September 2022 Political Social Media Stats

Leo Varadkar bigger on social media than Sinn Féin which is the largest party on socials

• Summary:Sinn Féin has 597k social media followers bigger than all the political parties, 22M YouTube video views, 10M+ Tiktok views
• Leo Varadkar has 757k followers across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (he’s not on TikTok)
• Leo has more followers than Sinn Féin the party, massive numbers onTwitter and Instagram
• Fine Gael the party has 113.5k social media followers, 1.5M YouTube views, 1.2M views
• Simon Harris is the king of TikTok with 92k followers, millions of views and positive comments

A social media analysis by Mulley Communications of the social media accounts of political parties has shown that Sinn Féin has the biggest following across all social media networks but if Leo Varadkar was his own political party he’d be the biggest party on social media in Ireland.

State of social media in Ireland
Right now there are 2.7M people using Facebook who are majority over 40, 2.6M on Instagram who are mostly 20-40 and 2.2M people over 18 on Tiktok with probably another 1M under 18 (Tiktok will not provide teen numbers)

September 2022 Irish Political Social Media Stats
Figures as of budget day September 27th 2022

Irish Political Party Social Media Table

NT = No Tick, not verified

Party Leaders:

Leo Varadkar is the party leader with the most followers on social media with over 720,000 followers across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Mary Lou McDonald has the next highest number of followers with 370,00 followers and Micheál Martin has 179k followers. Mary Lou McDonald has the greatest amount of Facebook followers. To note: Facebook has the oldest demographic where almost the majority of people are 40 or over. Instagram and TikTok have much younger demographics.

Simon Harris
While we couldn’t find TikTok accounts for any party leader, Simon Harris is King of TikTok with 91.6k followers  and has more followers than the political parties except Sinn Féin and has has millions of views on his videos. He also talks to his a audience as Minister for Higher Education so his account is more a source of information than of whataboutism or political promises.

What’s interesting to note is that unlike comments under most political party videos, his comments are positive or sarcastic but positive. See end of this for examples

The TikTok algorithm
This algorithm shows you content whether you follow the account and so a lot of positive or negative engagement under a your video will push your content into other timelines too. You live and die by engagement on TikTok

What are TikTok likes about?
These are a measure of engagement and feed the mysterious algorithm. More likes more views which then gets you more likes etc.

TikTiok and Irish Political Parties

Views were based on manually adding numbers of the videos so I stopped after the bigger parties

Top Tiktoks

Sinn Féin
35+ videos over 100k views
10+ million views

310k Mary Lou “You are making beggars out of people”

789k Gerry Adams telling a knock knock joke and singing Oró, Sé Do Bheatha ‘Bhaile

1.1M Pearse Doherty Dublin Hotel Prices

Fine Gael top Tiktok

The Truth about Sinn Féin 746k

@finegael

The truth about Sinn Féin.

♬ original sound – Fine Gael

Rest of their videos don’t hit 100k

People Before Profit
“They’re murdering bastards”. PBP’s Gino Kenny doesn’t mince his words when talking about Israel.
431k

@peoplebeforeprofit

“They’re murdering bastards”. PBP’s Gino Kenny doesn’t mince his words talking about Israel. Protest tomorrow (Sat) @ Spire 2pm. #freepalestine #gaza

♬ original sound – People Before Profit

105k Eamon McCann thank you

@peoplebeforeprofit

Big thank you Eamonn McCann, stepping down from his council role for health reasons. We’re sure he won’t stop campaigning! #socialism #lgbt #derry

♬ original sound – People Before Profit

144k Why life in Ireland sucks

@peoplebeforeprofit

Why life in Ireland sucks for young people. Brigid Purcell – our PBP rep in Dublin Bay South explains. #housingcrisis2021 #housingcrisis #ireland

♬ Space Song – Beach House

524k scrap the leaving cert

@peoplebeforeprofit

Scrap the Leaving Cert. It is wrong. Stop gatekeeping higher education. Everybody should have a right to education. #leavingcert #leavingcert2022

♬ State Lines – Novo Amor

Fianna Fail

200k Lisa Chambers calls for a change in the restrictions of partners at child birth

@fiannafail

Lisa Chambers calls for a change in the restrictions of partners at child birth #irishpolitics #fiannafáil #fiannafáil

♬ Ashes – Stellar

177k Darragh O’Brien puts Sinn Féin in its place

@fiannafail

We are delivering the largest home building programme in Ireland’s history #fiannafail #irishpolitics #fiannafáil #housingforall

