Obama’s Online Effort
There’s an article in the Washington Post about Barack Obama’s online team and how they’re using the Internet, online video, and other new media to reach voters. There’s a particularly interesting part about how they’re using social networks to reach multicultural audiences.
They go into a number of different types of media, here are some of the pertinent parts.
Video
Together, the videos on Obama’s YouTube channel have been viewed nearly 52 million times.
SMS
Texting is also playing a crucial role in the campaign’s obsession with growing its database.
Social Networks
His presence on BlackPlanet, which ranks behind MySpace and Facebook in terms of traffic, is so deep that he maintains 50 profiles, one for each state.
And finally, there’s this quote, which reflects grudging admiration from the other side for what they’ve been able to do.
“You can see the main difference between the Obama and McCain campaigns by going to their Web sites,” says Alex Castellanos, a longtime Republican media consultant whose clients have included Romney and President Bush. “Go to McCain’s. Pretty standard. Looks fine. But go to Obama’s. At the very top, there’s a quote.”
Alongside a photo of Obama, it reads: “I’m asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington . . . I’m asking you to believe in yours.”
“Because of the Internet, Obama has built a movement.”