll also need to run a campaign - in other words, interact with voters and convince them to vote for you.

Everyone has a different way of running an election campaign - some people run it by themselves, and some people run it together with their friends in a "campaign team". However, please not you must adhere to COVID-19 rules as outlined in the eelction rule page.

 

Here are some things that you could do as part of a campaign

  • Create a brand and campaign design. Free resources such as CANVA are great for this! 

  • Designing online leaflets/ posters to share out to students. This is free and can be done online through social media. 

  • Doing quick announcements during your lecture just before lectures start (be sure to ask the lecturers' permission beforehand).

  • TikTok is growing in popularity, why made a video to share?

  • Making a campaign video and sharing it on social media.

  • Setting up a Facebook event/Facebook page to share on social media.

Remember though, the more innovative and unique you are, the better. If you have a creative idea that's not listed here, do use it - as long as you stick to the election rules!

 

Designing a poster

Make it eye catching, stand out, and include your manifesto and picture of yourself.

Create branding, including logo, signature colours and design. Keep it consistent throughout all your content.

Include a campaign slogan and info on where to vote.

Can find previous examples of posters on SU site.

Free poster making software: Canva, PosterMyWall, Adobe Spark, Visme, Stencil, Crello, DesignCap, MyCreativeShop, Piktochart, Microsoft Office 

Be aware free software might include watermark.

Couple examples of poster tutorials: https://youtu.be/ldBUUKRQR9M, https://youtu.be/dCv1oMXk-XM 

 

Making a video 

Free video editing software: Lightworks, VideoPad, HitFilm Express, DaVinci Resolve, VSDC Free Video Editor, OpenShot, Shotcut, Blender, Movie Maker 10, iMovie, Magisto, WeVideo

Free video editing apps: Magisto, Hyperlapse, Wondershare FilmoraGo, InShot, WeVideo, Splice, Adobe Premiere Clip, PicPlayPost

Upload and post videos natively as opposed to sharing a link.

Make use of YouTube tutorials, there’s everything from basic editing to special effects.

Couple examples of video editing tutorials: https://youtu.be/-wpFSpNbDW0, https://youtu.be/oC3gXr1s_aU

 

Social media

You don’t need to use all social media platforms, but it helps to reach as many people as possible. Main one to use would be Facebook.

Make use of social media scheduling tools to plan out posts ahead of time.

Free social media scheduling tools: Buffer, Hootsuite, TweetDeck, SocialOomph, Friends+Me, Followerwonk, Zoho Social

Facebook - Create a page, share in major open groups (check guidelines of each group), share on personal profile.

Insta - Create a profile, utilise stories as well as feed, interact with other accounts to increase visibility.

Twitter - Create a profile, create a hashtag for your campaign which should match your campaign slogan, interact with other accounts.

TikTok - Easy to go viral, hop on a trend but make it relevant to your campaign. Quick and easy to make your own videos.

Looking after yourself

  • Don’t be put off if a student is uninterested, the majority will be interested.
  • Take some time out and grab a drink or some food to re-focus
  • Schedule bulk posts in advance so you can take days off.
  • Don’t overwork yourself or your team
  • Try and take care of as much life admin before voting opens e.g. cook yourself some meals in advance or ask a friend to help you with some specific tasks.
  • It might also be worth planning your work, studies and commitments around the voting week so you have a lot of free time to chat to students.
  • Ask your friends and course mates for help and advice - it can be fun and exciting to help someone else with their campaign, so don’t be afraid to ask!
  • Plan something nice to do at the end of the voting period. Even if you’re not elected, you have achieved a lot. 
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