14 Oct 2025 Blog Kira Hagström, Senior advisor, social media

When visibility can’t be bought, it must be earned

Kira Hagström writes about democracy’s new communication battleground, where ads can’t buy attention anymore. Where politicians can no longer flood feeds with sponsored posts. Where they must earn their place in the public eye.

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Under Meta’s recent decision, political and societal content can still be published in the EU – but not promoted through paid advertising. It’s not merely a regulatory adjustment; it’s a stress test of real communication skills.

This new reality will reveal who can truly speak to people, not just to algorithms. And perhaps that’s exactly what our democracies need right now? 

Community as the ultimate audience

Paid distribution may fade, but community stays. Politicians, activists, and organizations that have built genuine, engaged groups – whether Facebook groups, Telegram chats, or local meetups – will now have an advantage. Building these spaces takes time, curiosity, and enthusiasm. You can’t simply pay for reach; you have to participate, listen, and show up.

The logic of communication changes: you don’t speak at your audience, you speak with them. That requires something political communication has sometimes lacked: humility and continuity.

Beyond Meta: the fractured channel landscape

Meta’s retreat from political advertising is a reminder that social platforms are diversifying, audiences are fragmenting, and influence now travels across ecosystems.

Political and civic communication already operates across a wide range of channels, each with its own logic and community culture.

  • YouTube remains a powerhouse for political speeches, interviews, explainers, and live discussions. Video still builds emotional connection and credibility like no other medium.
  • Reddit is a space where political conversations emerge organically inside thematic communities, often shaping early narratives long before mainstream attention.
  • Discord has evolved far beyond gaming, becoming a hub for topic-based communities where activists, volunteers, and movements organize, debate, and plan actions.
  • Telegram, WhatsApp, and Signal host more private forms of civic communication, creating smaller but deeply engaged groups outside the algorithmic public eye.
  • TikTok, Instagram, and X dominate the fast-moving, attention-driven layer of political messaging, where emotion and timing often outweigh policy depth.
  • Alternative and niche platforms are becoming the home of emerging micro-publics – small but influential communities built around shared interests and values.
  • Even local news comment sections and digital forums can play a role in smaller democracies, where grassroots conversations still shape real-world perception.

Because there are so many channels, communicators must now understand not just where people are, but who they are when they’re there. Each platform has its own language, humour, and sense of belonging.

Success means knowing the culture of the space and, above all, understanding where your audiences – your voters – actually are, and speaking to them, not just around them.

In the past, messages could be spread broadly and paid to travel fast. Now, focusing on the right communities and speaking with empathy and depth may become the new competitive edge.

This shift could also make communication better: less generic, more human. It pushes communicators to step into the voter’s shoes, to feel their perspective, and to craft messages that resonate rather than echo.

You can’t be everywhere, but you must understand how your story moves across platforms. Success now depends on acting as an ecosystem navigator, adapting tone, form, and rhythm to each channel while keeping the message coherent enough to travel between them.

The non-payable core: personal brand and thought leadership

Here’s the refreshing part: strong personal communication has never required money behind it. Those who can write, speak, and connect authentically, who communicate ideas clearly and passionately, will continue to stand out on social media.

A true personal brand isn’t built on paid visibility but on trust, insight, a human tone, and the ability to read the room. That applies to politicians, corporate leaders, and changemakers alike. When paid reach disappears, what remains is the substance – your ability to make people care.

A fairer battlefield, or just a new one?

Some might ask: is this fair? Maybe it is. Because communicating clearly with citizens – making complex issues resonate – should be at the heart of politics. In every election, social media has been flooded with digital flyers: static campaign images boosted by ad budgets but empty of connection. Those days may be ending.

What comes next might be harder work, but it might also be healthier: creativity, community, and genuine engagement are the new currency of influence.

Looking ahead

This moment could spark a renaissance in political and social communication. When paid reach fades, imagination and sincerity might return to the center. Grassroots storytelling, peer-to-peer mobilization, and content that actually moves people, not just targets them, will thrive.

If you’re thinking of ways to succeed in this new era, ask yourself:

  • How can I build genuine community, not just broadcast messages?
  • How can I bridge multiple channels and adapt to their cultures?
  • How human is my communication – really?

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