One in three Twitter users have changed their vote because of a tweet
Social media could prove essential in the general election, with research showing that a third of Twitter users aged 18-34 have changed their vote because of something they have seen on Twitter.
Some 83 per cent of Twitter users said they were going to vote – dropping to 74 per cent among users aged 18-34. This is significantly higher than the 65 per cent turnout at the last general election.
With the general election on 7 May predicted to be a tight contest, the news will prompt parties to reassess their Twitter and Facebook strategies.
About 45 per cent of Twitter users aged 18-34 said they had become interested in a political or social cause they learned about through the platform. A further 47 per cent have reconsidered their views on a specific issue because of Twitter.
The research also indicates 37 per cent of Twitter users would go to the micro-blogging platform to look for information on politics or the election, with #ge2015 already accumulating thousands of tweets.
The top reasons people go to the site often relate to getting a range of simple information.
The research, commissioned by Twitter and carried out by Promise Communispace, is based on a survey of 3,000 Twitter users.