♬ original sound – Fianna Fáil

140k Coming out of lockdown 140k
https://www.tiktok.com/@fiannafail/video/6945522780863548677

Labour Party
216k Hybrid Leaving Cert petition set to Taylor swift https://www.tiktok.com/@labourparty/video/7051943619627912453?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1

Green Party
2k https://www.tiktok.com/@greenparty_ie/video/7145556028262796550

Social Democrats
282k

@social_democrats

It is ludicrous and pathetic that TDs would be offered free antigen tests – while Min Donnelly refused to offer free tests to those who need them

♬ original sound – Social Democrats

It is ludicrous and pathetic that TDs would be offered free antigen tests – while Min Donnelly refused to offer free tests to those who need them

109k What planet are they on? Ordinary families earning a decent wage should be able to aspire to own a home.

@social_democrats

Ordinary families earning a decent wage should be able to aspire to own a home. But years of failed housing policies have resulted in thousands of children growing up in emergency accommodation; ‘affordable homes’ that are €400k and renters being squeezed for everything they have. It’s time to start doing things differently.

♬ original sound – Social Democrats

Links to Party and Leader Social Accounts
Sinn Fein
https://www.facebook.com/sinnfein
Tweets by sinnfeinireland
https://www.instagram.com/sinn_fein/
https://www.tiktok.com/@sinnfein
https://www.youtube.com/c/sinnfeinireland

PBP
https://www.facebook.com/peopleb4profit
Tweets by pb4p
https://www.instagram.com/people_before_profit/
https://www.tiktok.com/@peoplebeforeprofit
https://www.youtube.com/c/PeopleBeforeProfitAllianceNational

Fine Gael
https://www.facebook.com/FineGael
Tweets by FineGael
https://www.instagram.com/finegael/
https://www.tiktok.com/@finegael?lang=en
https://www.youtube.com/c/finegael/

Fianna Fail
https://www.facebook.com/fiannafail
Tweets by fiannafailparty
https://www.instagram.com/fiannafail/
https://www.tiktok.com/@fiannafail
https://www.youtube.com/c/FiannaFailTV

Labour
https://www.facebook.com/thelabourparty
Tweets by labour
https://www.instagram.com/labourparty/
https://www.tiktok.com/@labourparty?lang=en
https://www.youtube.com/c/LabourIreland

Green Party
https://www.facebook.com/GreenPartyIreland
Tweets by greenparty_ie
https://www.instagram.com/greenparty_ie/
https://www.tiktok.com/@greenparty_ie?lang=en
https://www.youtube.com/user/GreenPartyIreland

Social Democrats
https://www.facebook.com/socialdemocratsireland
Tweets by SocDems
https://www.instagram.com/social_democrats/
https://www.tiktok.com/@social_democrats?lang=en
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClDl025RoxtCksilNH9LLBQ

Leaders and Pols

Leo
https://www.facebook.com/leovaradkar
Tweets by LeoVaradkar
https://www.instagram.com/leovaradkar/

Mary Lou
https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD
Tweets by MaryLouMcDonald
https://www.instagram.com/maryloumcdonaldsf/

Micheál Martin
https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd
Tweets by MichealMartinTD
https://www.instagram.com/michealmartintd/

Simon Harris
https://www.facebook.com/DeputySimonHarris
Tweets by SimonHarrisTD
https://www.instagram.com/simonharristd/
https://www.tiktok.com/@simon_harristd?lang=en

Simon Harris Comments under his video wishing people well in the Leaving and Junior Cert

