Engaging Young Voters in the 2024 European Elections
Harnessing the Power of Video: Innovative Strategies to Engage and Inspire Europe's Youth in the Electoral Process
As the 2024 European elections approach, the power of video communication to engage young voters is more crucial than ever.
This guide provides 9 innovative strategies to connect with and inspire young audiences across different European Union countries.
Key Tools and Platforms for Engaging Young Voters
Clipchamp: Use this platform for creating quick, engaging video clips with a user-friendly interface. Despite its Australian origins, it is widely used in Europe. Use Clipchamp to produce short, impactful videos that highlight key campaign messages or urgent calls to action, ensuring content is visually appealing and easy to share across social media.
Sendible: A UK-based comprehensive social media management tool ideal for scheduling posts, and engaging with followers. Plan and execute a social media strategy that aligns with video releases, using Sendible to monitor engagement and optimise posting schedules.
Talkwalker: Based in Luxembourg, this tool offers robust social media analytics to monitor campaign performance and voter sentiment. Use Talkwalker to analyse the effectiveness of different content types, understand what resonates with the audience, and adjust strategies accordingly.
QGIS: An open-source Geographic Information System that helps in analysing demographic data to optimise campaign strategies. Employ QGIS to identify geographic areas with high concentrations of young voters and tailor your video content to address local issues and concerns.
Carto: A Spanish cloud-based GIS and web mapping tool for targeted advertising and PR campaigns. Use Carto to visualise data related to voter demographics, allowing for precise targeting of video campaigns and resource allocation.
Vistacreate (formerly Crello): A Cyprus-based graphic design tool perfect for creating engaging social media graphics and digital ads. Supplement your video content with eye-catching graphics and animations that maintain the campaign’s visual identity and enhance message retention.
Creative Roadmap for Campaign Execution
Using the aforementioned tools, here’s how we could creatively implement the strategies in the following scenarios:
Sustainable Urban Development Videos (Portugal)
Collaborate with Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza using Clipchamp to edit and refine compelling drone footage that showcases Lisbon's green spaces. Share these videos across social media platforms managed via Sendible, using data from Carto to target viewers in urban areas most affected by these policies.Digital Rights Podcast Series (Austria)
Host a series with Austrian privacy advocate Max Schrems, recording discussions with Podbean. Promote these podcasts with targeted social media ads created in Crello, analysing listener engagement through Talkwalker to gauge the series' impact and refine future episodes.Cultural Heritage and Tourism (Greece)
Produce videos featuring Greek archaeologist storyteller Ted Papakostas with Clipchamp, focusing on EU-supported heritage sites. Use QGIS to determine popular tourist areas where the campaign can be focused, and Carto to target local communities likely to benefit from increased tourism.Social Justice Multimedia Campaign (Italy)
Implement a series of Instagram live sessions and posts using Sendible to manage the campaign. Engage viewers with real-time discussions on social justice, supplemented by eye-catching visuals from Crello that highlight key messages and statistics.Climate Action Short Video Campaign (Germany)
Create short, engaging videos with Clipchamp featuring environmental influencer Luisa Neubauer. Use Talkwalker to track video performance and public sentiment, adjusting content to highlight the most resonant themes or urgent environmental issues.Agricultural Policies and Rural Development (Poland)
Document the impacts of EU agricultural policies in rural areas with videos edited in Clipchamp and strategically disseminated using GIS data from Carto to target the agricultural community.Technology Innovation and Startups (Estonia)
Feature Estonian entrepreneurs in a series of video interviews, using insights from QGIS to highlight regions with burgeoning tech scenes. Promote these through social media channels using Sendible, targeting young professionals and tech enthusiasts.Creative Industries and Economic Growth (Ireland)
Highlight the success stories of local artists and creators through videos and graphics. Use Crello for design and Sendible for strategic posting, focusing on regions where EU grants have stimulated cultural projects.