Government Technology - August 2008 - (Page 22)

nently features links to popular Web 2.0 applications, such as YouTube, Facebook, MySpace and Flickr. Coleman also has links to newer applications such as Utterz — a tool allowing him to post voice, video and text to the Web via a mobile phone — and Sprout, an application that lets users embed Coleman-related news and video on their own sites with just a few mouse clicks. Coleman’s campaign manager, Cullen Sheehan, said these tools help the candidate reach people in new ways. “Social networking tools and sites are a good opportunity to reach out to supporters with creative and innovative approaches to campaigning,” Sheehan said. “There’s no doubt the Web is influencing politics, and we’ve made a commitment to reflect that in our e-campaign. Between e-mail, text messaging, social networking and embed- To keep his seat Norm Coleman must stand up to a comedian. Only this time, no one’s laughing (well, maybe a few people). Running against the Republican incumbent is Saturday Night Live alum and Rush Limbaugh arch-nemesis Al Franken. Franken follows in former Gov. Jesse Ventura’s footsteps as an entertainer entering Minnesota politics. Interestingly, at press time, Ventura is rumored to be considering Coleman’s seat as well. The former actor/wrestler has been polling well, despite not having ofﬁcially announced a candidacy. Web video gives campaign staff the opportunity to formulate more targeted advertisements that might not play well on TV in front of a large audience. Such video also allows the campaign to create content that’s edgy and original. ded video, we communicate with thousands of people every day. These are people that might not normally be exposed to information about Norm or about what’s going on in the campaign, so it’s having a tremendous impact.” Of course like any candidate, Coleman is after the elusive youth vote. Sheehan said she believes the effort being put into the Coleman e-campaign will resonate with the younger generation and will encourage them to vote. “Younger people see the energy we’re creating via Web technology and are more likely to get involved. We hear all the time that cre- ative Web videos and messaging are reaching more and more people as word spreads. Our goal is to take the next step in mixing Internet technology with campaigning. Given the feedback we get from supporters, members of the media and people who are new to politics, we’re succeeding.” Perhaps the most important element that Web 2.0 brings to a campaign is the chance to paint a more intimate portrait of a candidate. “Social networking sites, like our Facebook and MySpace pages, are geared not only to the issues and legislation that Norm fights for, but also to him as a person — information about him and his family that gives people a chance to learn more about him personally,” Sheehan said. “Flickr is a sort of photo journal of the campaign thus far. People can look at Norm’s travels around the state and what the campaign has been up to. Given its adaptable nature, YouTube might be the most powerful Internet tool we use. On our YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/ colemanforsenate, we try to mix traditional messaging with creative Web videos that discuss issues affecting the campaign on a daily basis. The advent of the Web video as a viral tool has a daily effect on local and national campaigns.” Digital Democracy Campaigns discussed here differ in size, scale, resources and goals, yet each shares a common element — the clever application of mostly free Web 2.0 tools to better reach voters. None of these candidates are — or were — ensured victory simply because they were savvy enough to leverage the latest Web technology. Some Web 2.0 tools may have questionable usefulness, but most are delivering a considerable return on minimal investment. Many people bemoan that snaring an elected office is too often prohibitively expensive. But Web 2.0 might just help put politics back within the reach of any citizen who wants to serve. “Especially for a smaller campaign that may not budget for a lot of paid media, earned media via the Internet is a costeffective way to garner serious attention,” Sheehan said. “Put some energy into it, and you’ll see a definite impact in terms of spreading your message and reaching out to more and more people.” AUG_08 22 http://www.youtube.com/colemanforsenate http://www.youtube.com/colemanforsenate http://www.govtech.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Government Technology - August 2008

Government Technology - August 2008 Contents Point of View The Last Mile Big Picture On the Scene Four Questions for... Net Gains A Government Technology® Industry Profile: CA CA Contents IT Network Management: State and Local Governments Face New Challenges MyFloridaNet Arkansas Department of Information Systems Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Government Tightens Its Belt Rocking the Vote High-Speed Portal Project On Track Wi-Fi on a Shoestring From Paintball to Video Virtually Vulnerable How It Works Products signal:noise

Government Technology - August 2008

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