Political Communication in TikTok: Spanish General Elections 2023

Abstract

With the evolution of the audiovisual landscape and the emergence of social media, political communication strategies have undergone significant changes in recent years. The political sphere has found in these platforms new opportunities to establish direct communication channels with the electorate, improving interaction during electoral campaigns and allowing the transmission of personalised and attractive messages. This article examines the use of TikTok, the latest platform to gain significant prominence in the political, electoral and media spheres, by the main Spanish political parties contesting the 2023 General Elections in Spain. For this purpose, an analysis of the content published on TikTok during the election campaign by the parties Vox, Partido Popular (PP), Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE) and the Sumar coalition is carried out, based on a sample of 142 units of analysis. The results show that there are distinctive patterns in their use of the platform, the topics covered and the interaction with the audience. Vox stands out for its high activity and intensive use of filters. PSOE, although it publishes less content, obtains the highest engagement rate, which suggests a high effectiveness in connecting with its audience. Sumar shows strong engagement, although with a lower engagement rate than PSOE, while PP has the lowest level of interaction. Differences in the length and style of the videos, the use of hashtags and the limited inclusion of links and mentions reflect diverse approaches to connecting with the audience. In addition, the variability in the use of transcripts highlights an opportunity to improve accessibility.