Social media use as a tool of political communication: A study on 2023 Presidential candidates use of Twitter in the elecetions

Communication; In its simplest definition, it can be defined as the process of transferring information from a sender to a receiver. However; Nowadays, communication is no longer a concept that can be considered as simple and superficial as in historical definitions. Especially in this process where traditional media (conventional media) has lost its feature and popularity, communication has become faster, more technological and more widespread. In parallel with this, the platforms we call social media or digital media, which have taken their place in daily life as new media, have rapidly gained importance and become widespread. Naturally, communication channels have been shaped and updated accordingly. The transformation of communication, media and media tools has also affected political communication. In this study, we will discuss topics such as how the Twitter microblog, which has become indispensable today in the context of propaganda, which is one of the elements of political communication, and reaching voters, is included in these political processes, what kind of advantages and disadvantages it provides, how often it is used, and also the 2023 presidential candidates' preferences. We will try to make a comparative analysis of how effectively and efficiently they use Twitter in their elections using various materials and aim to reach a conclusion in the light of the findings. The subject of the research is; It consists of examining the performance of the candidates in using their official Twitter accounts and the tweets they sent in the 2023 Presidential elections. As a result of the research; Although Twitter plays a dominant role in political communication processes and the events that will determine the agenda seem to be lit on this platform, who has how many followers on social media, especially on Twitter, which is the main element of our research, how many are liked and retweeted, Although it seems like it is important how much interaction it receives, the reality that the main thing is to be on the public's agenda and to be on the agenda of not only those who use social media but also everyone who is a voter was once again revealed to everyone when the election was concluded and although its importance cannot be denied, the real agenda is still on the streets, in the bazaar, in the market, It has been concluded that the elections are determined in the village and the coffee house, and that it once again brings to light the fact that candidates who cannot reach these places will not be successful at the ballot box. Keywords: Communication, Social media, Political communication, Twitter, Election