How Zohran Mamdani Schooled the Political World on Social Media
Every so often, someone in politics shows the rest of us what the medium can really do. Enter Zohran Mamdani — the New York politician who ran a campaign that was part grassroots organising, part TikTok theatre and part masterclass in how to actually connect with humans online.
While the rest of the field were still arguing about billboard designs, TV ads and direct-mail budgets, Mamdani was building a movement on his phone. He didn’t just post — he performed, invited, replied, joked and built genuine community. This wasn’t a man yelling into the algorithm; it was someone speaking fluent internet.
The Big Idea: Authenticity Over Airbrushing
If you want a quick summary of Mamdani’s digital strategy, it’s this: be real, be fast, be everywhere.
He didn’t hire a production company to shoot cinematic drone footage of him walking heroically through parks. Instead, he grabbed his phone, hopped on the subway, and talked to people. He filmed himself sweating, joking, stumbling over words. The result? Engagement rates his rivals could only dream of.
The man looked like he actually lived in New York — which, shockingly, voters liked.
Political campaigns often forget that the internet sniffs out inauthenticity faster than a Labrador finds a dropped sausage. Mamdani’s posts weren’t polished, but they were alive. His tone was conversational, his content nimble. He knew the modern voter doesn’t want an ad — they want a human.
Fluent in Meme
While most campaigns treat memes like radioactive waste (“What’s a meme? Is it a kind of pizza?”), Mamdani’s crew used them as campaign currency.
They embraced humour, irony, and cultural fluency — not to be cool, but to show they got it. You could see the fingerprints of people who actually live online, not consultants who spend their days in PowerPoint.
They’d remix viral formats, jump on trending audios, and even poke fun at themselves. And when something hit, it really hit — one viral tweet about Mamdani’s name got millions of views and turned into free publicity no paid ad could match.
Zohran Mamdani excelled in his social media campaigning.
Culture, Not Just Content
Here’s the clever part: it wasn’t just about being funny or relatable — it was culturally tuned.
Mamdani’s team made content in Urdu, Spanish and English, nodding to the city’s linguistic mix. They used references that meant something to working-class and immigrant voters. In one video, he explained ranked-choice voting using cups of lassi. That’s both genius and delicious.
It sent a clear message: this campaign isn’t just for everyone — it’s for you.
Meanwhile, his better-funded opponent was still running square graphics with stock-photo diversity. Good luck with that, champ.
DIY Over $$$
While most campaigns pour money into Meta ads and consultants, Mamdani’s digital operation was practically running on pocket change and good wi-fi.
No massive ad budgets. No polished influencer partnerships. Instead, his team focused on organic reach — making content people actually wanted to share. And share they did.
The campaign leaned into automation tools cleverly — using Instagram comment triggers and chatbots to turn casual scrollers into subscribers, volunteers, and donors. One report estimated they sent more than 70,000 automated messages and collected thousands of emails for peanuts.
That’s not just good campaigning — that’s small-business-level marketing hustle.
Ground Game Meets Scroll Game
Now, let me be clear: the social media magic didn’t replace the street game. The digital buzz was matched by serious door-knocking and community events.
That’s what made it work — online energy feeding offline action. The “likes” turned into votes because the campaign made it ridiculously easy to get involved.
A post might invite you to DM for info and the bot would reply instantly with event details. Next thing you know, you’re handing out flyers at a subway station.
The Results
The data tells the story. By mid-June, Mamdani’s social presence was so strong that posting his name alone became a meme. His engagement rates were up to 14 times higher than his main rival’s. He spent next to nothing on ads but ended up pulling off an electoral upset.
His cost-per-vote? About a quarter of what the big-money candidate paid.
That’s not luck — that’s execution.
The Lessons for the Rest of Us
Whether you’re running a council campaign, a nonprofit appeal or a small business trying to sell socks — there’s a lot to steal from Mamdani’s playbook.
Speak human. Lose the corporate tone. If you sound like a press release, you’ll be treated like one.
Move fast. Stop spending three weeks approving a post. The internet’s moved on.
Be where your people are. Not where you wish they were.
Involve your audience. Mamdani’s followers didn’t just watch — they participated.
Use humour. Politics is heavy enough. A wink goes a long way.
Spend smart. Organic reach beats lazy ad-spend every day of the week.
Integrate. Digital works best when it drives real-world outcomes — donations, sign-ups, votes.
New York Mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo wasnot a social media native
The Fine Print
Before you go trying to copy-paste his strategy, remember: this stuff worked because it fit him. Mamdani is young, funny, multilingual, politically bold and visually distinctive. There is an overwhelming appetite for change.
If you’re a 63-year-old incumbent in a grey suit, you might not want to lip-sync your housing policy on TikTok. Authenticity cuts both ways but the principle stands: stop broadcasting, start connecting. Be less press release, more person.
Final Word
Zohran Mamdani’s campaign was what happens when you mix sharp politics with smart digital storytelling. He didn’t win because he gamed the algorithm — he won because he understood people.
He showed that in 2025, charisma and conviction can travel faster through memes than mail-outs. The takeaway for campaigners, marketers and changemakers alike? If you’re not building community online, you’re just making content.
And as Mamdani proved — content doesn’t win elections. Connection does.