What makes an effective political website?A qualitative approach

Overview

Most of the arguments for what makes a good political website are based on a quantitative analysis

This approach takes the most popular websites, analyses their activities, and advocates them, using the logic that these activities must have contributed to the success of the website

This presentation will attempt to present a framework for a qualitative measure of a good political website

A qualitative assessment looks at the website from the prospective of the end user, asking the question as to whether the user’s needs are provided for by the website in a most effective manner

This approach looks how effective the website is as a tool, supporting an overall communication strategy. It takes into account the political and organisational context of the website and party

Although hits are still important, the number of hits is secondary, a product of the quality of the website

An effective political website delivers useful information to all key audiences

In order to asses this the party’s key audiences should be defined and an assessment made of their needs

The website should deliver this information efficiently, by paying attention to design, navigability and usability

An effective political website is also a resource for party activists to help them to be more effective campaigners

The party website should be the voice of the party, giving the casual visitor to the site a clear and immediate idea as to the values and ideals of the party

What is an effective political website

Website key audiences

Political party websitePUBLIC

SOCIAL MEDIA

JOURNALISTS

PARTY MEMBERS

ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES

Key audience requirements

Party members

Events calendar

Party news

Organizational tools

Campaigning guides and training

Public

Clear overview of party policy and values

Leadership profiles

Commentary and information on specific issues

Ways to donate to and support the party

Contact information for the local party

Elected Representatives

Detailed policy papers

Information and updates on campaigns on a local and national level

Archive of party documents

Journalists

Archive of press releases

Contact details for press office

High quality pictures and media

Archive of speeches

FoundationsEvery effective website needs to have firm structural and technical foundations in order to deliver the information efficiently

This means including technical details such as meta data, in order to assist with search engine optimisation

Attention needs to be made to copy editing to ensure that it is suitable for the web

Graphic design needs to assist the user to find information

Examples

ITALIA DEI VALORI, A USER FRIENDLY DIRECTORY OF

LOCAL PARTIES

US DEMOCRATS, CLEAR “MISSION STATEMENT”

UNICREDIT GROUP PRESS ROOM WITH A VARIETY OF

USEFUL INFORMATION FOR JOURNALISTS

TimelinessTimeliness is one of the most important features of an effective website

Online traffic is now driven by the news cycle

This means producing relevant content, anticipating news stories by paying close attention to the political calendar

A frequently updated website will contribute to the perception of the website as a useful asset by its key audiences

SEARCH VOLUME VS NEWS MENTIONS FOR MAJOR UK POLITICAL PARTY IN 2008

Thinking beyond the party website

Local Party

Websites

SOCIAL MEDIA

Political party

websiteonline news

sources

European parliament

member websites

single issue cause

websites

Supporter blogs

regional party

website

Leaders website

Member of

parliament websites

An integrated online strategyThe website should be part of an integrated online strategy that takes into account related websites and social media sites

Content owners from related websites should be included in the strategic planning process

Online assets need to be promoted using email and offline media (i.e. leafletting) in order to encourage their use

Social media and other online resources should be used to support specific communications goals of the party

An example scheme for online activity planningObjective Tool Activity

Responsible party

organisationGoals

Contributing to the public debate on economic policy

Youtube

Youtube town hall with party economic

spokesman with user submitted

questions

HQx number of

questions x number of views

Building links with local communities

Facebook

Create local community based groups to facilitate

communication

Local councilors

x % of each ward connected to a local

party facebook group

Promoting key party messages and goals

Websites

Make sure all party websites have clear

and consistent branding and

messages

Party wide, central lead

all party websites to carry a clear policy

message