Federal Election: Why Queensland is a major target in a Facebook election ad spending spree

Mining magnate Clive Palmer and former premier Campbell Newman are locked in a spending battle on Facebook. See who else is forking out for Queensland votes.

Queensland has become a major target in an election ad spending spree on Facebook, with minor parties splashing major cash for a chance to pick up a Senate seat in the state.

Mining magnate Clive Palmer and former premier Campbell Newman are locked in a spending battle on the social network, with each paying more than $30,000 for Facebook ads since the election was called.

The news comes as an analysis shows Labor is spending up big online, splashing four times as much cash on social media as the Liberal Party across multiple platforms, and even running 330 Facebook ads simultaneously.

But the Liberals have been creating dirtier attack ads for Facebook and, according to experts, have been taking a more targeted approach that could pay off.

Queensland voters have become the biggest targets for Senate advertising on Facebook this election by a huge margin, according to the University of Queensland, with more than $101,000 spent on Senate ads since April 10, dwarfing investments in Tasmania and South Australia.

Liberal Senator Amanda Stoker has contributed to the more than $101,000 spent in Facebook Senate ads since April 10. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

The United Australia Party and Liberal Democrats make up more than $68,000 of that tally as they battle for a seat, followed by current Liberal Senator Amanda Stoker, Greens Senator Larissa Waters, and Labor Senator Anthony Chisholm.

Facebook election ad spending has also been high in the seat of Brisbane, where Labor candidate Madonna Jarrett has outspent sitting Liberal MP Trevor Evans by five times.

UQ political scientist Dr Glenn Kefford, who created a tool to crunch Facebook ad data, said this election had seen much higher spending on social media due to its growing audience and the bigger budgets of independent candidates.

“The amount of money the independents are spending is really significant and unprecedented historically,” he said.

“Some of them are spending $4000 or $5000 a week on Instagram ads. Candidates from major parties don’t normally spend that.”

An analysis of the major political parties’ spending across both Facebook and Google platforms showed Labor had the deepest pockets by far, with the party and its leader paying more than $247,000 for Facebook ads and $223,000 on Google ads in a week.

By comparison, the Liberal Party and Prime Minister Scott Morrison spent less than half that amount on its Google and Facebook ads combined, though many of their advertisements were more negative, using memes to mock Anthony Albanese.

Mining magnate Clive Palmer has spent more than $30,000 in Facebook adverts this election. His United Australia Party has spent more than $15.2 million on election ads with Google, including $1 million in just one week. Picture: Nigel Hallett.

Australian National University political marketing expert Dr Andrew Hughes said the parties’ online spending exposed different campaign strategies this election.

Labor was taking a “broad target” approach, he said, with big spending designed to spread its message nationwide, and lock in existing supporters.

Dr Hughes said Labor’s spending had been consistently high, though the party had invested in more negative ads towards the campaign’s halfway point.

“They’re targeting undecided voters with these ads — they are Labor’s biggest fear — and according to these ads they’re targeting Queensland and New South Wales.”

But the Liberal Party’s move to run fewer but more targeted ads could be a solid strategy, Dr Hughes said.

“Just because you’re running hundreds of ads does not mean that it’s going to be successful and it does not mean you’re good at digital,” he said.

“It’s like getting 58 text messages from someone trying to ask you out on a date.”

But both major parties are being outspent by billionaire former MP Clive Palmer.

His United Australia Party has spent more than $15.2 million on election ads with Google, including $1 million in just one week.

PARTY SPEND ON FACEBOOK ADS IN BRISBANE

Liberal Nationals: $2496

Labor: $13, 614

Greens: $724

Originally published as Federal Election: Why Queensland is a major target in a Facebook election ad spending spree