Newswise — A first of its kind George Washington University and New York University Stern School of Business study finds Republican senators have sharper social media skills than Democrats. George Washington University School of Business Dean Doug Guthrie, and NYU Stern Professor of Marketing Scott Galloway, evaluated and ranked 100 U.S. senators’ Digital IQ®. This term refers to an individual’s online competence including his or her presence on websites, social media following and sentiment, digital marketing aptitude and search engine optimization skills. The study, “Digital IQ Index: U.S. Senate,” reveals that Republican senators are savvier online and are acquiring Facebook “likes” and Twitter “followers,” at a greater rate than Democratic senators. Facebook “likes” are a way of showing approval of posted content on the social networking website and Twitter followers denote people who follow a person’s online activity.
“This study underscores the reality that social media is not a toy, and that digital literacy and agility are powerful tools in today’s business and political arenas,” said Dean Guthrie. “It appears that U.S. senators are making their comprehension of the social media realm a priority and are using it as a way to engage prospective voters and mobilize grassroots efforts.”
Key findings of the study include:• Republicans boast an average Digital IQ 5.5 points higher than their colleagues across the aisle.• Seven out of 100 senators ranked “genius,” the highest level of digital competence. Four of those seven are Republican.• Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC), one of the most conservative senators and a Tea Party advocate, has the greatest digital velocity (acquiring likes and followers) of any senator.• Comparison of Digital IQ by congressional class demonstrates that senators up for re-election lead on every social media platform, highlighting the push (need for votes) and pull (increased recognition and awareness) effect of campaigns. • Funds raised and name recognition gained may no longer be the most accurate predictor of victory, which indicates the impact of Digital IQ.
“Social media gives voice to people’s preferences and intentions, demonstrating the affinity for candidates and ideas,” said Professor Galloway. “As a forward-looking indicator, social media following may be a crystal ball for what will happen in the voting booth this November, and it’s looking very red.”
GW's School of Business prepares students for professional management careers. The depth and variety of its academic and professional programs, including five specialized master's programs, provide rich opportunities for students in the school's core bachelor of business administration, master of business administration, and doctoral programs. GW's undergraduate- and graduate-level international business programs rank among the world's best.To speak with GW’s Dean Guthrie, please contact Caroline Broder at 202-994-0884; [email protected] or Jill Sankey at 202-994-6466; [email protected]. To speak with NYU Stern’s Professor Galloway, please contact Scott Galloway at 917-567-2841; [email protected] or Rika Nazem at 212-998-0678; [email protected].
To view the full report, visit: http://www.l2thinktank.com/senatedigitaliq/.For more information about GW's School of Business, visit:http://business.gwu.edu.
RSS