Campaigning in the Age of Platforms: A Longitudinal Analysis of German Parties & Politicians

Abstract

Social media platforms now play a central role in election campaigns for parties and politicians. Yet comparatively little research has compared how these actors use these platforms during and outside of campaign periods longitudinally, with much focus on single elections. Given narratives about the prevalence of a permanent campaign, we examine how German national and state actors used Twitter and Facebook between 2010 and 2021—a period that included forty-three state, national, or European elections. We demonstrate a surge and decline in the volume of party posts, contrasting with continued increases among politicians. Political actors’ communication was distinct during campaign periods, with more positive rhetoric and increased use of platform affordances. Engagement was also different during campaign periods, with posts receiving more likes and shares in the month prior to an election. We demonstrate how platform campaigning evolved over a thirteen-year period, potentially exacerbating the personalization of politics, and show how platforms’ features and affordances structure both the supply of and demand for political communication at election time.

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