The NBC News Social Media Convention Guide

With Election Day just months away, NBC News is set cover this election season in many new and social ways. As Facebook approaches 1 billion users, Twitter generates over 200 million tweets a day, Foursquare over 3 million check-ins per day and more, there is no arguing with the power of social media. The first truly social election season, the voice of voters will be heard online across social media platforms long before they visit the voting booth on Nov. 6. On NBCPolitics.com, we're using a new tool that helps add context and explain what so much of this social data is saying about the election.

With the Republican National Convention happening in Tampa, and the Democratic National Convention beginning next week in Charlotte, here is your viewers guide to follow, like, fan and participate in the next two weeks of NBC News coverage across the many social platforms you already visit daily.

Twitter
NBC News has reporters, anchors, producers, correspondents and more on the ground at each convention. Check out our comprehensive lists for the RNC and DNC, and follow along with the conversation happening around the conventions and more using the #NBCPolitics and #Decision2012 hashtags. Get up-to-the minute stories, data and more on all things politics anytime from @NBCPolitics. 

Instagram
The story of the political conventions revolves around visual imagery, and behind-the-scenes photos taken via the popular photo-sharing application will give you an inside view of these events. For the best images at the conventions and beyond this political season, follow these accounts: @nbcnews, @todayshow, @msnbc, @nbclatino, @anthonyquintano,and @nbcnightlynews. 

Facebook
Can’t be near a television all the time? Watch all of the speeches take place live at both conventions at Facebook.com/NBCNews and Facebook.com/NBCPolitics. Additionally, you’ll get behind-the-scenes photos, statistics, stories and more from our crews on the ground at both convention sites.

Google+
You’ll want to circle “NBC News” and “MSNBC” on Google+ for convention coverage and more this fall. We’re conducting Google+ Hangouts the next two weeks with topics including the importance of the minority vote, social media around the elections, behind-the-scenes looks at NBC programming and more.

Storify
Following the success of our 2012 Olympics live blog that saw over 2,000 individual pieces of social content gathered to tell the story of London 2012, we’re showing you the social media story of the RNC and DNC as it evolves in social media.

2012 convention badges from NBC News and GetGlue.

GetGlue
Want stickers? Use the popular social TV application to check in as you watch NBC News primetime coverage of the Republican and Democratic National Conventions. The more you watch, the more special GetGlue stickers you’ll unlock.

Foursquare
Check in to the two convention venues in Tampa and Charlotte to unlock our special Foursquare badges along with tips and more from producers and shows on site. Additionally, we offer candidate "Campaign Check-ins” on our Romney and Obama pages. 

Crimson Hexagon social sentiment meters
We're also tracking social media commentary on the major presidential candidates using a natural-language tool called ForSight, developed by Crimson-Hexagon Inc. Results are culled from all Twitter messages and a sampling of Facebook posts each day. Check it out on NBCPolitics.com.

NBC Politics

This data platform isn't the same as the NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll or other national surveys, which seek to reflect national opinion; instead, it's a broad look at what's being said by Americans who follow politics and are active on Facebook, Twitter or both, and why they're saying it.

Read more about the tool here.