New Media Training

A candidates overview of online and social media strategy for campaigns

March 2011- New Brunswick, NJ

Agenda1. Create a new media plan2. Manage your website3. Online video and photography4. Social Media – cultivating a personality online5. Blogging6. Email list growth - fundraising7. Online ads8. Metrics9. Mobile10.Next Steps

A New Media Director’s Plan• Discern what online and social media strategy you’ll need to win.

Email Fundraising SMS = mobile

Managing a website

• Keeping it simple

Online Video and Photography

• Paint a story and remain relevant

I’m Not a Witch

• Or what not to say in a candidate video

Ways of Using Video on the Campaign

• Types of videos:

– Recording speeches, events and rallies– Direct to camera messages to supporters– Interviews and documentaries of events/issues– Informational videos– Inspirational movement videos

Social Media – Cultivating a Personality

Facebook for Politicians• Personal pages should be restricted to family – everything is public• Hire a Social Media Manager; Administrator and Monitor• Updates should be a mix of personal and political• Use mobile apps on your phone to post to social media sites• Post both Facebook and Twitter at the same time• After canvassing invite the doors you knocked to become supporters• Make every campaign event a Facebook event• Have a Fan page and group page

Twitter Is Where You Ought to Be

• And Proxy Services can help you get there

A Twitter Political Giant

Social Media Best Practices for Candidates

1. Use it-- it’s free; popular and many potential voters are on it!

2. Utilize various social media platforms to reach niche audience

3. Conversational tone - 4. Promote your ideas and cultivate

democracy5. Post regularly6. Be sure that your staff has presence on the

sites

Blogging

• Why blog?› 1. Communications and Organizing strategy› 2. Tell why you’re running/issues› 3. Explain how your candidacy will help your community

› 3. Foster an online community› 4. Two way communication tool › 5. Recruit and mobilize supporters

Blogging Visibility

Email-- 4 Questions You Must Ask

1. What’s the problem or why are you running?2. What’s the crisis?3. Why your candidate? (Theory of change)4. Why right now? (Urgency)

Email

Online Ads

• Google • Facebook• BlogAds• Pandora

Metrics

• Know if your messaging is working• Google Analytics• Facebook Insights• Hootsuite Metrics, etc.

Mobile

• SMS – many communities do not have online access

• Iphone + Droid Apps• Proxy programming like Hootsuite and

Tweetdeck you can use on your phone

Next Steps

• Hire a New Media Director• Build capacity to maintain before you start• Tie your new media plan into the benchmarks

set for your field plan• Questions