Yeah but WHEN ARE TYE RESULTS OUT !?!?
ur the best simon thank you !
U comming to the sesh after ?
Thx Simon
thx a lot Simon. really made me destress.
thx
this will be a quote on my English paper 1 or 2
thanks you so much simon my stress has gone
thanks x
thanks x
Thanks x
Thanks very much Simon !
Thanks very much for that Simon , I’m gonna pass now
thanks so much simon anxiety = gone @mavlynch
Thanks so much Si
Thanks Simon
Thanks Simon!
Thanks Simon xx
thanks simon x
Thanks Simon means alot xx
Thanks Simon means a lot
Thanks Simon lad
thanks simon i’m still gonna fail bud
thanks simon i’ll write about you in my english exam
Thanks Simon
Thanks Simon
Thanks Simon
Thanks Simon
Thanks king
thanks buddy
thanks bro x
thanks bae
Thank you king Simon
tara kelly
Tara
tara
tahar Yahi
Swole on the dole
sucyamada
Stress is gone thanks sm x
Stress has disappeared now disappeared
Sound simple simon
Sound Simon hope u get a feature in the comprehension
Sound Simon
sound simon
sound simon
Sound bud
so adorable
Slay Simon….now can I have 625 points ?
simon u have just cleared my stress
simon i’m gonna quote you in my english paper 1
Simon I promise you in some way or another I’ll find a way to put you in my English paper
Simon Harris Has Spoken
simon harris has spoken
right thanks alot. Youre really helping mate
Reuben Coughlan
Really settled my nerves pal
Na mate I haven’t opened a book and just winging it thanks bud
much appreciated thanks bud x
Made me feel much better thanks si x
Lovely speech thanks
King thanks so much
I’m going to name my the protagonist in my short story after you Simon xx
i love you king
Good man Simon
Gonna put this in my politics essay
Gonna pass now cos of this
Cheers Simon, Nans doing cartwheels to keep warm
Cheers Simon will think of your words during my french listening
Cheers Simon the kids are crying
Cheers Simon luv ye x
Cheers Simon ☝️
cheers mate was in dire need of this
cheers mate
cheers mate
Cheers for that simon
cheers bud
Cheers bro
Cheers babe you are so nice giving us all the heads up my luv x
cheers babe
Appreciate it Simon brother
absolute legend
abbey 🙂

The Truth About Sinn Fein comments

Ye well for them but he fails to mention himself and the money that he has been spending and receiving
Where was Leo when he was announcing lockdown in the country?
Well said Leo
we all know SF has a past but FG and FF are rotten to the core they joined up with the greens that nobody voted for to keep SF out
To my eyes SF will always listen to the people unlike FF and FG! FG and FF need to be OUT asap! Or there will be no more young people in Ireland
That’s rich coming from him
something something
SF hit a nerve
Scooper
Says leak it leo
playground antics, meanwhile the country goes down the swanny………..
People in glass houses…
Pearse got personal and a bit rude, but Leo seems to have a bad attitude. It was between Leo and Pearse ; he shouldn’t have called them vagabonds
oh shots fired we need backup
oh no sinn féin are travelling around the world establishing business connections that can be used to help the country in yhe future, the horror……
Like he didn’t fly first class
Less mickey swinging more houses please
Leo you fly private
Leo what’s wrong with people that live in a caravan?
Leo under investigation by DPP!
Leo the leak the Irish people will judge you Leo in the next election
Leo that’s a little too political there bud
Leo know next election he is unemployed
Leo has to come out boxing because he knows he is on the ropes ultimately
Leo had a grand trip to the middle east not that long ago
Leo grasping cuz the whole country fed up with him and his party lies
Leo dropped a truth bomb
Leo as usual trying to throw mud what he does best. Trying to gain votes for a party that has destroyed
Jaysus Leo the leak
Is Leo talking about himself ?
if ye could spend less time taking digs at each other like children and more time sorting the crisis that would be great lads.
I mean… he’s not wrong
his days are over…. come the next election
him calling people hypocritical good one
He’s not wrong but pot calling the kettle black much? Chap has taken multiple trips and lives a handy life while making decisions for us the 1%
he isn’t wrong tho, truth is no party is any good especially SF, they “fight for people” by making promises they cannot deliver to the most vulnerable
he has just described a fraction of what he and his pals do. hypocrisy at it’s best.
has b worst government in history
had plenty of time to run off his mouth and did nothing only line their and their rich buddy’s pockets. Fine Gael a dinosaur party for the wealthy
Gwan Leo!
Gowan Leo you say it how it is! Call out SF for who they really are
FG trying anything because they know next GE the GAME IS UP leak it leo really scraping the barell. must of been his rich mates told him too
fg have had 10+ years .. and as the president said this very week housing here is a DISASTER
every time FG does this another person decides to vote for anyone but FG
Does this lad know the Dàil Eireann that he claims to be a leader in was formed in 1919 by the Irish republicans with sinn fein as leaders
Didn’t Leo write to Kylie minogue to meet her the second he was in power?
Didn’t he charge people thousands per plate for a dinner celebrating 10 years of Fine Gael in government?
brilliant well said Leo
bit rich given our huge housing crisis that fg and ff put us in
ask leo what happens every st paddys day
and when we couldn’t celebrate st Patrick’s day off ye went to America etc
and he wants the orange order to march in Dublin
And can we get a financial breakdown of your party and what they do there leo
Also the leader of a housing crisis calling people in rough living conditions vagabonds just shows how disconnected from the people they are
a bit hypocritical there leo