Transcript Politics and Web Strategy: Metrics of Success

Politics and Web Strategy:
Metrics of Success
Sponsored by
Knight Digital Media Center
April 24, 2008
Karen A.B. Jagoda
President
E-Voter Institute
Key Issues
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How are candidates using the web?
What are voters expecting candidates to do
with the Internet?
What elements go into a successful political
campaign and what role does the Internet
play?
Candidates Use the Internet
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Web site
Fund raising
Email
Online ads
Webcasts of events
Blogs and podcasts
Take polls and surveys
Communicate with press
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Television ads on the
official site
Campaign web video on
other sites
Participate in social
networking sites
Opposition research
Manage field operations
Text messaging
Voters Use the Internet
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Find out about all candidates and issues
Contribute to candidates
Organize for and against candidates and issues
Tell their friends/family about political issues
Post their own opinions in blogs
Post video and audio related to candidates
Rate posted videos
Create their own sites
Use social network sites
What do Voters Expect?
Likely Voters and Online Political Activity
Intend to Vote?
Yes
No
Not Sure
Contributed to a Candidate or Cause Online
Signed up for Candidate Newsletter
Signed up to Receive Notices for Politically
Active Organizations
Sent an Email to a Candidate or Politician
about Concerns
Visited a Candidate's Web Site
Sent Email to Friends/Family about Politics
Viewed Online Videos about Candidates
91%
88%
86%
4%
6%
8%
5%
6%
6%
84%
7%
9%
83%
83%
83%
9%
8%
9%
8%
9%
9%
Used Search Engine to Find Candidate Info
82% 10%
8%
Received Email from Friends or Family
about Politics
81%
8%
10%
Read a Blog About Candidates
80% 11%
9%
Total sample: Intend to vote 74%, no 14%, not sure 12%.
E-Voter Institute 2007
What Do Strategists Worry About?
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Control of the candidate’s message
Rapid response challenges
Activists for & against their candidate
Finding likely voters
The competition
Raising enough money to keep going
Dimensions of the Political
Campaign Environment
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One day sale and no second place
Real World
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Internet
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Dollars raised
Attendance at rallies
Volunteers walking the neighborhood
Turn out at the voting booth
Web traffic
Engagement
Quantity and quality of content
Reported by the News
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Poll numbers
Viral video
Blogosphere
In Search of Voters
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Which campaign
activities are most
important?
Which online tools help
build momentum and
have a multiplier effect?
How to turn online
activists into a actual
voters?
Metrics of Success for a Campaign
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What role does the Internet play?
Dollars raised –total and per contributor
Move the numbers-favorability ratings and other polls
Intent to vote and turn out of voters or caucus
attendees
Attendance at rallies
Name recognition
Level of passion
Increase registration of new voters
Effectiveness of field operations and mobilization of
volunteers
Online Metrics
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What helps a candidate get elected?
Quality and quantity of voter generated content—how
viral
Social media activity –buzz factor
Blog presence and tone of postings
Web site visitors
Online engagement
Persuasion by online ads
Click through rates on display ads & search terms
Community Based Metrics
What matters most for building grassroots support?
 Email addresses acquired for current and future
campaigns
 Email forwards to increase opt in list through
recommendations
 Collection of petition signatures
 Popularity of search terms
 Rapid response
 Ability to define the opponent
Internet Advantage
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What is the return on investment of media dollars spent
across all media for a campaign?
How is the Internet changing the way successful
candidates are spending their time and money?
Internet is leveling the playing field and allowing a new
kind of candidate to gain attention, funds, and votes.
Who are these new candidates and what makes them
successful?
The Internet is engaging voters in new ways. Is it most
effective with Independents, cross-over voters, the
undecided, or the loyal base?
Change
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Why do top campaign people continue to resist
changing their strategies to take more
advantage of the Internet?
When will political strategists catch up with
changes in the media landscape?
What other changes are ahead for the Internet
and how will voters and candidates take
advantage of them?
Contact
Karen A.B. Jagoda
President
E-Voter Institute
http://e-voterinstitute.com
Digital Politics--Weekly Internet Radio Show
http://signonradio.com/programs/digital-politics
[email protected]