News Panel with Henry Blodget and Declan McCullagh-TWiST #304

TL;DR

Big data played a major role in Obama's reelection campaign, with the use of metrics, modeling, and social media to drive fundraising, engagement, and ad buys.

Transcript

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Key Insights

• ⏯️ Big data played a significant role in Obama's successful reelection campaign, allowing for better targeting and more efficient use of resources.
• 🍵 Twitter handled the increased activity during the election, showcasing its ability to handle large volumes of data and sustain heavy traffic.
• 👤 Facebook faces challenges with user satisfaction and advertising revenue, while Twitter aims to expand its user base and simplify the platform.

Questions & Answers

Q: Did big data play a significant role in Obama's reelection campaign?

Yes, big data was instrumental in Obama's campaign, allowing for better targeting and more efficient use of resources. The campaign used metrics, modeling, and social media to drive fundraising, engagement, and ad buys.

Q: How did Twitter perform during the election?

Twitter did not experience any major outages during the election and saw a surge in activity, with a record-breaking number of tweets per minute and increased usage overall.

Q: How are Facebook and Twitter different in terms of user experience and advertising?

Facebook tends to be more intimate and asynchronous, while Twitter is more synchronous and attracts a passionate and information-intensive user base. Facebook relies heavily on advertising revenue, while Twitter is still searching for ways to monetize its platform.

Q: What is the future of technology in politics?

The future remains uncertain, but there is a growing demand for simpler and more mainstream technology. The challenge for platforms like Facebook and Twitter is to find a balance between user experience and revenue generation.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Obama's campaign used big data to consolidate databases, raise money through metric-driven emails, and use modeling for ad buys, resulting in a more efficient campaign than in 2008.

• Twitter experienced a surge in activity during the election, with record-breaking numbers of tweets per minute and increased usage overall.

• The debate between Facebook and Twitter continues, with Facebook struggling to find a balance between advertising revenue and user satisfaction, while Twitter tries to expand its user base and simplify the platform.

• The future of technology in politics remains uncertain, with questions surrounding the next technological advancement and its impact on the political landscape.