Vice President Kamala Harris recently joined TikTok and quickly gained over one million followers within six hours of her first post. Her campaign has been using social media, including TikTok, to engage with voters and break through the noise of the current political landscape. The campaign rebranded their TikTok account to @KamalaHQ, which has over 1.6 million followers, in an effort to directly engage with a younger demographic in an authentic way.
Harris’ campaign has embraced social media virality and memes, such as “brat” and “coconut tree,” to engage with younger voters and increase her appeal among this demographic. This strategy seems to be working, as a recent poll showed that Harris has more than triple the lead over Trump among 18- to 34-year-olds compared to Biden. By leveraging TikTok and other social media platforms, the campaign is able to reach a wider audience and connect with voters in a meaningful way.
As Harris joins TikTok, the platform itself has come under scrutiny in the U.S. due to security concerns about its parent company, ByteDance, which is based in Beijing. Despite this, Harris has stated that the Biden-Harris administration does not plan to ban TikTok, as she sees the platform as having “very important” benefits for its users. By joining TikTok, Harris is able to engage with a key constituency and connect with voters in a way that is authentic to the platform and its audience.
The Biden-Harris campaign is focused on meeting voters where they are, including on platforms like TikTok, to ensure that their message is reaching a wide audience. By embracing social media and engaging with younger voters through memes and viral content, the campaign is able to connect with a demographic that is increasingly important in the political landscape. Harris’ quick rise to social media stardom on TikTok demonstrates the campaign’s commitment to utilizing all available tools to reach voters and make an impact in the upcoming election.
Overall, Harris’ presence on TikTok and the campaign’s social media strategy are part of a larger effort to engage with voters and connect with a wide range of demographics. By leveraging the platform’s reach and engaging with younger voters in an authentic way, the campaign is working to ensure that their message is heard and resonates with voters across the country.
