Three things to remember about your online campaigning

By Mark Pack | Mon 15th February 2010 - 10:20 am

1. Be a tortoise, not a hare

The fast-moving story that sweeps round the world may catch the headlines, but the reality of most internet campaigning is very different: it’s the gradual, consistent and sustained effort that reaps the reward. Unless you’re very lucky, it’s a commitment to building up email lists, web visitors and so on over time which brings results.

2. Don’t expect people automatically to come to you

It’s easy to stick something online – a Facebook page, a blog, a simple website or whatever. But that won’t make people come to it. Just as there’s no point printing a leaflet without having thought about how to deliver it, it’s only sensible to create a new online presence if you also think about how to get people to come to it.

3. Being online isn’t the same as campaigning

Being online can certainly help with campaigning, but don’t confuse bunging up press releases with actual campaigning. Even if you’re doing an excellent job at providing people with good, interesting and timely local news, then that’s doing a good service – but isn’t the same as campaigning.

One Comment

Dave Page 15th Feb '10 - 11:28am

Good lord, a Mark Pack post on online campaigning that I agree with!

Having spent a sunny Sunday delivering material in my ward which includes my blog URL, and talking to residents about their concerns, I guess I’ll use rainy Monday to blog about said concerns, which may well be condensed into my next round of dead-tree delivery…

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