Tech For Campaigns

During the 2024 election cycle, I volunteered with the non-profit organization Tech for Campaigns (TFC) to support down-ballot candidates in pivotal swing state races. As part of a two-month-long pilot program testing the potential of influencer marketing in the political sphere, I worked with a team of seven digital marketing specialists to increase visibility and engagement for these campaigns.

One of my key focuses was raising awareness about Denny Wells' campaign for Alaska's highly competitive District 15 House race. To achieve this, we collaborated with two Anchorage-based Instagram influencers who used their deep knowledge of Alaska’s geographical, cultural, and political landscape to produce content that resonated with the state’s unique identity. Although Wells ultimately fell short, securing 45.5% of the vote to his opponent’s 51.6%, the campaign successfully fostered meaningful community engagement and brought critical local issues to the forefront. By refining digital outreach tactics, our team helped lay groundwork for future grassroots mobilization in a challenging political environment.

Influencer Outreach

Securing influencers for this campaign initially posed a challenge, as politics can be a highly charged topic requiring a careful and nuanced approach to outreach. Despite this, our team successfully identified and partnered with two Instagram influencers—@sarahmhistand and @sewyupik—who had a combined following of 75.5k and strong connections to Alaska’s geographical and cultural landscape. TFC’s state director for Alaska and I crafted tailored content briefs and established streamlined workflows for content review and approval through Wells’ campaign manager, ensuring that all posts aligned with the campaign’s objectives. These partnerships ultimately resulted in 13 organic posts and two paid Meta ads, effectively laying the foundation for broader audience engagement and meaningful connections with local Anchorage voters.

Working with @sarahmhistand and @sewyupik was an honor, as both brought unique perspectives and strong ties to Alaskan communities to our project. Together, their influence amplified our campaign’s messaging in a meaningful and culturally relevant way.

• @sarahmhistand: An outdoor recreation advocate and mental health-focused fitness instructor whose values aligned with transparency, resilience, and community well-being, resonating strongly with her audience.

• @sewyupik: A registered nurse, graduate student, and Yup’ik artist who provided a culturally grounded and authentic voice. Her content—steeped in daily life and Indigenous heritage—allowed us effectively connect with underrepresented communities.

Organic Content

Recognized as cultural ambassadors for Alaska, @sarahmhistand and @sewyupik were given creative freedom to craft authentic, relatable content that offered a soothing departure from traditional political messaging. @sarahmhistand’s posts showcased her participating in winter sports, often gliding gracefully across pristine tundra lakes, paired with practical advice on managing stress and nervous system regulation. Similarly, @sewyupik’s reels and posts brought a personal, heartfelt perspective, featuring serene footage of berry-picking in rural Alaska and even a candid selfie with Denny Wells at the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) Convention!

Upon collaboration with @sarahmhistand and @sewyupik, we created 13 Instagram posts that included a mix of static images, video reels, and carousels designed to engage those living in Alaska’s District 15 with relevant messaging. The content highlighted key issues and campaign values such as education, fiscal responsibility, and public safety. These posts collectively achieved a reach of 27.1k, generating 35.7k impressions and 1.4k engagements with an average engagement rate of 3.94%. Issue-focused posts were particularly effective, delivering a 4.71% engagement rate and demonstrating the power of tailored, audience-centered messaging.

Post Samples

Paid Meta Ads

To expand our reach and drive engagement, we also implemented a geo-targeted paid media strategy on Meta using influencer-generated content (IGC) and user-generated content (UGC). Two paid ads were created from influencer posts by @sarahmhistand and @sewyupik in their usual content style, while a third ad featured UGC from a teacher in the district, whose authentic and relatable message added a grassroots dimension to the campaign. These ads achieved a combined reach of 41,092 and an engagement rate that outperformed traditional campaign ads, with a cost-per-engagement (CPE) of $3.24 for influencer ads and $1.41 for the teacher’s UGC.