Victorious Trump campaign spent far less on social media than in 2020

The news: President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign spent far less on social media advertisements than in 2016 or 2020, highlighting major shifts in its priorities and the digital landscape.

• Though 2024 spending totals are unclear, Trump consistently underspent the Kamala Harris campaign during crucial windows. In the week after the candidates’ only debate, Harris spent $12.2 million on Facebook and Instagram versus Trump’s $611,228.
• In 2016, Trump spent $44 million on Facebook versus Hillary Clinton’s $28 million, per Bloomberg. In 2020, Trump devoted $89.1 million to Meta platforms versus President Joe Biden’s $85.2 million.

Why the shift? The social media landscape has changed significantly over the last four years, as have political ad spending priorities.

• Platforms like X (formerly Twitter), run by Trump ally Elon Musk, have heavily boosted posts from Republican politicians, per The Washington Post. Trump’s established political brand, dedicated following, and support from conservative and right-wing media platforms reduced the former reality star’s need for hefty spending.
• Harris, in contrast, was a lesser-known politician who faced the challenge of building a national brand in a short time.
• The significant dropoff in Trump’s social media spending can also be partly explained by a broad shift to connected TVs, which are capturing an increasing portion of ad spend due to their ability to target consumers in crucial swing states with precision.
• Trump’s legal expenses also played a role; his campaign spent $100 million on ongoing and past court cases.

The big takeaway: Political campaigns flooded the ad market with millions of dollars, causing the cost of advertising on Meta platforms to triple in some cases.

• However, with the election now over, prices will likely adjust downward, creating more favorable conditions for cash-strapped marketers to re-enter the social media ad market and benefit from lesser competition.
• Meta platforms are appealing to marketers due to their unparalleled reach, but political spending shifts also contain valuable lessons. CTV is a valuable platform to spend on thanks to its targeting capabilities and high engagement that rival social media.