Leading with digital means thinking outside the box, and thinking younger. Many strategists are falling behind, says Drive Public Affairs’ Josh Riggs.

It’s not breaking news: from TikTok to podcasting, the way Americans communicate has changed.

This is a warning to Washington, DC. If candidates, campaigns and public affairs shops don’t keep up with the changing times, they will fade into irrelevance. Keeping up means adopting digital-first strategies. Digital media is not just some nice add-on in a deeper toolbox; it is the most important tool when it comes to changing hearts and minds on politics and public policy.

The 2024 election proved it, and more recent research proves it again. According to the latest data, podcast ad spending jumped 19% in Q4 2024, with brands like Amazon and DraftKings pumping money into top podcasts for increased engagement. After all, more than 140 million Americans listen to podcasts. Not only did organic — “earned” — podcast appearances on The Joe Rogan Experience and other shows help to swing the election in President Donald Trump’s favor, but advertisers are supplementing earned media with paid media to reach tens of millions of people.

Leading with digital means thinking outside the box, and thinking younger. As New York Times columnist Ezra Klein recently put it, “Young people have gone from being the most progressive generation since the Baby Boomers, and maybe even in some ways more so, to becoming potentially the most conservative generation that we’ve experienced maybe in 50 to 60 years.” In 2024, Trump understood this paradigm shift and amplified it, making conservatism feel cooler than it has in decades.

For decades, broadcast TV, local radio and print newspapers were the only methods of reaching an audience. That worked because it was how people consumed information then. But that is the past: Today, Americans spend time on their phones, computers and TVs, streaming news and entertainment from every corner of the internet. A digital-first approach means reaching people where they are actually streaming.

No matter the size of a public affairs campaign, digital is the most effective way to influence. Everywhere we go, we’re met with screens, from kiosks at the grocery store and gas pumps to digital billboards.

Public affairs campaigns can also impact people through the influencers they trust. Nearly 40% of U.S. adults receive their news from news influencers, and many trust influencer-created content over traditional advertising. By collaborating with influencers, paid or unpaid, public affairs campaigns can leverage built-in popularity for their own efforts. 

There is a reason why Senate Democrats are launching their own social media blitzes to target the Trump administration. There is a reason why liberals like former first lady Michelle Obama are launching anti-Trump podcasts to compete with the so-called “manosphere.” Even if these efforts are not successful, not trying is a death knell for progressive influence online.

Washington, DC, is a city built on tradition, and for good reason, but the traditional types need to understand that digital platforms aren’t just complements to legacy media; they outperform it. Digital-first campaigns represent the best approach for three key reasons.

Wider reach

Americans spend an average of seven hours a day consuming digital content. Whereas digital platforms have hyper-targeted messaging that meets people where they are, traditional media has a finite and increasingly shrinking audience, so advertisers are broadcasting a message and simply hoping for the best.

Stronger ROI

Traditional advertising means a hefty upfront investment and little flexibility during the campaign. Television- and radio-based ad spots are expensive and static — once they’re out, they can’t be adjusted based on performance. Digital, on the other hand, allows for real-time optimization. Instead of sinking a budget into a one-time billboard or newspaper ad, a digital campaign can adjust messaging mid-campaign to improve engagement and target multiple audiences with different creative variations.

Unmatched insights

The greatest game-changer for digital media? Real-time data. Legacy media measures success with vague estimates: how many people might have seen your ad. But digital advertising provides a detailed analysis, such as exactly how many people saw the content and engaged with it or which messaging had the most impact. Digital advertisers can see the numbers, adjust their creative and improve performance, all while a campaign is running.

Adapting in real-time through digital media isn’t a luxury, but the baseline for success in today’s world. Who is keeping up?

Read the full article in PRWeek.

Josh Riggs is an Account Executive at Drive Public Affairs.