From last week
Have a Legitimate Website
There are dozens of free or simple do-it-yourself website services out there. Some of them make a good final product, but few are search engine optimized. People use the Internet for everything now, and most voters are using Google to research your candidate prior to making a decision. What will he or she find when conducting a search?
A professionally designed website that matches your candidate’s branding provides pertinent information (but not too much), and is responsive (mobile-friendly) is a must. Will this cost you some money? Yes, but so long as it’s developed on an easy-to-use content management system (CMS) like WordPress, it can be self-managed after development.
Invest in Content
There’s not much worse than a stale web presence. Without continually adding to your website, your traffic will flat line. Blog posts are an easy way to invest in content — all it takes is your time. Consider that photos, infographics, sharable social media images, and video are also content. They have a cost to them, but the investment is worthwhile. By 2019, I believe 80% of all Internet traffic will be video.
Advertise Smartly, Starting Online
At some point, you must spend money to reach your audience. This starts with understanding who your audience is. Include what they look like demographically and pay attention to behavioural patterns. With this information at hand, figure out what advertising avenues help you reach those people for the lowest cost. Think about search engine marketing (SEM), digital display ads, and Facebook ads, because they’re highly targeted, cost-effective, and measurable.
Lastly, realize that time may be a limiting factor for you, so keep in mind there are a lot of great firms out there that will help you create and execute a branding and advertising plan. Consider using one, because they can help you focus more on the candidate’s core job – raising money and meeting voters. At a minimum, write down your marketing plan and spend time executing it weekly.
This might seem like a lot to accomplish, but any further steps you take to expand the reach of your candidacy or campaign will be hampered if you don’t start by focusing on these basic areas.
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