Mockus won the Internet campaign

The official Website of Antanas Mockus

Colombia 2010 is probably the first massive Internet presidential campaign in Latin America and one of the most significant examples in the world of how Internet has changed politics. A few days before the election, the positions have been completely changed in comparison with what it was at the beginning of the presidential campaign. And Internet has played a major role. The last few days have seen the irresistible rise of Antanas Mockus, who seemed to be marginal at the beginning, the long fall of well-established candidates like Noemi Sanin or German Vargas Lleras.

Part of the explanation comes from Mockus’ ability to mobilize his networks on the Internet. And Santos supporters’ ability to react and double their efforts before the rise of Mockus in the polls. Figures speak for themselves (see below the comparison between the six main candidates).

Comparison of their overall Internet organization
Antanas Mockus is far ahead on Facebook and Twitter. The statistics of Noemi Sanin betray a kind of panics in her Internet policy. Before her fall in the polls, it looks like her supporters tried to react desperately. The number of people she is following on Twitter could be a sign of that strategy – it is well known strategy to follow many people on Twitter waiting for them to follow you back… Juan Manuel Santos just did the same. The number of videos her supporters have sent on Youtube in the latest days could be another sign. But it is probably too late for Sanin, who failed the Internet turn. Even little candidates like Gustavo Petro or Rafael Pardo have got a better understanding of the Internet issues during this campaign. And generally speaking, the Left wing has better used the Internet during the campaign. Even if Santos managed to unite around him.

Mockus and Santos have targeted their efforts on Facebook and Twitter, while others like Petro have tried to compensate their lack of image with a presence on other networks (like Hi5, which is very popular in Latin America).

Comparison of their ranking on Google
No big problem on that issue for the main candidates. Each of them appear on the first rank on their names. nobody seems to have experimented sponsored links.

Comparison of their official pages
The official sites have all given a large space to the social networks, relaying ongoing discussions about their candidates. Juan Manuel Santos even built a minimalist site with a few links on his pages on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Flickr and Hi 5. He publishes a blog but more than a campaign personal blog, it is a press review and a compilation of all his supporters. He also uses his site as a way to recruit potential supporters (people can let their email and their phone numbers).

Antanas Mockus official Website seems to be much more efficient in terms of marketing. All his supporters can find tools for the campaign, they also can make donations and foollow the latest news of their candidate. And the design is quite fresh.

Noemi Sanin has clearly chosen another way. Her Website shows her latest statements and campaign information. But there is a real lack of interactivity (in the best cases there is one comment to the articles !) and the design is old fashion.

On the opposite, German Vargas Lleras, who has made attempts for being innovative. His team launched a game on Facebook in order to bring him to the presidential Palace. The design tries to convey his message to everybody with a drawing for each issue, for example. And part of the message is also the private life of Vargas Lleras, as he poses with his daughter (and her legs !) and shows a large biography. Anyway, his Website has been awarded as the best political site of Colombia last year. And the level of interactivity is quite high with the possibility for people to let their video messages.

Rafael Pardo’s Website is more confused, with some lost links, but a large part for video and podcast.

Same comment for Gustavo Petro even if his proposals are clearly put forward.

Generally speaking, the sites of the six main candidates do not really enhance the content. Videos, discussions on the social networks and information about their private life take the largest space and people often have to search in the depths of the site to see their political proposals.

Conclusion. Antanas Mockus team has clearly won the Internet campaign. Sure, it is not a guarantee for Mockus to be president. Recently some candidates who had been very active on the Internet have failed, like Nick Clegg in the UK. An uncertainty remains about Mockus ability to transform his supports in votes. Especially because his movement seems to have shelled beyond the borders of Colombia. And Santos reaction has been quite efficient, in a defensive strategy.

Main figures (on the afternoon of Friday May 14th)

Juan Manuel Santos
141.609 members on Facebook
5.424 followers on Twitter (just a little more than the number of people he is following)
people have seen 34.865 times his videos on Youtube
406 subscriptions on his Youtube channel and 55 videos sent

Antanas Mockus
613.722 members on Facebook
37.162 followers on Twitter (9 times the numbers of people he is following)
people have seen 36.207 times his videos on Youtube
133 subscriptions on his Youtube channel and 22 videos sent

Noemi Sanin
9.081 members on Facebook
939 followers on Twitter (and following twice more…)
people have seen 84.000 times her videos on Youtube
57 subscriptions on her Youtube channel and 308 videos sent

Gustavo Petro
126.265 members on Facebook
7.029 followers on Twitter (20 times the numbers of people he is following)
people have seen 230.632 times his videos on Youtube
297 subscriptions on his Youtube channel and 232 videos sent

German Vargas Lleras
26.961 members on Facebook
4.808 followers on Twitter (3 times the numbers of people he is following)
people have seen 87.109 times his videos on Youtube
266 videos sent

Rafael Pardo
14.937 members on Facebook
3.761 followers on Twitter (twice the number of people he is following)
people have seen 30.002 times his videos on Youtube
71 subscriptions and 102 videos sent