You only have one chance to make a good first impression. For political campaign websites, visitors are probably looking for information, so they may be more likely to stick around longer. But even if a visitor decides to learn more about you as a candidate, what you say and how you present yourself online influences voter support.
So, what does your campaign website say about you?
Does it say 'Vote for Me'? Do you actually 'make the ask'? Are the words 'vote for' and a date prominently displayed on the site? Too often this critical information is nowhere to be found. Oh, and make sure your ballot name is presented consistently!
Does it make you look like a leader? Does your site inspire active support? Again, is there a volunteer page asking for help? Are there recommendations on the site for supporters to follow? Start small and ask for visitors to sign up for updates. Even small things like asking visitors to share with a friend can help get others involved.
Does it make you appear vague? Is there enough real information about the candidate and the issues? If someone reads about your positions, will they get the sense that you know the issues and have serious ideas for dealing with them?
Does it say your campaign is underfunded? A bad-looking website will reflect poorly on your campaign. Make sure your website content is easy to read and laid out neatly. Even a well-designed website will fail to impress if the page content is jumbled mess. Quality affects perception.
Does it show that you are articulate? Again, this goes back to content. Poor grammar and misspellings reflect poorly on your competency and attention to detail. If you want people to take you seriously, you need to proofread all of your content.
Does it say you're open? Are there ways for people to reach the candidate? Do you invite feedback and questions?
Does it say that you are socially networked or just a poser? A Facebook page is nice but it won't help if it's just a static brochure or used to push out information. A Twitter feed only helps if you're really using Twitter rather than just have a Twitter account with infrequent or nonexistent updates. A lack of social media engagement only shows that you don't get how to use these tool to connect with people. Better to skip social networking than to set up accounts and let them collect dust!
There's a lot more that can be inferred from just the content of a website. Color and design psychology is an entirely different subject.
So, what does your campaign website say about you?
Does it say 'Vote for Me'? Do you actually 'make the ask'? Are the words 'vote for' and a date prominently displayed on the site? Too often this critical information is nowhere to be found. Oh, and make sure your ballot name is presented consistently!
Does it make you look like a leader? Does your site inspire active support? Again, is there a volunteer page asking for help? Are there recommendations on the site for supporters to follow? Start small and ask for visitors to sign up for updates. Even small things like asking visitors to share with a friend can help get others involved.
Does it make you appear vague? Is there enough real information about the candidate and the issues? If someone reads about your positions, will they get the sense that you know the issues and have serious ideas for dealing with them?
Does it say your campaign is underfunded? A bad-looking website will reflect poorly on your campaign. Make sure your website content is easy to read and laid out neatly. Even a well-designed website will fail to impress if the page content is jumbled mess. Quality affects perception.
Does it show that you are articulate? Again, this goes back to content. Poor grammar and misspellings reflect poorly on your competency and attention to detail. If you want people to take you seriously, you need to proofread all of your content.
Does it say you're open? Are there ways for people to reach the candidate? Do you invite feedback and questions?
Does it say that you are socially networked or just a poser? A Facebook page is nice but it won't help if it's just a static brochure or used to push out information. A Twitter feed only helps if you're really using Twitter rather than just have a Twitter account with infrequent or nonexistent updates. A lack of social media engagement only shows that you don't get how to use these tool to connect with people. Better to skip social networking than to set up accounts and let them collect dust!
There's a lot more that can be inferred from just the content of a website. Color and design psychology is an entirely different subject.
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