Social Media played a key role in deciding the outcome of 2010 British General elections. According to a study by Reuters Institute of Journalism, social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter played a major role in getting the youth actively participate in the election

This election would be very much known for the way the political candidates garnered support for their campaign through Social Media and web-based applications rather than conventional, traditional media such as Posters and Newspapers.

From viral adverts to sentiment tracking, internet polling,slap meters and pretty much everything else, technology appeared to offer political parties powerful, new, innovative ways to engage voters and audiences.

Facebook launched a Voter Registration page in a partnership with the country’s Electoral Commission.

This led to 14,000 extra voter registration forms downloaded via Facebook and a huge increase in visits to “About My Vote” following a large awareness raising campaign to the UK’s 23 million Facebook users.

A website, where initially one could only socialise, share photos and chat with each other. Facebook became a platform for people in the 2010 general elections to discuss the various contesting parties policies and agendas which was vital for political campaigns.

Similar social networking sites such as Flickr, Twitter and You Tube became sources of communication with Twitter being cited as a "core communication tool" in political and media circles.

According to a study by Nick Newman, the 2010 elections did mark another significant milestone  in the onward march of the internet. 

The study revolves around interviews with 30 journalists, political advisors and Social Media experts who were directly involved with coverage or strategies for the campaign.
   
Newman believes that this study is indeed a good news for both the elections and the media.

He goes on to add,"This research shows how the internet enabled the election to come alive and engage, particularly the younger electorate. 

This study (also) shows that far from becoming disengaged from the political process, as some had feared would happen, young voters tweeted, blogged, and used online chat-rooms to discuss the last election."  

It was the successful Obama Internet Marketing campaign throughout 2007 and 2008 which inspired the political parties in the UK to follow a similar strategy.

As former presidential contender Howard Dean’s advisor Joe Trippi aptly says, “There is only one tool, one platform, one medium that allows the American people to take their government back, and that’s the internet.”

The future for Social Media and networking sites unlike television and newspapers is quite bright as far as the UK is concerned.

Newman goes on to add “More UK citizens will be online and they will be more confident in using tools like Twitter and Facebook to create, debate and share content and ideas.”

Perhaps these elections are the first step for social media and its there for taking for anyone in the UK who wishes to promote their messages.

Newman concludes, “Technology will remain central to making elections more efficient. It will also continue to put more tools in the hands of audiences to make politicians and the media more accountable.

In the next elections there will not be any speculations on the use of Social Media in the election campaigns, in fact, Social Media will not be even be discussed as an election campaign tool instead it will be THE PRIMARY election campaign tool that the politicians will be looking towards.

Also, the strategies of political parties and mainstream media organisations will be more focused than ever on the need to build meaningful two-way relationships with voters and audiences of the future. 

There are lots of positive outcomes in the use of Social Media for British elections 2010. It has made the youth aware about their government and by communicating with them through their own desired means.

The use of Social Media tools by journalists and mainstream news sites, such as live blogs and digital correspondents, has further amplified the impact of social media even further.

Hence, one can conclude that with posters, television and newspapers not even being looked at by political candidates as a means for gaining support, internet age has progressed immensely and social media is here to stay.