Media

Trump Edges Clinton in Twitter Followers

Douglas A. McIntyre

Published: May 6, 2016 6:56 am

Last Updated: January 13, 2020 9:47 am

What does it mean for a politician to be followed on Twitter Inc. (NYSE: TWTR)? Supposedly free exposure of policy beliefs, an ability to immediately react to situations in the election or the news, a chance to challenge other candidates, the media or insults from one person or another, which include the opposition. Donald Trump edges Hilary Clinton with Twitter followers, and his edge is considerable.

Trump is @realDonaldTrump on Twitter and has 7.98 million followers. Clinton is @HillaryClinton and has 6.14 million followers. She is probably helped because by Bill Clinton’s @billclinton, which has 5.47 followers.

Each candidate’s Twitter profile is a chance to get out a core message. For Trump it is simple:

#MakeAmericaGreatAgain #Trump2016.

Trump joined in March 2009. Clinton’s is more of a resume:

Wife, mom, grandma, women+kids advocate, FLOTUS, Senator, SecState, hair icon, pantsuit aficionado, 2016 presidential candidate. Tweets from Hillary signed –H.

She joined in April 2013. The Twitter “join” date also gives Trump an edge.

Although it appears that each candidate has a huge following, that is only relatively true. The leader in the Twitter follower category worldwide is Katy Perry (@katyperry) with 88.2 million, followed by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) with 81 million. President Obama (@BarackObama) has 74.5 million, which puts him in the top four among all people or organizations based followers. On Twitter, it pays to be an entertainer.

Trump has been called the most effective tweeter among all politicians who have taken to the social medium. He has 31,400 tweets to Clinton’s 5,396.

No matter what the result of the general election, Trump can at least claim he has the lead in one category.