There's a photo circulating on Facebook in recent days that sums up the relationship between the Internet and the public's perception of the world: a graffiti scrawl across a brick wall says, "I'm on Google, therefore I am."
It may be a bit of an oversimplification, but in today's world - whether you're a pizza shop, a plumbing business or a political candidate - you might as well be invisible if you can't be found on Google. For a business, that means lost dollars; for a political candidate, it could mean a lost election.
When it comes to mayoral candidates in New Westminster and their accessibility on the web, let's just say that three out of four ain't bad: James Crosty, Vance McFadyen and Mayor Wayne Wright are all quite easy to find with a quick Google search, but fourth candidate Francois Nantel was all but impossible to find.
While I had the time and desire to track down Nantel's Twitter account, the average voter probably doesn't - and would surf on to something else.
Of the first three, Crosty leads the pack significantly when it comes to Twitter: he's far out-tweeted his fellow candidates with some 474 total tweets compared to McFadyen's 15, Nantel's 16 and Wright's 29, as of this writing.
It's too early to say who'll win at the polls, but when it comes to social media, our vote goes to Crosty.
As of writing, here's where the city's mayoral candidates stood in the social media stakes (due to the nature of social media, these numbers may change after press deadlines.)
Candidate: James Crosty
Facebook: Yes, 187 friends
Twitter: @Crostyca - 122 followers and 474 tweets
Website/blog: http://crosty.ca
Overall: Definitely the leader of the mayor's pack, and one of the strongest social media players among all candidates across the board. Crosty is also using his web presence, particularly on Facebook, to really engage with voters - he's not afraid to debate (or get a bit argumentative) over a topic with visitors. Crosty also seems to have the best handle on how to use Twitter most effectively - with hashtags, tagging other individuals and making sure that his message gets seen and re-tweeted.
Candidate: Vance McFadyen
Facebook: Yes, 219 friends
Twitter: @vancem - 15 tweets and 9 followers
Website/blog: Yes - www.vancemcfadyen.com
Overall: Though McFadyen is clearly a newcomer to Twitter, his Facebook account appears to be much more active and his website is clean, clear and easy to read. He's also used Twitter and Facebook links on his homepage to send voters directly to his accounts. He's easy to find for the average voter and his website makes it easy to check out his key messages.
Candidate: Francois Nantel
Facebook: Yes, but we can't find it.
Twitter: Yes, @Francois2017 - five followers and 16 tweets
Website/blog: Yes, www.francoisnantel.com
Overall: Nantel's overall online visibility is the lowest of the mayoral candidates. According to his business card, he has both a Facebook profile and a website - but with more than 20 "Francois Nantels" listed on Facebook and none of them indicated as being from New Westminster, it's impossible to know which one is him. Additionally, his web address went to an error page (that may change by the time this paper goes to press, so it's worth checking to see if it's up.) But, his few tweets seem earnest and, with a week to go, perhaps he'll become more active and available.
Candidate: Wayne Wright (incumbent)
Facebook: Yes, as a page with 12 "likes"
Twitter: Yes, @wwrightcampaign - 39 followers and 29 tweets
Website/blog: Yes, http://wayne-wright.info
Overall: Long-time Mayor Wayne Wright is certainly the easiest of the candidates to find online, though he isn't the most active in terms of social media. A quick google search pulls up plenty of information on Wright, including media coverage and contact information at the city. As the incumbent, he has a comfortable advantage but he'll have to pick up the slack if he's to stay top of mind.
Behind the scenes: See reporter Christina Myers' blog at www.royalcityrecord.com for more on our analysis.
Want to make a comment? If you think we have it all wrong, or you just want to share your opinion about social media use in the New Westminster election, visit Christina Myers' blog at www.royalcityrecord.com, or follow her on Twitter, @ChristinaMyersA.
