A3 Book section, Chapters in research books
The Roles of the Internet and Social Media in Political Marketing and Voter Behaviour : A Study of Finnish Parliamentary Elections (2023)

Mannonen, M., & Skippari, M. (2023). The Roles of the Internet and Social Media in Political Marketing and Voter Behaviour : A Study of Finnish Parliamentary Elections. In O. Niininen (Ed.), Social Media for Progressive Public Relations (pp. 193-207). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003177791-18

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Mannonen, Markus; Skippari, Mika

Parent publication: Social Media for Progressive Public Relations

Parent publication editors: Niininen, Outi

ISBN: 978-1-032-01233-9

eISBN: 978-1-003-17779-1

Publication year: 2023

Publication date: 23/09/2022

Pages range: 193-207

Number of pages in the book: 270

Publisher: Routledge

Place of Publication: London

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003177791-18

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access: 

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/86015

Abstract

This chapter explores the roles of the internet and social media (SM) in political marketing and voter behaviour. We specifically analyse how voters’ use of both offline (television) and online (internet and SM) media to search for political information affects their voting preferences and decision-making. First, we examine how the use of offline and online media for political information differs among various voter groups based on voter demographics. Second, we investigate how the use of offline and online media is linked to voter choice (i.e., voting for a particular party). Our study is based on a voter survey of Finnish parliamentary elections in 2015. The results show a difference in the importance of online and offline media as a source of political information among voters, the role of internet and SM being remarkable only for younger voters (aged 18–24). We find that internet and SM are important source of political information especially for election day voters. In addition, we demonstrate a positive linkage between searching for political information and a voter’s decision to vote for a particular party.

Keywords: ; political communicationnetwork communication; social media; ; Internet; influencing; elections; general elections; voters; voting behaviour

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2023

JUFO rating: 3