Digital Campaigns and the Googlization of American Politics
Searching for answers on the web has become a fixture in our lives. Want to go to a movie? Search the time and showings. Buying a house? Search for listings. Interested in a candidate or a local issue? Ask Google.
But when it comes to political and advocacy digital campaigns, why do many folks ignore tactics that drive search results for digital campaigns? Why is the web relegated to an intern or volunteer instead of seen as a strategic tool?
Businesses have moved to content-focused strategies to move search traffic to their sites because of the good return on investment. We need to be thinking more about how we can harness organic search traffic for digital campaigns in advocacy and politics.
But wait, isn't politics different?
For a long, time we have thought politics is different. Creating organic search content could not make a dent in the quick turnaround world of politics. (Some folks even think the Internet is still new in politics.) Think again. I have been incorporating digital, including search engine optimization tactics, into campaigns since 2003. Digital campaigns are not new. Search engine usage has increased at a mind-blowing rate. Both yearly search engine traffic and daily search traffic has doubled in the last five years—it has tripled since the last presidential election.
At the same time search has increased, local news media has disappeared. Newspaper readership and TV viewership are dwindling. Let's face it, folks have no choice but to search the web to figure out the issues and things they care about. Not only is it the only source many folks use, but also your digital campaigns will be viewed as a trusted source of information if you show up at the top of a Google search. Being at the top of the results comes with authority. And with just a few tweaks to your digital strategy, you can make that happen.
Digital campaigns are not a two-week endeavor. We are now planning digital campaigns six months, a year and even two years in advance. You won’t be using content marketing tactics alone in a vacuum, either. Organic search tactics should help augment a paid digital ad campaign.
What to know more about integrating digital campaigns into your campaign? Post your question in the comments.