The Role of Social Media in Building Political Popularity for Local Politicians

Abstract

This article aims to synthesize knowledge and analyze the role of social media in building the political popularity of local politicians. The findings indicate that social media has become a significant and influential tool in political communication, bridging communication gaps and overcoming the limitations of traditional media by transforming audiences into active participants. The roles of social media in building political popularity include its function in personal branding and image creation; targeted communication of policies and discourse framing; fostering interaction and engagement in new public spheres; and challenging existing power structures while creating opportunities for new political actors. Popular platforms in Thailand include: Facebook, used for building supporter communities, communicating policies and as a primary promotional channel; LINE, for coordinating with teams and communities; TikTok, for showcasing work and achievements; YouTube, serving as a data repository; and X / Twitter, for creating discourse and social trends. Ultimately, local politicians should develop themselves into strategic communicators who can integrate technology with the building of credible relationships with all segments of the public, in order to successfully translate online “popularity” into “votes.”