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"The person who masters politics online will have figured out how to convince undecided
voters to support their candidate."
Karl Rove
November 8, 2007
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Stephanie Dehondt, Corbin Van Arsdale Campaign Manager

US Capitol

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Karl Rove Gets it - Do You?

Greetings!

Interesting observation by Karl Rove, don't you think? (See sidebar.) Over the last few weeks, here are just a few of the articles I've seen about the use of online media in campaigns, both in print and online:

  • Local Blogs are the Key to Future of Politics
  • The YouTube Factor
  • Social Networking for the Over-50 Set
  • Critics Say GOP Doesn't 'Get' Internet
  • Tech-savvy Swarm of Bloggers Boost Candidates' Presence Online

If you are running a campaign or political organization, you may be jumping on every online bandwagon in the interest of trying to disprove the premise in headline #4 above.  Or, you may be putting your head in the sand, trying to convince yourself that we are still in the good ol' days (2000, and to some extent, even 2004!) when just having a cursory website put you among the tech-savvy.  Either way, you're wrong.

Let's take the latter case first.  If you view building a website as nothing more than a check box on the list of campaign to-do's, then you need to come into 2007.  A recent Harris Poll found that 80% (!) of adults in the US are online.  Your campaign or organization's website is the primary information source for a large part of the population.  If you do not present yourself effectively here, you have created a major disadvantage for your candidate or cause.  While an effective, current website is critical to your efforts, it is by no means enough.  More about that, later.  Which brings us to the other end of the online media spectrum...
 
Are you making yourself dizzy just trying to keep up with all of the variations on Blogs, Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, Podcasts, Eons, Twitter,etc.?  Are you working to replicate what you are seeing the presidential candidates doing online?  Before you devote resources to even one more online element, it might interest you to know that the dirty little secret is that no one really knows which of these tactics will work!

That doesn't mean that you should abandon all of these efforts, but it does mean that you should:

  • Develop an overall campaign communications and marketing plan.
  • Develop an online strategy that is part of your overall plan.
  • Devote most of your online resources (time and money) to elements that are tried and true.
  • Allocate a fraction of your online resources to unproven, but potentially very effective techniques.

In effect, develop a portfolio approach to your online media, just as you would for your personal financial investments.  Take into account your resources, desired goals and appetite for risk. 

The next issue of eCampaign Tips will discuss how to determine what your online media portfolio should include.  Don't miss it!