In recent years, social media has become one of the most important political marketing tools. The aim of the research is to determine how university students voting have attitudes towards political messages run across several different social media channels. Undergraduate students in Tekirdağ Central Campus of Namik Kemal University are generating the population of the study. In this research, sample was not taken. Questionnaire form was used as data collecting tool. Data obtained through questionnaire forms were presented as descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation). For differences between group means, T-test and One-way ANOVA were implemented. It was concluded that messages with political content in social media had intensifier effects on present preferences of university student voters and had directive effects on indecisive students. Twitter users had more negative attitudes towards messages with political content in social media.
TopEspecially promotion mix elements such as advertising, public relations, personal selling, sales promotion and direct marketing are widely used in the process of planning and executing election campaigns. The development of modern media tools necessitates the use of political marketing. Political marketing is mostly based on political communication with voters. Therefore, “political communication is “the use of various communication types and techniques by political actors to establish certain ideological objectives on certain groups, masses, countries or blocks and take action to implement these objectives” (Aziz, 2007). According to some studies there is no significant relation between social media use and political cognition and behaviors (Ancu and Cozma, 2009; Zhang, 2010). However, Teresi and Michelson (2015) state that research with student samples and broader survey data find a statistically significant relationship between intensity of social networking sites use and political participation, both online and offline. It was reported that voter registrations increased, volunteers were found for electoral campaigns, voters communicated with candidates online, made comments and watched videos on these sites (Gueorguieva, 2008, pp.293-294).
Internet users are able to reach the content of their interest thanks to websites and softwares such as social networks, blogs, micro-blogs, instant messengers, chat sites, and forums, which allow them to share content and information with each other. Social media is different from traditional media. Materials found to be interesting by voters can be posted, commented and shared on social media 7/24. Social media is participative, variable, accessible, convenient, instant and continuous; users can make comments and have the control. Social media is part of and supports the feedback cycle. Social media has some disadvantages. Individuals can quickly and efficiently communicate their negative reactions and criticisms about political campaigns through social media.